President Donald Trump has promised an elaborate Independence Day signing ceremony for the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” recently approved by Congress.
The president teased plans for the ceremony while speaking to reporters on Thursday. Trump said that the ceremony would feature a number of United States military warplanes, including the B-2, F-22, and F-35.
Trump said the ceremony would start around 5 p.m. ET, and he would be joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), and most Republicans in Congress.
“At about 5:00 o’clock, we&#8217;re going to have B-2s and F-22s and F-35s flying right over the White House,” Trump said. “It’s going to be a great day, so we&#8217;ll be signing with those beautiful planes flying right over our heads.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on tomorrow&#39;s One Big Beautiful Bill signing: &quot;We&#39;re signing at about 5:00p — and at about 5:00p, we&#39;re going to have B-2s and F-22s and F-35s flying right over the White House &#8230; so we&#39;ll be signing with those beautiful planes flying right over our heads.&quot; 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/40CjzwfvF9">pic.twitter.com/40CjzwfvF9</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1940884169934156005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The House gave final approval on Thursday to send the “Big, Beautiful Bill” to Trump’s desk in time for his July 4 deadline. Johnson and Trump whipped votes and met with holdouts in the hours leading up to the vote, securing a 218-214 majority to pass the legislation on Thursday afternoon.
&#8220;I think when you go over the bill, it was very easy to get them to a ‘Yes,’” Trump told reporters on Thursday after the bill’s passage. “You know, we went over that bill point after point: biggest tax cut in history, great for security, great on the southern border, immigration is covered – we covered just about everything. Again, it&#8217;s the biggest bill ever signed of its kind.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I think when you go over the bill, it was very easy to get them to a &#39;Yes.&#39; &#8230; Biggest tax cut in history, great for security, great on the southern border &#8230; we covered just about everything. Again, it&#39;s the biggest bill ever signed of its kind.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0nfeQ5IDuo">pic.twitter.com/0nfeQ5IDuo</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1940882245482676660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/big-beautiful-and-on-the-way-to-trumps-desk-congress-passes-historic-spending-bill">secured</a> the votes to pass the massive package at around 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) then held the House floor for over eight hours, speaking to delay the bill’s passage, but ultimately powerless to stop it.
“With one big, beautiful bill, we are going to make this country stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before. And every American is going to benefit from this,” Johnson said just before the vote. “Today we are laying a key cornerstone of America’s new Golden Age.”
The bill’s passage is just the latest landmark victory for the president that has seen a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-mentum-from-iran-to-big-beautiful-bill-prez-scores-landmark-victories-in-past-two-weeks?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=TRUMP-MENTUM%3A+From+Iran+To+Big%2C+Beautiful+Bill%2C+Prez+Scores+Landmark+Victories+In+Past+Two+Weeks">cascade</a> of wins in recent weeks. Just under two weeks ago, Trump greenlit a bomb and missile strike targeting Iranian nuclear facilities that “obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear program at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Donald Trump

‘B-2s And F-22s And F-35s’: Trump Teases Jet-Packed Signing Ceremony For Big, Beautiful Bill

Executive

John Thune

Mike Johnson

Politics

Washington D.C.

Dozens of top staffers in the Trump administration are earning nearly $200,000 a year, with average pay hovering around $114,000 annually.
The Trump administration has far fewer staffers on the payroll compared to the Biden administration, however, average pay in the Trump White House is about $5,000 higher.
The highest paid White House staffer is Jacalynne B. Klopp, a senior adviser earning $225,700, <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/us-news/white-house-salary-list-reveals-top-earners-here-is-how-much-president-trump-earns/3902044/">according</a> to the White House&#8217;s annual salary report. Following behind Klopp is Edgar Mkrtchian, associate counsel, who earns $203,645 per year.
Dozens of other staffers, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Border Czar Tom Homan, Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller, and Trade Counselor Peter Navarro, each make $195,200.
President Joe Biden&#8217;s White House employed 564 people in 2024, compared to just over 400 under President Donald Trump. The average Trump White House staffer earns $114,194 per year, compared to $109,166 for Biden staffers.
Most deputy assistant positions make $155,000-$175,000, and presidential speechwriters earn between $92,500-$121,500 during Trump&#8217;s second term, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/02/white-house-salaries-trump-administration-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com">per</a> Axios. More than 108 other employees earn between $59,000-$80,000.
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Some White House staffers under Trump do not receive compensation from the White House, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who holds a number of positions in the administration, including national security advisor. Rubio, like Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, receives pay from the State Department.
President Trump in theory receives an annual salary of $400,000, plus additional money for expenses, entertainment, and a redecorating allowance &#8212; totaling around $569,000. However, Trump donated his salary his first term in office.
His Quarter 1 salary during his first term, for example, was donated to the Department of Interior, specifically the National Park Service to aid in its goal of preserving our country’s national security, <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/articles/president-donald-j-trump-donate-salary-department-education/">according</a> to the White House. <a href="https://www.aol.com/alligator-alcatraz-florida-everglades-photos-192012169.html">According</a> to Forbes, Trump donated at least $1.4 million to various federal agencies during that term.
Trump will donate his salary this term, too, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-reveals-highest-paid-staffers-8-taking-no-salaries">according</a> to Fox News.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Holds Media Briefing

