16×9-sotu-lb_720

LIVE UPDATES: Trump Makes Dem Refusal To Stand For Heroes A Theme Of SOTU

Daily Wire

Donald Trump

Isabel Brown

Michael Knowles

State of the Union

Washington D.C.

The Daily Wire went to George Washington University to ask college students to grade President Trump’s performance giving his State of the Union address—without mentioning the speech actually hadn’t happened yet. The responses were eye-opening.
Many students were unaware that one of the biggest political events of the year was scheduled for the very next day. Even more surprising were those who confidently critiqued a speech that hadn’t even happened yet.
“He wasn’t articulate,” one student told The Daily Wire.
“He was all over the place,” said another.
One woman told us she watched a little bit of it, then turned it off. It was unclear what program she was watching.
We asked other students to rate the speech on a scale from one to ten, with one being the worst and ten being the best. Several added their own ranking system by saying, “Zero.” One man gave it a three. One woman said “negatives.” When we asked her to explain why, she paused and said, “I’m in a lot of organizations, so I can’t really speak in particular. But I think we all know … a lot of reasons.”
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/FB5VUBQIWz7Q8nlBi9jiGabN2g015UjD1?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=5bc94c88-0426-4a60-a508-3c7fd2ad6336&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-2-24%20George%20Washington%20University%20SOTU&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F008fbd23-50b6-4cf7-b02b-bb6e5227dcb6.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the day was not simply that higher education students were unfamiliar with the timing of the State of the Union, but that these were students in Washington, D.C. — where the address takes place just miles from campus.
George Washington University’s undergraduate tuition is $69,780 per year. Including room and board, the total cost rises to approximately $84,000 annually. Yet many students did not know that one of the most prominent political events of the year was happening the following evening, a stone’s throw away from their campus.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-2315">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation&#8217;s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
Some conversations with students expanded beyond their opinion on Trump’s State of the Union speech. One student told us she was unhappy with Trump for attempting to pass legislation she believed would restrict women’s right to vote. She was referring to Democratic lawmakers’ characterizations of the SAVE Act, which has the backing of many Republican lawmakers in the Senate.
The SAVE Act would require voters to prove citizenship when registering to vote and show identification when they arrive at the ballot box.
When asked about the initiative, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) responded, “So are you comfortable saying to women in this country who have been married and change their name that you now have to travel, go to your clerk, fill out affidavits, pay for a passport? Most people don’t have a birth certificate or a marriage certificate.”
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also jumped in to criticize the initiative with a message for married women, telling them that Republicans in Congress want to make it harder for them to vote.
Supporters of the SAVE Act, however, argue that voter identification laws are designed to safeguard election integrity and ensure that ballots are cast by eligible voters.
Trump’s speech may address the SAVE Act tonight, but it will focus on affordability, and is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-a-day-before-the-state-of-the-union-washington-is-buzzing">expected</a> to bring a number of economic policy announcements.
Whether students at George Washington University will hear those announcements remains to be seen.

WATCH: University Students Grade Trump’s State Of The Union … 24 Hours Early

General

George Washington University

Politics

WASHINGTON—Michael Knowles and Isabel Brown will attend the State of the Union on Tuesday, the latest sign of The Daily Wire&#8217;s growing influence in the nation&#8217;s capital.
Brown will join West Virginia Congressman Riley Moore (R), while Knowles will attend as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“Michael Knowles is one of America’s most influential commentators on politics and culture and a major asset to the conservative movement,” Johnson said. “As an author, podcaster, and commentator, Michael has done exceptional work advancing our cause and speaking truth with clarity and conviction. It’s my distinct honor to host him at the Capitol for President Trump’s State of the Union address.”
This will be Knowles&#8217; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-knowles-to-attend-state-of-the-union-with-tennessee-congressman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second time</a> attending the State of the Union, having previously been the guest of Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) in 2024. It&#8217;s the first State of the Union for Brown, whom Moore praised for her steadfast defense of conservative values.
“I am honored to announce that Isabel Brown will join me as my guest for President Trump’s State of the Union address,” Moore said. “Isabel is a devout Catholic who stands firm in her beliefs and works continuously to promote faith, family, and freedom in her work at The Daily Wire. Isabel inspires countless Americans to stand firm in their faith, and I am glad to welcome her as my guest.”
The Daily Wire&#8217;s presence at the State of the Union is the latest sign of the site&#8217;s growing cachet in Washington, D.C. Mary Margaret Olohan was named The Daily Wire&#8217;s first White House correspondent minutes after President Trump returned to office. Her reporting has brought her around the country with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, and earned The Daily Wire a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-briefing-room-gets-facelift-daily-wire-gets-permanent-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> permanent seat</a> in the White House Briefing Room.
Knowles and Brown have each participated in new media events at the White House, interviewing such figures as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Brown has become a regular sight on Pennsylvania Avenue, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUEZnQUj_Ht/?hl=en&amp;img_index=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moderating</a> a panel with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and others on Trump Accounts.
Outside the White House, Daily Wire reporters have interviewed figures including Senate Majority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thune-previews-major-hurdle-to-start-2026-after-momentous-first-year-as-majority-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Thune</a> and Democratic Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-daily-wire-sits-down-with-john-fetterman-who-doesnt-hear-from-democrats-anymore?author=Tim+Rice&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Daily+Wire+Sits+Down+With+John+Fetterman%2C+Who+Doesn%E2%80%99t+Hear+From+Democrats+Anymore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Fetterman</a>. In December, Brown joined Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Reagan National Airport to discuss the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to improve air travel.
In addition to Knowles and Brown, Republican guests for the evening include members of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team, whom President Trump invited personally shortly after their gold medal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-mens-olympic-hockey-team-snags-win-in-overtime-thriller?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+Men%E2%80%99s+Olympic+Hockey+Team+Snags+Win+In+Overtime+Thriller">win</a> in Milan.
Democrats are taking a slightly different tack to the evening’s address, which has Washington abuzz. In addition to the usual opposition response, which this year will be delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D), Democrats are planning a day&#8217;s worth of events to protest the president.
The slate of Democrat counter-programming begins Tuesday morning with a &#8220;prebuttal&#8221; from New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver (D). The address will be streamed on the left-leaning site MeidasTouch, which is also hosting a &#8220;People&#8217;s State Of The Union&#8221; rally on the National Mall during Trump&#8217;s speech. Prominent Democrat lawmakers, including California Senator Adam Schiff, have said they will skip the State of the Union to attend the alternative event.
The Daily Wire will be broadcasting live from that rally, as well as from inside the Capitol and throughout Washington on Tuesday evening. Be sure to tune in to our live coverage beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET, and follow along all day with our live blog, where our reporters will be bringing you all the news you need to know before, during, and after the speech.

Untitled design – 2026-02-23T175137.582

Michael Knowles, Isabel Brown To Attend State Of The Union

Media

US-ENVIROMENT-SEWAGE-POTOMAC

DEI Disaster: Washington D.C. Is Now Literally Flooded With Poop

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Drinking Water

Maryland

Matt Walsh

Opinion

potomac river

WASHINGTON—If you live in the nation&#8217;s capital, you&#8217;ve probably heard that there&#8217;s sewage in the Potomac River.