Here’s How Much Trump White House Staffers Are Making

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Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an intern for GOP Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas, was shot and killed in Northwest Washington, D.C., on Monday night.
Estes and the D.C. Metropolitan Police confirmed the 21-year-old Tarpinian-Jachym’s death in separate statements.
“I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” said Estes. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country. Please join Susan and me in praying for his family and respecting their privacy during this heartbreaking time.”
Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts, was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was majoring in finance with a minor in political science, according to Estes’ office.
On Monday night around 10:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of gunshots in the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest. Officers found Tarpinian-Jachym unconscious with gunshot wounds. Officers also found “an adult female and a 16-year-old male.” Both were conscious and had gunshot wounds, as well, <a href="https://mpdc.dc.gov/release/mpd-provides-update-7th-street-homicide">according to</a> police.
All three victims were taken to area hospitals where Tarpinian-Jachym eventually died.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that multiple suspects exited a vehicle at the intersection of 7th and M Street, Northwest and began firing at a group. The suspect vehicle has been recovered. Detectives believe the decedent was not the intended target of the shooting,” D.C. Metropolitan Police said.
The nation’s capital has ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in recent years. A crime spike that had progressed for years <a href="https://www.heritage.org/crime-and-justice/commentary/why-dc-remains-one-the-nations-most-dangerous-cities">spiked</a> in 2023 at 40.9 homicides per 100,000 residents, making Washington the fourth most dangerous city in the United States behind New Orleans, St. Louis, and Detroit, respectively.
A report from Republicans on the House Budget Committee <a href="https://budget.house.gov/press-release/the-nations-capital-is-suffering-the-worst-crime-wave-in-21st-century">said</a> the crime wave was the worst the city had faced in over two decades, tallying in 2023 “over 270 murders, 950 carjackings, and 106 children shot — reminiscent of the 1990s crack epidemic.”
Victims of the crime wave included some of the nation’s most powerful people. Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-congressman-carjacked-at-gunpoint-in-washington-d-c">carjacked</a> at gunpoint in October 2023. Former Trump official Mike Gill was shot and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-trump-official-mike-gill-shot-during-d-c-carjacking-dies-from-injuries">killed</a> several months later in February 2024.
In 2024, Washington’s homicide rate dropped to 27.3, which D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser touted as a result her administration’s focus on crime. The city’s rank as the fourth most dangerous city in the United States remained unchanged, however.

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department

‘Heartbreaking’: 21-Year-Old Congressional Intern Fatally Shot In DC

‘Heartbreaking’: 21-year-old Congressional Intern Fatally Shot In DC

A federal judge in Washington on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump’s proclamation freezing most asylum claims at the southern border.
Federal District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Randolph Moss wrote in a 128-page <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277039/gov.uscourts.dcd.277039.71.0.pdf">opinion</a> that the president lacked authority under immigration law and the U.S. Constitution to issue the proclamation. The judge, an Obama appointee, stayed his ruling for 14 days to give the Trump administration a chance to appeal.
“The Court recognizes that the Executive Branch faces enormous challenges in preventing and deterring unlawful entry into the United States and in adjudicating the overwhelming backlog of asylum claims of those who have entered the country,” wrote Moss. “But the [Immigration and Nationality Act], by its terms, provides the sole and exclusive means for removing people already present in the country.”
“Nor can Article II’s Vesting Clause or Article IV’s Invasion Clause be read to grant the President or his delegees authority to adopt an alternative immigration system, which supplants the statutes that Congress has enacted and the regulations that the responsible agencies have promulgated,” the judge continued.
The ruling could knock down a key piece of Trump’s border policy just at the White House is celebrating a massive drop in immigration since Trump took office.
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In his ruling, Moss granted class-action status to the lawsuit and said it would apply to “all individuals who are or will be subject to the Proclamation and/or its implementation and who are now or will be present in the United States.”
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller slammed and ridiculed the ruling, taking special issue with the scope of its effect.
“To try to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling on nationwide injunctions a marxist judge has declared that all potential FUTURE illegal aliens on foreign soil (eg a large portion of planet earth) are part of a protected global ‘class’ entitled to admission into the United States,” Miller <a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1940483307407540379">posted</a> on X.
“The West will not survive if our sovereignty is not restored,” he <a href="https://x.com/stephenm/status/1940487259553493113">added</a>, likely referring to judicial overreach that has stymied the president’s agenda through broad injunctions delivered by lower court judges.
Last week, the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-sides-with-trump-limits-nationwide-injunctions-in-birthright-citizenship-fight">delivered</a> an opinion curbing district court judges’ authority to issue nationwide injunctions on presidential orders.
“[F]ederal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them,” Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote in the court’s opinion.
“When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too,” she said.
Trump issued a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/guaranteeing-the-states-protection-against-invasion/">proclamation</a> on his first day in office restricting asylum claims at the southern border, calling the flood of illegal immigration that swamped the United States&#8217; southern border an &#8220;invasion&#8221; and arguing that the mass of unchecked people represented a significant &#8220;public-health concern.&#8221;