The issue began in mid-January, when a roughly 60-year-old sewer pipe in Maryland broke, resulting in sewage flowing into the river within the first five days, with additional spills happening this month. So far, roughly 250 million gallons of the sewage has made its way into the river.
The spill has since become the subject of regional and national concern, largely because E. coli levels in the water are higher. The D.C. government says that it is “likely due to a recent rain event” rather than the spill, but still advises that people do not fish or otherwise have &#8220;unnecessary contact&#8221; with the river.
But there&#8217;s some good news for Washingtonians: the tap water is still fine.
“There is currently no impact to drinking water, and so I think as much as we can say that is extremely important to reassure folks. The federal government right now is doing a couple things,” EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water Jess Kramer told The Daily Wire in a Thursday interview. “One is helping to ensure coordination across all the entities involved: the federal partners, the states, as well as the local governments.”
President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday, asking for the governments of Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. to quickly step in, writing, “if they can’t do the job, they have to call me and ask, politely, to get it fixed.&#8221;
“The Federal Government is not at all involved with what has taken place, but we can fix it. But remember, even in that case, with the Democrat Shutdown, we’ll have to bring in true Patriots to do the work because many are not working right now. These Democrat caused Disasters, both River and Shutdown, will only get worse,” Trump added, calling it a “Radical Left caused Environmental Hazard.”
The incident has led to more tensions between the president and Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D), who posted a map on X on Wednesday that highlighted what is and is not considered federal jurisdiction.
“Heard you weren’t sure about what is federal vs. local jurisdiction, Mr. President. So we wanted to make it easier for you. Many thanks to [the National Park Service] for this great map of federal land!” Moore wrote.
Kramer said that she’s “never seen a governor so adamant to not take actions to protect the health of its citizens.”
“The federal piece of this, I think that he&#8217;s pointing to when he&#8217;s talking about federal lands, is that is the National Park Service piece of it. But again, like I just discussed, that second bucket of remediation, that is really going to be led by National Park Service to ensure that the property is cleaned up to the levels and the specificity that&#8217;s necessary for the National Park Service,” she explained.
“And so there is definitely a federal component here, but the break happened within the jurisdiction of Maryland. And so when we talk about cooperative federalism under the Clean Water Act, we really look at the state as the primary enforcement agency. And we, as EPA, the federal government, we have […] oversight authority that lays on top of that. And so we will step in if we need to,” she continued.
She added that the &#8220;federal government is actively working to fulfill requests for assistance that we have gotten over the last 24 hours, from the various state government and local government partners. And those are things that we are providing to help ensure the protection of public health as well as helping to provide resources, to ensure the expedient cleanup and remediation of this site.&#8221;
Earlier on Thursday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a State of Emergency in hopes of getting federal help for the situation, including “100% reimbursement for costs incurred.”
Kramer explained that the goals for remediation fall into three main categories: getting the sewage returned to the Potomac Interceptor, which diverts sewage to a <a href="https://www.dcwater.com/potomacinterceptor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water treatment center</a>, from the canal in the next four to six weeks; having the land cleaned up after the “sanitary sewage” is back in the interceptor; and doing “necessary inspections and operations and maintenance” on the interceptor quickly to make sure there is not a repeat of the issue.
FEMA is also playing a key role in the clean-up efforts, despite the current lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security, as Congress and the White House have yet to reach a deal regarding federal immigration enforcement tactics.
&#8220;Democrats in Congress have shut down [FEMA] funding—leaving our hard working employees to work without pay—yet FEMA is now stepping in to coordinate cleanup of one of the largest raw sewage spills in U.S. history,&#8221; DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted to X on Monday.
&#8220;Thanks to gross mismanagement by Maryland&#8217;s Democrat leaders, hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage has reportedly been dumped into the Potomac River—flowing straight through our nation&#8217;s capital and endangering millions of people, wildlife, and the entire DC region&#8217;s water supply. Democrats are withholding paychecks from the men and women of [DHS] while they clean up this Democrat-created disaster. Unbelievable hypocrisy,&#8221; Noem added.
When The Daily Wire reached out to Moore&#8217;s office for comment, they referred to the governor&#8217;s Wednesday remarks on the issue, where he said that the EPA did not attend a Maryland General Assembly hearing on the &#8220;cleanup status&#8221; and that &#8220;to blame Maryland in this when this is a DC pipe on federal land is asinine. It is disingenuous, absurd, and politically motivated.&#8221;

‘Radical Left’ Environmental Hazard? Trump’s Potomac Sewage Dare To Dems

enviornment

Trump Administration

Virginia

DC Water, the public utility responsible for the massive sewage spill in the Potomac River, focused much of its attention on environmentalism and diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in recent years.
The spill, considered one of the largest wastewater disasters in U.S. history, has placed DC Water&#8217;s DEI priorities in the spotlight. In 2021, DC Water became one of the first public utilities in the country to release a report on its Environmental, Social, and Governance priorities, a framework used by investors to measure a company’s commitments to leftist causes, including fighting &#8220;climate change.&#8221; Then, in February 2022, DC Water CEO David Gadis touted the utility’s emphasis on forming a leadership team made up mostly of minorities and women.
“When I arrived at DC Water, this was an organization that looked very similar to our industry, and it was predominantly, you know, white male at the top,” said Gadis, who was tapped as DC Water’s CEO in 2018. “But this was a utility that more than 70% people of color worked at this utility, and I really believe and I still believe — the outcomes have been fantastic — that the people at the top, the executives, the chiefs in that C-suite, they should look like the employees that they serve and they work with.”
Gadis made the comments on DEI during an appearance on a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhIodoQiLnk&amp;t=43s">show</a> hosted by the American Water Works Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring safe water.
“So my executive team looks exactly like the community, it looks like the employees, the staff, be it people of color, women, men,” Gadis added. “It is just a fantastic team that has come together to do a lot of great things here at DC Water and in the community for the customers.”
Asked by American Water Works CEO David LaFrance to describe what his executive team “looks like,” Gadis replied, “We have three women, three women of color, and we have five males total. And of those five males, three of them are of color. And then we have two males that are caucasian. So we are getting that total cross-sectional conversation that’s occurring.”
<div id="attachment_1045859" style="width: 929px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1045859" class="wp-image-1045859 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/DC-Water-919x576.png" alt="" width="919" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/DC-Water-919x576.png 919w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/DC-Water-300x188.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/DC-Water-768x481.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/DC-Water.png 1206w" sizes=" (max-width: 919px) 100vw, 919px" />DC Water CEO David Gadis and Board Chair Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes are joined by Mayor Muriel Bowser to celebrate the launch of the machine to help reduce wastewater flow into the Potomac River on November 4, 2025 / Screenshot: Instagram/D.C. Department of Employee Services</div>
DC Water&#8217;s sewage spill debacle comes just one month after a public utility in Nashville was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-senator-declares-war-on-woke-nashville-power-company-after-week-long-outage?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+Senator+Declares+War+On+%E2%80%98Woke%E2%80%99+Nashville+Power+Company+After+Week-Long+Outage">slammed</a> for its focus on DEI after an ice storm knocked out power for residents for weeks. Between 2023 and the beginning of 2024, the Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI sessions &#8220;to foster a culture of civility and belonging within our organization with the hopes of extending that dynamic beyond our walls.&#8221; Last month, the electric service faced increased scrutiny for its delayed response to widespread power outages in Nashville.
The sewage spill, which began last month, has unleashed hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River, forcing authorities to issue alerts to residents in the nation’s capital, Maryland, and Virginia to avoid contact with the river as E.coli levels skyrocketed. DC Water said the disaster was caused by the partial collapse of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line, which resulted in a massive overflow of wastewater that made its way into the Potomac.
In just the first five days after the sewer line’s collapse, around 194 million gallons overflowed, DC Water <a href="https://www.dcwater.com/about-dc-water/media/news/dc-water-releases-key-findings-extent-sewer-overflow-and-potomac-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on February 6. In an update this week, the utility said that a total of 243.5 million gallons have spilled into the Potomac since January 19.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116082091487085093" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed</a> frustration with state and local leaders over what he viewed as a slow response to the sewage spill. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was directing federal authorities to take over the management of the sewage spill response, writing, “I cannot allow incompetent Local ‘Leadership’ to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone.”
Betsy Nicholas, president of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, told <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5742741-potomac-river-sewage-spill-dc-virginia-maryland/">The Hill</a> that DC Water knew the collapsed sewer line needed to be repaired and &#8220;had money allocated for it.&#8221;
&#8220;It just seems … the whole pipeline collapsed before they were able to do any work on it,&#8221; Nicholas added.
Under Gadis, DC Water has also sought to award contracts to minority- and women-owned businesses, The Daily Caller <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2026/02/17/david-gadis-dc-water-sewage-spill-diversity-dei-flint-michigan-water-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Tuesday. In fiscal year 2024 alone, DC Water awarded women-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses around $520 million of its $1.33 billion in total awards. Gadis also believes it’s important for the utility to have a “diverse workforce” to establish “trust” with homeowners who “like to see people that look like them and walk like them.”
The Daily Wire reached out to DC Water for comment.
The massive sewage spill also marks a rough spot for a utility that <a href="https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/documents/2021-12/DC%20Water%20ESG%20Report%202021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed</a> to provide “high quality water services in a safe, environmentally friendly, and efficient manner.”
In its 2021 <a href="https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/documents/2021-12/DC%20Water%20ESG%20Report%202021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESG report</a>, DC Water said it was “committed to finding renewable energy solutions for our energy demand to mitigate our contribution to climate change.” The utility also said it was “committed to providing healthy water throughout our operations,” and “dramatically reduce the amount of solids, nitrogen, and phosphorous in the cleaned water we return to the Potomac to protect our local rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.”
The Environmental Protection Agency, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, said that DC Water had not yet reached out for federal help despite the massive scale of the disaster.
“The Potomac Interceptor overflow is a sewage crisis of historic proportion. Never should any American family, community, or waterway ever have to experience this level of extensive environmental damage,” Zeldin <a href="https://x.com/epaleezeldin/status/2023870910365941812" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in a post on X on Tuesday. “This mess must be completely addressed as fast as humanly possible, and the Trump EPA stands ready, motivated, and highly capable to assist in any way possible to fulfill President Trump’s strong desire to END this disaster.”
Water testing in the Potomac River earlier this week revealed E.coli levels hundreds of times higher than what the EPA considers safe, DC Water officials <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/potomac-river-e-coli-levels-skyrocket-240-million-gallons-sewage-pour-rcna259420">said</a>. Local authorities have assured residents, &#8220;There is no impact to the drinking water supply,&#8221; as the sewer and water systems &#8220;are completely separate.&#8221;

Ahead Of ‘Sewage Crisis Of Historic Proportion,’ DC Water Officials Were Focused On DEI

D.C. Utility Responsible For Disastrous Potomac Sewage Spill Is Steeped In DEI And Environmentalism