District Judge Takes Aim At Key Pillar Of Trump’s Border Policy With Another Sweeping Ruling

Immigration

The FBI announced Tuesday that it had selected the Ronald Reagan Building complex in Washington, D.C., to replace the historic J. Edgar Hoover Building as its headquarters.
The news comes after FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kash-patel-says-fbi-is-shutting-down-d-c-hq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in May that the bureau would be leaving the Hoover building, where it has been for over 50 years. The announcement was made in conjunction with the General Services Administration (GSA), which said the move to an existing government building instead of a new one would save taxpayer dollars. 
“This is a historic moment for the FBI,” Patel said. “Through our strong partnerships with members of Congress and GSA, we are ushering FBI Headquarters into a new era and providing our agents of justice a safer place to work. Moving to the Ronald Reagan Building is the most cost effective and resource efficient way to carry out our mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution.”
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There have been talks for nearly two decades about moving the FBI from the Hoover building, which was completed in 1975. A <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-12-96.pdf">2011 report</a> from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the building needed serious repairs and was “inefficient” for the FBI’s needs.
“FBI&#8217;s existing headquarters at the Hoover building is a perfect example of a government building that has accumulated years of deferred maintenance, suffering from an aging water system to concrete falling off the structure,” said GSA Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian. “I am proud of GSA&#8217;s commitment to working with Director Patel and his FBI team to find a building that best supports their mission and their people.”
Both Maryland and Virginia attempted to get the FBI headquarters moved to their state, but President Trump said he wanted to keep the FBI based in D.C. Trump scuttled plans from former President Joe Biden to build a new $2.5 billion building in suburban Maryland for the FBI.
The Reagan Building currently houses U.S. Customs and Border Protection and was previously occupied by USAID, which has been shut down and transferred to the State Department. 
Before he became FBI director, Patel <a href="https://rollcall.com/2025/02/20/senate-confirms-kash-patel-as-fbi-director/">said</a> that he would “shut down the FBI Hoover building on Day 1 and [reopen it the] next day as a museum of the deep state.” Patel has also pledged to disperse the FBI employees across the country away from D.C.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