Environmentalism

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

Mark Kelly/Elissa Slotkin

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

Department of Justice

Elissa Slotkin

Mark Kelly

U.S. Military

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stood before the Washington Monument on Monday to administer the oath of enlistment to more than 100 National Guard members, marking a significant milestone for the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. The troops, representing nine states including Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma, are part of a 2,600-strong contingent deployed to the capital following President Donald Trump’s August 2025 &#8220;crime emergency&#8221; declaration.
Hegseth hailed the mission as a historic success, saying the Task Force transformed Washington from a city of &#8220;lawlessness and graffiti&#8221; into a &#8220;national symbol of order.&#8221; The mission utilizes a dual-track approach:
<ul>
<li>Aggressive Security: National Guard units, such as Task Force Yellow Hammer and Joint Task Force Magnolia, conduct joint patrols alongside local and federal law enforcement to secure transit hubs and neighborhoods, like Foggy Bottom.</li>
<li>Urban Restoration: Beyond security operations, task force teams have removed more than 500 tons of debris and conducted major snow-clearing efforts to keep federal sites &#8220;pristine.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
Hegseth noted that while recruitment numbers are at a one-year high, strong retention rates among these Guard members are the true indicator of the War Department&#8217;s success.
&#8220;When you reenlist, it means we are doing things the right way,&#8221; Hegseth remarked, emphasizing that the military has the backs of those performing these &#8220;tough missions.&#8221;
Soldiers like Sgt. Christian N. Brown and Master Sgt. Michael E. Eschenfelder expressed deep pride in the mission. Eschenfelder, a 36-year veteran, noted that while his unit typically handles disaster response, such as hurricanes, the shift to urban security has been met with public gratitude, with residents reporting that they &#8220;can feel that everything is relaxing.&#8221;
The ceremony also carried a somber note of sacrifice. Hegseth announced Purple Hearts would be awarded to Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, posthumously, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who were shot during a November 2025 ambush at a D.C. Metro station. The attack underscored the administration’s justification for the federal takeover, which continues to face legal challenges from local D.C. officials over &#8220;Home Rule&#8221; violations.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Hegseth said the presence of the &#8220;men and women who defend the laws&#8221; is exactly what the nation&#8217;s capital deserves. The mission has been extended through at least February 28, 2026.

US-SPACE-DEFENSE

Hegseth Swears In Guard Troops To Clean Up D.C. As ‘Safe And Beautiful’ Mission Continues

Pete Hegseth

The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-federal-employees-new-category-1051bc29?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqf7iqTvvbFqrnM0mAZptIZW082-Vz-KukaIyCCCshg13pgNOeQFFK-daYhRsm0%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69861ecd&amp;gaa_sig=dJ9r9GlicztgTExktFnvxhfwuM9kUgwT0TPaLzJGidN0D4p0bSJJuXZSljOng8HLHMgXkuwo9eprnDh4W6VB7w%3D%3D">finalized a rule</a> that significantly alters the job status of approximately 50,000 high-ranking career federal employees.
Issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the rule creates a new classification—often referred to as “Schedule Policy/Career”—for workers in policy-determining or policy-advocating roles. This reclassification effectively strips these officials of long-standing civil service protections, transforming them into at-will employees who can be disciplined or fired without the right to appeal to an independent board.
For over a century, the U.S. civil service has functioned as a professional, non-partisan workforce. While political appointees serve at the president&#8217;s pleasure, career staff have historically been shielded from political firing to ensure institutional stability. However, the administration argues this shift is necessary to combat a &#8220;deep state&#8221; that President Trump claims undermines his agenda. OPM Director Scott Kupor defended the move, stating that while employees are entitled to personal views, they cannot act as &#8220;conscientious objectors&#8221; or engage in &#8220;sabotage&#8221; that thwarts the administration’s objectives.
The implementation is moving rapidly. Agencies have already begun identifying eligible positions, with a finalized list expected within 30 days. This will likely be followed by an executive order from the president to finalize the reclassifications. The administration maintains that these changes are merit-based and will not target employees based on their political party, though the rule specifically cites media leaks and open resistance to executive orders as grounds for discipline.
In response, a massive legal battle has intensified. On February 6, 2026, several organizations announced updated litigation strategies focusing on the regulatory mechanisms of the rule. Protect Democracy and Democracy Forward argue that the rule violates the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which was designed to prevent a return to the 19th-century &#8220;spoils system.&#8221;
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the nation’s largest federal union, is preparing a lawsuit characterizing the rule as an &#8220;unlawful ultimatum.&#8221; Furthermore, legal advocates have raised alarms over whistleblower protections; under the new rule, converted employees would report complaints to their agency&#8217;s general counsel rather than the independent U.S. Office of Special Counsel, a move critics call a clear conflict of interest.
With the rule set to take effect in early March, plaintiffs are expected to seek preliminary injunctions to freeze these changes while the courts weigh their legality.

Protesters Rally Against Elon Musk Outside OPM Office

Trump Admin Moves To Reclassify 50k Federal Workers, Ending Civil Service Protections

bureaucracy

Executive

federal employees

The man accused of shooting two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., in November, killing one and seriously wounding the other victim, made his first court appearance on Wednesday morning.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who was in the United States as a refugee, pleaded not guilty to nine charges, which include a first-degree murder charge and multiple assault and weapons counts. Lakanwal allegedly drove to the capital from Bellingham, Washington, and opened fire on National Guard troops the day before Thanksgiving, killing Sarah Beckstrom and wounding Andrew Wolfe.
Lakanwal, who was shot by return fire, is being held without bond as his trial plays out. His next court date is scheduled for May 6.
Lakanwal&#8217;s first court appearance was originally scheduled for mid-January but was moved back to Wednesday to give his defense team more time to prepare after two additional counts of assault were added onto the charges. The federal murder charge against Lakanwal makes him eligible for the death penalty if he&#8217;s convicted, and shortly after the shooting, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the federal government would seek it. Prosecutors said again on Wednesday that they could pursue the death penalty.
<h3>What we know about the shooting:</h3>
The National Guard troops from West Virginia were shot in what authorities have described as an ambush-style attack. Beckstrom and Wolfe, who were both patrolling the streets of D.C. as part of President Donald Trump&#8217;s crime crackdown in the nation&#8217;s capital, were shot in the back of the head with a .357 Smith &amp; Wesson revolver, according to court documents. Two National Guard majors who were nearby returned fire and struck the alleged shooter, who was subdued until law enforcement and first responders arrived on the scene.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Renee Raymond, who ordered Lakanwal to remain detained without bond, said that it appeared the suspect drove across the country &#8220;with a specific purpose in mind.&#8221;
<h3>What we know about the suspect:</h3>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspected-national-guard-shooter-was-radicalized-through-connections-in-afghanistan-noem-says">Lakanwal</a> was allowed to enter the United States under former President Joe Biden after he served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan as part of a unit that was backed by the CIA. The Afghan national settled in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and children, but the Associated Press reported that he struggled to find a job and assimilate into American culture.
A community advocate who worked to help refugees wrote an email to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in January 2024 stating that Lakanwal “has not been functional as a person, father and provider since March of last year, 03/2023. He quit his job that month, and his behavior has changed greatly.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in late November that Lakanwal was &#8220;radicalized&#8221; through &#8220;connections&#8221; he had in Afghanistan after being granted asylum in the United States. President Trump called the shooting a “terrorist attack” and said that the suspect “went nuts.”
“It happens too often with these people,” he added.
Noem also accused the Biden administration of failing to properly vet refugees following the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Lakanwal’s asylum claim was approved in April under the Trump administration, but Noem claimed that &#8220;the vetting process all happened under Joe Biden’s administration.&#8221;
Lakanwal lived at an apartment unit owned by the Bellingham Housing Authority, a local government agency that provides housing for low-income people, according to a police report obtained by The Daily Wire. Body cam footage and police communications reviewed by The Daily Wire from the night the suspect&#8217;s home was raided revealed that three people — two males and one female — were inside the apartment at the time of the raid.
<h3>What we know about the victims:</h3>
Beckstrom, who was pronounced dead at a hospital on November 27, was a 20-year-old military police officer with the 863rd Military Police Company of the West Virginia Army National Guard. After graduating from Webster County High School with honors, Beckstrom enlisted in the West Virginia Army National Guard in 2023. While serving in the National Guard, Beckstrom was also enrolled at Glenville State University, where she pursued mental health studies. She was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, West Virginia Legion of Merit, the D.C. Distinguished Service Medal, and the D.C. Humanitarian Service Medal.
&#8220;Unit members described her as a quiet professional who exemplified dedication and always put others above herself,&#8221; the National Guard <a href="https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/4357078/spc-sarah-beckstrom-laid-to-rest-at-west-virginia-national-cemetery/">said</a>. &#8220;Many recalled her quick smile, infectious laughter and her ability to inspire others. She was an observant people-watcher who loved exploring and spent her off-duty hours in the District taking in museums and overall city life, her family members said.&#8221;
Wolfe posted a message on social media on Tuesday, saying that he is &#8220;grateful to be alive&#8221; and thanking people for their &#8220;prayers and support.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s been hard to go through something like this. Thank you for everything,&#8221; he added.
Earlier this week, Wolfe&#8217;s mother <a href="https://www.facebook.com/melody.wolfe.739/posts/pfbid0QDQ14Vmhnj9rkF4qwPDBErZuvLvQyjKYZxBg8dhj2uxrdGniUV8w7C6LTptKt9MJl?rdid=kZaw5eJrBRfHVNoX#">wrote</a> that the National Guardsman would have skull reconstruction surgery in March.
&#8220;Mentally, he is dealing with a language disorder called aphasia,&#8221; Melody Wolfe said. &#8220;There are different levels and he is currently in a middle stage. He can most often understand what we are saying, but has difficulty saying the words he wants to say. Over the past 6 weeks though, he’s made great strides and started out almost non verbal. So, in just a little over two months since the attack, he’s already working beyond the expectations that were anticipated.&#8221;

Rahmanullah Lakanwal

Afghan Refugee Charged In National Guard Shooting Appears In Court As Death Penalty Looms

Afghanistan

Courts

National Guard

Shooting

U.S.