‘A Historic Moment’: Kash Patel Reveals Location Of New FBI Headquarters

kash patel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Higher tariffs could begin raising inflation this summer, a period that will be key to Federal Reserve consideration of possible rate cuts, Fed Chair Jerome Powell told members of Congress on Tuesday.
Pressed by Republican members of the House Financial Services committee about why the Fed isn&#8217;t cutting rates, as President Donald Trump has demanded, Powell said he and many at the Fed expect inflation to start rising soon, and that the central bank was in no rush to ease borrowing costs in the meantime.
Powell particularly said he would not open the door to a rate cut at the Fed&#8217;s July meeting, as two of his colleagues recently suggested, or at any other session for that matter.
&#8220;I do not want to point to a particular meeting. I don&#8217;t think we need to be in any rush,&#8221; given a still-strong labor market and so much uncertainty about the impact of the still-unresolved tariff debate, Powell said.
Referring to expected tariff-driven price increases, Powell said &#8220;we should start to see this over the summer, in the June number and the July number. &#8230; If we don&#8217;t we are perfectly open to the idea that the pass-through (to consumers) will be less than we think, and if we do that will matter for policy.&#8221;
“I think if it turns out that inflation pressures remain contained we will get to a place where we cut rates sooner than later,&#8221; he said.
With the central bank largely sidelined waiting for the outcome of the Trump administration&#8217;s tariff negotiations, Powell was quizzed repeatedly about why the central bank seemed preoccupied with that issue and isn&#8217;t cutting rates given that inflation so far has been modest.
Powell said that Fed policy isn&#8217;t meant to endorse or criticize the Trump administration&#8217;s approach to trade, only to deal with an inflation impact that the Fed and forecasts more broadly expect to gather momentum over the rest of the year.
&#8220;We aren&#8217;t commenting on tariffs,&#8221; Powell said. &#8220;Our job is keeping inflation under control, and when policies have short- and medium-term, meaningful, implications, then inflation becomes our job.&#8221;
&#8220;All professional forecasters I know of&#8230;expect a meaningful increase in inflation over the course of this year,&#8221; Powell said, elaborating on the Fed&#8217;s reluctance to cut rates while major aspects of Trump&#8217;s trade policy remain unresolved.
<h3>PARING BETS</h3>
In prepared testimony to the House panel, Powell noted that those effects &#8220;could be short-lived, reflecting a one-time shift in the price level. It is also possible that the inflationary effects could instead be more persistent. &#8230; For the time being, we are well positioned to wait to learn more about the likely course of the economy before considering any adjustments to our policy stance.&#8221;
Following the release of Powell&#8217;s testimony, investors pared bets that the central bank might cut its policy interest rate as soon as the central bank&#8217;s July meeting, and increased the perceived odds for a rate reduction in September, with another to follow later in the year.
Powell&#8217;s testimony, as is usually the case with his semiannual congressional appearances, largely tracks the central bank&#8217;s most recent policy statement, approved last week. Fed officials voted unanimously at that meeting to hold the benchmark interest rate steady in the current 4.25% to 4.5% range, and gave no indication rate cuts were imminent.
New economic projections released at the time showed officials at the median expect two quarter-point rate cuts by the end of the year, in line with current market pricing.
In recent days, two Fed governors, both Trump appointees, have said rates could fall as soon as the July meeting, given inflation has not yet risen in response to tariffs, while three reserve bank presidents said they still worry inflation will intensify over the rest of the year.
Trump, who appointed Powell as chair in his first term but is expected to replace him when his term ends next spring, has repeatedly called for steep rate cuts.
&#8220;We should be at least two to three points lower,&#8221; he said in a social media post ahead of the hearing, adding in reference to Powell that he hoped &#8220;Congress really works this very dumb, hardheaded person, over.&#8221;
(Reporting by Howard Schneider; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

FILE PHOTO: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a press conference in Washington

Jerome Powell Suggests Delaying Rate Cuts Beyond July Meeting While Fed Studies Tariff Impact