President Donald Trump released a new rendering of the future White House ballroom on Tuesday.
The president posted a photo of what is to come on his Truth Social account. The photo shows the ballroom, which will replace the White House’s East Wing, overlooking a green lawn, with the White House visible in the background to the right.
“This beautiful building will be, when complete, the much anticipated White House Ballroom — The Greatest of its kind ever built!” the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116008650149765600">wrote</a> on social media. “It is a rendering from the Treasury Building, directly across the street, and replaces the very small, dilapidated, and rebuilt many times, East Wing, with a magnificent New East Wing, consisting of a glorious Ballroom that has been asked for by Presidents for over 150 years.”
“Being an identical height and scale, it is totally in keeping with our historic White House. This is the first rendering shown to the Public. If you notice, the North Wall is a replica of the North Facade of the White House, shown at the right hand side of the picture. This space will serve our Country well for, hopefully, Centuries into the future!” Trump said.
<div id="attachment_1038453" style="width: 251px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038453" class="size-medium wp-image-1038453" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Trump-Truth-2.3.26-241x300.jpg" alt="" width="241" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Trump-Truth-2.3.26-241x300.jpg 241w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Trump-Truth-2.3.26-462x576.jpg 462w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Trump-Truth-2.3.26-768x958.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Trump-Truth-2.3.26.jpg 1036w" sizes=" (max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px" />Screenshot / Truth Social</div>
&nbsp;
Construction on the new ballroom <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/work-begins-on-trumps-new-big-beautiful-white-house-ballroom">began</a> in October with the tearing down of the East Wing. The new ballroom will cost an estimated $250 million, which the president has said will be funded by himself and through private donations, not taxpayer money.
The president has been careful to note that the ballroom is “going to be very much in keeping with the White House.” He personally approved the plans for the addition, not wanting the building to tower over the White House nor look out of place on the White House grounds.
The construction project is the latest major renovation to the White House grounds, with one of the most recent coming in 2009 when former president Barack Obama had the White House tennis court turned into a basketball court.
The ballroom has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/catholic-classical-architect-james-mccrery-to-lead-white-house-ballroom-construction">designed</a> and will be built with oversight from architect James McCrery. McCrery, a professor of architecture at the Catholic University of America, is an expert in classical and traditional architecture. Previously, he has led such projects as the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville, Tennessee; Our Lady of the Mountains Church in North Carolina; and St. Mary Help of Christians church in Aiken, South Carolina.
“Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman,” McCrery said in a statement last year.
“I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House,” he added, “while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”
In previous remarks, the president reminded donors that the new ballroom would be constructed to match the architecture of the White House grounds, and include more modern features such as bulletproof glass.
“We&#8217;re going to have a phenomenal ballroom. It&#8217;s going to be one of the best anywhere in the world. There won&#8217;t be anything like it, actually,” the president <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1978613637175787901">said</a>. “It&#8217;s four sides of glass, beautiful glass, but totally appropriate in color and in window shape and everything else with the White House moldings, so it&#8217;s going to be very much in keeping with the White House.”
The ballroom will be about 90,000 square feet and capable of seating around 650 people.

White House

Trump Releases New Rendering Of Future White House Ballroom: ‘Greatest Of Its Kind’