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Pressed by the Trump Administration, the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents has <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/smithsonian-to-conduct-wide-content-review-requested-by-trump-94012153?st=vLn2o8&amp;reflink=article_copyURL_share'">ordered a review</a> of its museums for what President Trump calls “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology.” Mike Gonzalez at the Heritage Foundation observes that “The ordered review can’t come fast enough.” 
<a href="https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/commentary/the-smithsonian-institution-audit-only-the-start">He writes</a>:
<blockquote>The Smithsonian has wholeheartedly enlisted in the leftist imperative to “decolonize the American mind” and to change America’s narrative from one that made citizens proud of this nation’s astonishing achievements to a counternarrative that focuses on where America has fallen short and drums shame into citizens. Unfortunately, this shift has accelerated since [Dr. Lonnie] Bunch became the leader of the Smithsonian in 2019.</blockquote>
Gonzalez provides dismaying examples from the National Museum of American History, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. 
Also in need of fixing, however, is the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). The nation’s museum shouldn’t be in the business of shaming the nation. But neither should it be in the business of belittling human beings, by all but equating us with chimps.
Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture (CSC) has given extensive attention to the false science being fed to the nearly 4 million yearly visitors to the NMNH. Dr. Casey Luskin, Associate Director of the CSC, recently <a href="https://evolutionnews.org/2025/05/letter-to-the-smithsonian-correct-your-signage-on-human-chimp-genetic-similarity/">wrote an open letter</a> to Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian’s Secretary, raising concerns about the Human Origins exhibit which states that “You and chimpanzees [are] 98.8% genetically similar.” It also says, “There is only about a 1.2 percent genetic difference between modern humans and chimpanzees throughout much their genetic code.”
Those figures, often repeated by science media and science educators, are known to be quite inaccurate. That’s mostly due to a recent paper published in the journal Nature. Much-needed explaining of the paper’s results has appeared in <a href="https://evolutionnews.org/tag/1-percent-myth-series/">a series by Dr. Luskin at Evolution News</a> on the “1 percent myth.” In fact, the human-chimp genetic difference is not 1 percent but 14.9 percent. The Smithsonian also misstates the degree of genetic difference between human and gorillas and between humans and orangutans. Luskin writes:
<blockquote>According to data reported in a scientific paper, Yoo et al. (2025), recently published in Nature, these statistics are scientifically false. This paper presented for the first time “complete,” de novo, updated, telomere-to-telomere sequences of the genomes of various ape species. These “complete” genome drafts are vastly improved over previous drafts of ape genomes. Yoo et al. (2025) is thus able to provide much improved calculations of the actual degrees of genetic difference between human and ape genomes at a level of comprehensiveness and accuracy that has been previously unavailable.</blockquote>
The paper Luskin refers to is by geneticist DongAhn Yoo at the University of Washington and his colleagues, “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08816-3">Complete sequencing of ape genomes,</a>” Nature, 641: 401-418 (May 8, 2025).
Why does it matter? After all, any visitor to another Smithsonian facility, the National Zoo, will quickly be able to detect that there’s a lot more than 1 percent — in fact a lot more than 14.9 percent — difference between the chimps at the zoo and the human beings gazing at them. There is no chimp equivalent of the Smithsonian, with chimp curators educating chimp visitors about chimp origins. There are exactly zero displays of humans at zoos available for chimps to casually observe.
As I discuss in my new book &#8220;<a href="https://discovery.press/b/platos-revenge/">Plato’s Revenge,</a>&#8220; these percent differences are evidence that something transcending the genetic information in DNA must be directing the development of organisms. Evolutionary biologist Richard Sternberg and others have made similar arguments. 
Regardless, the 1 percent myth is intended to be a put down to human significance — to the exceptional status of human beings in nature, and in the cosmos as far as we know. Yet, when popular atheist scientists like Bill Nye “The Science Guy” brandish the term, it results in human self-hatred, what we might call the “‘I Suck’ Principle,” now a staple of atheist rhetoric. 
As Nye put it <a href="https://youtu.be/WR51OrawqIg?si=NHD7xZ0yxQdWX1Oh">in a speech</a> to the American Humanist Association, speaking (as he sees it) on behalf of all human beings, “I’m a speck on a speck orbiting a speck among other specks among still other specks in the middle of specklessness. I suck!”
The false percentage figures are as worthy of being corrected as the insults to American greatness found elsewhere at the Smithsonian. Yet, when challenged on it, a museum spokesman answered with the equivalent of a, “Yeah, well, maybe we’ll get back to ya on that sometime.” As Elizabeth Shenk at World Magazine <a href="https://wng.org/roundups/architect-or-ancestry-1749756281" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, “The Smithsonian replied that, if it ever updates its numbers, it will take the study into account.” That non-answer should not be acceptable to the taxpayers who foot the bill at the museum. 
Whether humans are unique or just another beast in the forest is among the most consequential questions we can ask ourselves. On it, there hangs the difference between a noble culture and a depraved, animalistic one. The Smithsonian audit is indeed overdue, but it should include not only the insults to us as Americans but to us as human beings.
* * *
David Klinghoffer is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute. He is the author most recently of <a href="https://a.co/d/aB2dtdf">Plato’s Revenge: The New Science of the Immaterial Genome</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Washington, DC Architecture & Monuments

Memo To The Smithsonian: Make Humans Exceptional Again

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Smithsonian Museum

OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder is catching heat from his leftist fanbase for calling the “No Kings” protests over the weekend a “super bummer.”
It didn’t matter that the musician’s comments were focused on how the protests detracted from celebrating the military and were not politically motivated, according to him.
“I have around 20 family members &amp; grandparents that all fought in wars from the revolutionary war (actually) through to WWII/Korea.. all politics &amp; parties and righteous indignation aside it’s a super bummer that instead of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Army and all those who have fought and died on our behalf… we’re protesting,” Tedder wrote in an Instagram Story, per <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/onerepublics-ryan-tedder-thinks-its-a-super-bummer-that-people-are-protesting-trump-instead-of-celebrating-the-us-armys-250th-anniversary-3869972">NME</a>.
The band’s co-founder then clarified his position on politics.
“I haven’t been a card carrying political member of either side for 20 years &amp; think at this point everything is absurd 99% of the time…” Tedder continued. “But I’d like to say THANK YOU to all of the Army service members active and retired and those who have given their lives to protect our freedom…to protest.”
Tedder’s social media statement was in response to President Donald Trump putting on a military parade on the streets of Washington, D.C., which included 6,000 soldiers marching alongside 128 tanks to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. The military parade coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday, which prompted Saturday&#8217;s nationwide &#8220;No Kings&#8221; demonstrations. Multiple rioters were arrested near Portland’s ICE facility after that city’s “No Kings” protest turned into a violent altercation, which left several officers injured. 
MSNBC hosts noted how the vibe of the parade was fun and celebratory. “I’m just sort of surprised by the number of people who were at the front of the parade watching, cheering, and then would come and ask to take a selfie,” reporter Ali Velshi, who was on location, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-not-dark-its-not-tense-msnbc-struggles-to-accept-fun-vibe-of-army-birthday-parade?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=%E2%80%98It%E2%80%99s+Not+Dark%2C+It%E2%80%99s+Not+Tense%E2%80%99%3A+MSNBC+Struggles+To+Accept+Fun+Vibe+Of+Army+Birthday+Parade">said</a> of the event. 
“This is a very different mood here,” Velshi continued. “People seem to be going out of their way to say that they’re here to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday.”
&nbsp;

Ryan Tedder

OneRepublic Singer Blasts ‘No Kings’ Protests: ‘A Super Bummer’

OneRepublic Singer Criticizes 'No Kings' Protests: 'A Super Bummer'

Celebrities

U.S. Army

A new president might be in the White House, but Washington, D.C., is pushing “Pride” as much as ever this year. 
From parades and marches to dance festivals and drag performances, the nation’s capital has not stepped back from using “Pride Month” to push radical gender ideology. This year in D.C., hundreds of thousands of people took part in a three-week-long celebration called “<a href="https://worldpridedc.org/event/world-pride-family-fun-festival/">WorldPride</a>.” The weeks-long event concluded on Sunday with a march and a video message from former Vice President Kamala Harris, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/06/08/world-pride-rally-march-national-mall/">reported</a>. 
“Pride is about honoring the trailblazers who came before, joining arms with those leading the fight for equality today and empowering the next generation to live boldly, freely and with joy,” Harris <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/06/08/world-pride-rally-march-national-mall/">said</a>. “In this moment, as you gather with friends and allies from across the world, let us be clear: No one should be made to fight alone. We are all in this together.”
While President Donald Trump and his administration have pushed back on some of the crazy transgender policies that were supported by the Biden administration, the Left continues to stake its identity on allowing men to compete against women and defending the sterilization and mutilation of children. 
The WorldPride event in D.C. was <a href="https://worldpridedc.org/our-advocates/">sponsored</a> by numerous companies and activist groups, including (unsurprisingly) Kaiser Permanente, the medical group that was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/detransitioner-chloe-cole-announces-official-lawsuit-against-kaiser-permanente-for-medical-negligence">sued</a> by detransitioner Chloe Cole claiming medical negligence for allegedly facilitating the chemical and surgical sex change operations on Cole when she was a minor. Another sponsor is Johns Hopkins University, which <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/center-transgender-health/services-appointments/children-adolescents-and-young-adults#:~:text=Clinical%20services%20are%20available%20for%20children%2C%20adolescents,for%20Transgender%20and%20Gender%20Expansive%20Health%20guidelines.">offers</a> children puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. 
The <a href="https://worldpridedc.org/our-advocates/">list</a> of other sponsors goes on and on: 
<ul>
<li>Amazon </li>
<li>Starbucks</li>
<li>Ikea</li>
<li>JP Morgan Chase</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley</li>
<li>McDonald’s</li>
<li>Corona</li>
<li>Delta</li>
<li>United</li>
<li>Fresca</li>
<li>Hilton</li>
<li>Marriot</li>
<li>Wegmans</li>
<li>Hyatt</li>
<li>Dollar Tree</li>
<li>H&amp;M</li>
<li>Macy’s</li>
<li>Total Wine &amp; More</li>
<li>Astra Zeneca</li>
<li>AARP</li>
</ul>
All of these companies put their public stamp of approval on an event that focused on celebrating the LGBT identity and encouraged parents to bring their children to the “<a href="https://worldpridedc.org/event/world-pride-family-fun-festival/">World Pride Family Fun Festival</a>,” which it said would be “especially enjoyed by children ages 2–10.”
Most Americans are tired of the “Pride Month” shenanigans, but they’re still being shoved down their throats with the endorsements of some of the country’s most popular brands. 
At least there are still some companies that can read the room and aren’t going to push LGBT craziness — companies like <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/">Jeremy’s Razors</a>. 
Check out some of the quality products offered by Jeremy’s Razors, such as the<a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/precision-5-trial-kit-2?selling_plan=3820880085"> Precision 5 Razor</a>. Feel a little dirty after reading about D.C.’s “Pride” festival? Check out Jeremy’s all-new <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/birch-bark-body-soap?_pos=1&amp;_sid=32db4f1d8&amp;_ss=r&amp;variant=51559588462805&amp;selling_plan=4232937685">Birch Bark body soap</a>. 
We’re not even halfway through June. The incessant drumbeat of “Pride Month” still has weeks to drive us crazy. Hopefully, you don’t have to be in a place like D.C. to endure the rest of it.
Jeremy&#8217;s Razors shares common ownership with The Daily Wire.