WASHINGTON—The nation&#8217;s capital saw just one homicide in January.
For those who have experienced Washington&#8217;s deadly crime wave over the past few years, this is an astounding statistic. January 2025 alone <a href="https://crimecards.dc.gov/all:crimes/all:weapons/1:year%20to%20date/citywide:heat">saw 10 homicides</a> in D.C., part of the &#8220;generational crime spike&#8221; that left Washingtonians wary of being on the streets at night.
The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to The Daily Wire on Monday that the single homicide occurred on January 21, 2026, and that victim (identified by the Washington Post as an 18-year-old high school student named Malik Delonte Moore) succumbed to his injuries on January 22.
Another homicide occurred early Monday morning, February 2, MPD shared, bringing the total 2026 homicides in D.C. up to two.
The massive decrease in crime comes after the president&#8217;s enforcement operations in D.C., which resulted in more than 1,000 arrests in the first month alone, according to White House data shared with The Daily Wire.
The law enforcement surge has since resulted in over 9,300 arrests, a White House official said. Before this year, D.C. had not begun a year in which there were no homicides for 10 days in three decades, the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/02/01/crime-dc-homicides-january/">Washington Post reports</a>. While that legacy publication suggests that &#8220;reasons for the crime drop are complex,&#8221; the White House is unambiguously taking credit for cleaning up D.C.
“President Trump promised to make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful again — now it is one of the safest cities in the country,&#8221; White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Thanks to President Trump’s successful federal law enforcement operation, our nation’s capital has seen a dramatic decrease in crime and homicide.&#8221;
The president himself addressed the topic as he took questions from reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.
&#8220;D.C. is now considered a very safe place, and it should be — it&#8217;s our nation&#8217;s capital,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire. &#8220;I read the Washington Post this weekend. It was incredible, they were trying to determine how we got such low crime numbers&#8230;they talked about everything except for the fact that we deployed the National Guard.&#8221;
&#8220;They didn&#8217;t want to mention that — how dishonest,&#8221; he added.
Team Trump has long criticized blue cities across the country that see high crime but refuse to accept the help of the president in cleaning up their cities.
&#8220;Cities across the country with out-of-control crime, like Chicago, should be begging for President Trump’s help,” Rogers said Monday.
<div id="attachment_1037351" style="width: 829px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/washington-d-c-had-just-one-homicide-in-january/vp-vance-and-defense-secretary-hegseth-visit-federal-law-enforcement-officers-patrolling-at-d-c-s-union-station-2" rel="attachment wp-att-1037351"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1037351" class="wp-image-1037351 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2230417937-819x576.jpg" alt="Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (3rd L), Vice President JD Vance (C), and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (R) arrive to meet with members of the National Guard during a visit to Union Station on August 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)" width="819" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2230417937-819x576.jpg 819w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2230417937-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2230417937-768x540.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2230417937.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></a>Pete Hegseth, JD Vance, and Stephen Miller in Union Station (Photo by Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)</div>
Police statistics show that most crimes in Washington have fallen below the pre-pandemic levels, when crime spiked during the shutdowns. Crimes that have fallen include robberies, carjackings, burglaries, and vehicular threats. &#8220;Assault with a dangerous weapon&#8221; is the only category that is up this year — a category that includes nonfatal shootings.
When Trump declared a crime emergency in the District of Columbia in August, he warned that the city was, &#8220;by some measures, among the top 20 percent of the most dangerous cities in the world.&#8221;  Washington had averaged one of the highest robbery and murder rates of large cities in the nation in 2024. As of August 2025, D.C. had a higher violent crime, murder, and robbery rate than all 50 states, and the nation&#8217;s highest vehicle theft rate.
&#8220;The increase in violent crime in the heart of our Republic has consequences beyond the individual tragedies that have dominated media coverage,&#8221; the president warned at the time. &#8220;Such lawlessness also poses intolerable risks to the vital Federal functions that take place in the District of Columbia.&#8221;
&#8220;Violence and crime hamper the recruitment and retention of essential Federal employees, undermine critical functions of Government and thus the well-being of the entire Nation, and erode confidence in the strength of the United States,&#8221; he added. &#8220;These conditions are disgraceful anywhere, but particularly in the capital of our Nation and the seat of the Federal Government.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1037353" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/washington-d-c-had-just-one-homicide-in-january/president-trump-visits-law-enforcement-and-national-guard-during-d-c-crime-crackdown-7" rel="attachment wp-att-1037353"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1037353" class="wp-image-1037353 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2231375108-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2231375108-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2231375108-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2231375108-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2231375108-1.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>President Donald Trump visits the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility on August 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</div>
The president is immensely proud of the success of his enforcement, repeatedly saying in public remarks that D.C. has become so safe, anyone can walk about at night in safety — usually following up with a joke about how your wife is now safe walking alone as well.
“The results are actually palpable,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/trump-crime-crackdown-washington-dc-murder-rates-illegal-immigration-law-enforcement-fairfax-county-immigration-policy-make-america-safe-beautification-weapons-drugs-gangs-homicides-violence">explained to a local D.C. outlet</a> in late January. &#8220;You can feel it, and you can see it on the street right now. Because of the surge that the President created in August of 2025, we have seen an incredible reduction in crime.&#8221;
&#8220;People are able to go out on the street and not be assaulted by some of the young crews that are out there committing violent crimes, possessing guns, shooting at each other,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;There is a tremendous difference in Washington, D.C. now. And in terms of my office, we are prosecuting more cases than we&#8217;ve ever prosecuted, than have ever been prosecuted in the history of this District. We are listening to the police. We are taking their arrest, and we are prosecuting those cases.&#8221;
Across the nation, <a href="https://counciloncj.org/crime-trends-in-u-s-cities-year-end-2025-update/#homicide">according to the Council on Criminal Justice</a>, the murder rate has also dropped to a historic low: a new report from the council weighing crime statistics from 40 cities found that 11 of 13 crime categories had dropped from 2024 to 2025, and nine of those categories (including homicides) had dropped by 10% or more.
&#8220;President Trump promised to bring back Law and Order to the United States of America,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday, highlighting a chart from the Council on Criminal Justice. &#8220;This is what happens when you have a President who fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals and the worst of the worst illegal aliens.&#8221;

President Trump Presents The Mexican Border Defense Medal At The White House

‘Now A Very Safe Place’: Trump Hails Progress After Just A Single D.C. Murder In January

D.C.

Menu