People celebrating Pride Month and Parade-People marching with the rainbow LGBTQ flag

D.C. Goes All Out For ‘Pride’: These Companies Sponsored The Weeks-Long LGBT Celebration

Amazon

Delta Airlines

JP Morgan

LGBT

McDonald’s

Pride

Pride Month

Starbucks

United Airlines

The National Park Service “is nearing completion of” a renovation of the Jefferson Memorial that turns the site into “a condemning portrayal” of the president’s legacy, City Journal recently <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/a-woke-jefferson-memorial">reported</a>.
The project aims to “completely renovate” the basement exhibit level of the memorial to “[provide] more perspectives as it shares Thomas Jefferson’s multi-faceted story,” a 2021 NPS press release said.
NPS signage at the memorial describes the upcoming exhibits, according to City Journal.
“The memorial’s designers sought to convey their mid-1900s version of US democracy,” it said. “Thomas Jefferson became the face of that endeavor. … In crafting this image, they selected specific materials, details, and excerpts from his writings. Studying these choices reveals their motives.”
But instead of informing visitors about Jefferson’s life, the new exhibits will undermine Jefferson’s legacy, City Journal said.
Park Service spokesman Mike Litterst <a href="https://wtop.com/dc/2021/12/2-year-jefferson-memorial-renovation-project-begins/">said</a> in 2021 that the new exhibits will “certainly … take a look at the paradox of the author of the lines ‘All men are created equal’ who owned more than 600 slaves in his life.”
The renovation is funded in part by $10 million from David M. Rubenstein, the NPS press release said. Rubenstein previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/post-modern-mischief-at-americas-national-parks-and-museums">funded</a> exhibits about slavery at Montpelier, the home of James Madison, and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.
In 2019, Rubenstein <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/philanthropist-donates-10-million-jefferson-memorial-museum-180973445/">said</a> he donated to the project “so when people go, they can actually learn about Jefferson.”
But what does Rubenstein want people to learn about Jefferson, exactly? In a piece announcing Rubenstein’s donation, Smithsonian Magazine called Jefferson “a man of huge contradictions.” The memorial renovation will focus on “reinterpreting” Jefferson, particularly in light of allegations that Jefferson had four illegitimate children with Sally Hemings, one of his slaves.
The magazine ignored a scholarly commission that <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56d77a9ad51cd4a272d514c0/t/63d84b8a2683c7769f1972a1/1675119505362/Scholars-Commission-Report-1.pdf">found</a> that “the allegation is by no means proven” after examining available DNA evidence, as City Journal reported.
The old museum “focused on Jefferson’s own words, life, and ideas,” City Journal said. While the memorial above tried to present Jefferson in line with the New Deal policies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — who dedicated it in 1943 — the museum below showcased “Jefferson’s commitment to limited government and local control.”
Plans for the renovation of the Jefferson Memorial began in 2017. Kate Greenberg, then-vice president of marketing and communications for the Trust at the National Mall, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jefferson-memorial-exhibit-to-feature-update-addressing-slavery">said</a> the renovation would include the “most inclusive and accurate information” available.
The renovation is continuing despite an executive order from President Donald Trump that <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/">aims</a> to purge “anti-American ideology” from museums, parks, and monuments, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-executive-order-targeting-anti-american-ideology-at-the-smithsonian">reported</a>.
“Museums in our Nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn — not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history,” the order said.
The order instructs Secretary of the Interior Mark Burgum to ensure that monuments “do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times), and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”
Although the order has been in effect since March, the renovation project continues and plans to open in 2025, City Journal said.

USA, Washington DC, Jefferson Memorial

National Park Service Renovation To Focus On ‘Reinterpreting’ Thomas Jefferson

National Park Service

Thomas Jefferson

The GOP-led House passed on Tuesday a bill to prohibit noncitizens from voting in local Washington, D.C., elections, overcoming the majority of Democrats who voted against the measure.
A <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">total</a> of 210 Republicans and 56 Democrats supported the legislation, which bars foreign nationals from voting in local contests in the nation&#8217;s capital and repeals a <a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/dc-council-passes-non-citizens-voting-bill-washington/65-ec15212a-2d97-4f42-ad18-15202fca197e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">measure</a> passed by the D.C. Council in 2022 that allowed it in the first place. Another 148 Democrats voted against it.
&#8220;Free and fair elections are a prerequisite for a healthy republic. The radical DC Council’s decision to allow noncitizens — including illegal aliens and foreign agents — to vote in local elections dilutes the voting power of the citizen voter,&#8221; said Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), who introduced the House <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/884/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a>.
&#8220;That power must be defended, and I am thrilled House Republicans took action today to do so,&#8221; Pfluger added. &#8220;Anyone who voted against this legislation, voted for the transfer of political power away from legal voters. With the House passage of my legislation, we are one step closer to restoring the sanctity of the voting process to ensure that only American citizens are voting in our nation’s capital.&#8221;
In 2023, the House <a href="https://rollcall.com/2023/02/09/house-passes-resolutions-to-block-dc-voting-criminal-code-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> a resolution from Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) to block the enactment of the D.C. <a href="https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/laws/24-242" target="_blank" rel="noopener">measure</a> via the Home Rule Act. However, the Democrats who controlled the Senate at the time did not take up the resolution and the bill went into effect. Last year, the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-passes-bill-to-bar-noncitizens-from-voting-in-d-c-local-elections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> a similar bill from Pfluger, but it met a similar fate.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
Now that Republicans control both chambers of Congress, Democrats have been relegated to voting in the minority on party-line issues and otherwise can voice their dismay when they do not get their way — as did Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District&#8217;s non-voting delegate in the House.
&#8220;Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. has requested: making D.C. a state so that it can hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate,&#8221; Norton said in a <a href="https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-statement-house-passage-two-anti-dc-bills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
Noncitizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections, but they are allowed to for certain local contests in some municipalities in states like California, Maryland, and Vermont, along with D.C. Republicans in Congress have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-house-dems-vote-against-bill-to-require-voters-prove-citizenship-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> for legislation requiring individuals to show proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in elections for federal office.
The House also passed on Tuesday a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2096/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> from Rep. Andrew Garbino (R-NY) to restore collective bargaining rights for D.C. police officers and reinstate the statute of limitations for disciplinary cases against members or civilian employees of the Metropolitan Police Department.

DC voting

Nearly 150 Democrats Oppose Bill Banning Noncitizens From Voting In Nation’s Capital

Illegal Immigation

U.S. House of Representatives

Voting

Voting Rights

As Washington, D.C., prepares for the June 14 military parade to celebrate the Army&#8217;s 250th birthday, President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that anyone who wants to protest the event &#8220;will be met with very big force.&#8221;
The parade, which also falls on Trump&#8217;s 79th birthday, will feature tanks, helicopters, and thousands of troops marching in uniforms that represent periods going all the way back to the Revolutionary War, NBC Washington <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/trumps-military-parade-in-dc-heres-what-to-know/3930168/#:~:text=A%20massive%20military%20parade%20in,to%20have%20a%20great%20celebration.%22">reported</a>. Nationwide protests, including in cities surrounding D.C., are planned for Saturday to counter the Army parade, according to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/07/no-kings-protest-trump-military-parade-june-14">Axios</a>.
Going by the name &#8220;No Kings,&#8221; the demonstration organizers hope to attract protesters in 1,500 cities across the country and all 50 states. However, no &#8220;No Kings&#8221; protest is planned for D.C., as the organizers said they want to &#8220;create contrast, not conflict.&#8221;
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to be celebrating big on Saturday.&#8221;
&#8220;And if there&#8217;s any protester that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force,&#8221; Trump said, adding, &#8220;And I haven&#8217;t even heard about a protest, but you know, [these are] people who hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on this weekend&#39;s Army 250 Celebration in D.C.: &quot;We&#39;re going to be celebrating big on Saturday — and if there&#39;s any protester that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/b1rCFuJI9x">pic.twitter.com/b1rCFuJI9x</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1932480100026511650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#8217;s comments on the upcoming military parade come after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sends-another-2000-national-guard-troops-to-l-a">deployed</a> thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles in response to anti-ICE riots that started over the weekend. The president also said on Tuesday that his actions to mobilize the military to L.A. kept the city from &#8220;burning to the ground.&#8221;
California <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-sues-trump-over-national-guard-deployment-says-president-manufactured-crisis">sued</a> Trump over his move to send in the National Guard, arguing that it infringed on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom&#8217;s power and that Trump&#8217;s move was &#8220;a manufactured crisis.&#8221; During his gaggle with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump defended his decision, saying he didn&#8217;t want to repeat the approach he took during the riots in the summer of 2020, which broke out following the death of George Floyd while in police custody.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been here before, and I went right by every rule. And I waited for governors to say, &#8216;Send in the National Guard.&#8217; They wouldn&#8217;t do it, they just wouldn&#8217;t do it, and it kept going on and on. It got worse and worse, and in Minneapolis, that city was burning down.&#8221;
&#8220;I said to myself, &#8216;If that stuff happens again, we&#8217;ve got to make faster decisions,'&#8221; the president added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;I&#39;ve been here before and I went right by every rule,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on deploying the National Guard.
&quot;I waited for governors to say, &#39;Send in the National Guard&#39;. They wouldn&#39;t do it &#8230; I said to myself, &#39;If that stuff happens again, we&#39;ve got to make faster decisions.&#39;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/bQAaIkbSCn">pic.twitter.com/bQAaIkbSCn</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1932478660046356893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Trump Issues Warning To ‘Any Protester That Wants To Come Out’ During D.C. Military Parade

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