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

Politics

Trump Administration

Washington D.C.

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’

Donald Trump

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.

Roma Daravi, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Kennedy Center, responded to composer Philip Glass&#8217;s cancellation of his latest symphony at the storied arts institution. 
“We have no place for politics in the arts, and those calling for boycotts based on politics are making the wrong decision,” Daravi told The Daily Wire. “We have not canceled a single show. Leftist activists are pushing artists to cancel but the public wants artists to perform and create—not cancel under pressure from political insiders that benefit from creating division.”
Daravi, the center&#8217;s vice president of public relations, said that they have not canceled any shows and that the center&#8217;s aim is unity and celebration of the arts. 
The statement comes after composer Philip Glass made headlines for calling off the premiere of his new symphony, “Lincoln,” which the National Symphony Orchestra was scheduled to perform in June. 
&#8220;Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony,&#8221; Glass said in a statement posted to X on Tuesday. &#8220;Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.&#8221;
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— Philip Glass (@philipglass) <a href="https://twitter.com/philipglass/status/2016179940815761860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Kennedy Center board voted unanimously in December to rename the Washington, D.C., performing arts venue The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, which caused an uproar among leftists.
Before and after the name change, several artists have canceled their appearances at the center. A run of the musical &#8220;Hamilton&#8221; was canceled, and actress Issa Rae also called off her show. Jazz musician Chuck Redd was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-kennedy-center-hits-musician-with-1m-lawsuit-for-anti-trump-political-stunt">criticized</a> for canceling his Christmas Eve performance days before it was supposed to take place. The center said they would seek $1 million in damages for the abrupt cancellation, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-kennedy-center-hits-musician-with-1m-lawsuit-for-anti-trump-political-stunt">reported</a>.
In early 2025, President Trump ousted the Board of Trustees, named himself Chairman of the Board, and appointed Richard Grenell as interim executive director. Trump wrote at the time, “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.”

Trump Kennedy Center

Trump-Kennedy Center Reacts To Latest Cancellation: ‘No Place For Politics In The Arts’

Trump-Kennedy Center Reacts To Latest Cancellation: 'No Place For Politics In The Arts'

Kennedy Center

Music

The Kennedy Center

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss what their investigation revealed about the 2025 mid-air collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a United States Army helicopter that killed 67.
The hearing comes nearly a year to the day of the crash that happened January 29, 2025. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told a <a href="https://x.com/petemuntean/status/2016230873557856470?s=20">reporter</a> after Tuesday&#8217;s hearing that the incident that took place in Washington, D.C., was &#8220;100% preventable.&#8221;
Investigators said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ignored warning signs about a dangerous level of air traffic at Reagan National Airport (DCA) before the tragic crash.
“We have an entire tower who took it upon themselves to try to raise concerns over and over and over and over again only to get squashed by management and everybody above them within FAA,” Homendy said at the hearing.
Homendy and other NTSB members said the crash resulted from systemic failures at multiple institutions, including too much reliance on pilots to maintain visual separation between aircraft — the safe distance every plane has to maintain to avoid collisions.
During the hearing, NTSB members showed the most accurate recreation of the crash to date. A series of presentations showed how the Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet collided, with the helicopter blade slicing off one of the wings of the jet. Both aircraft immediately fell into the Potomac River.
According to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2026/01/27/final-ntsb-hearing-dca-crash/">The Washington Post</a>, there was a wide array of issues that led to the tragedy. Per the outlet, instruments gave inaccurate readings, there was a lack of identification and collision avoidance technology on both the helicopter and the commercial jet, the airspace was crowded, and basic failures occurred including FAA maps that didn&#8217;t have clear guidance on the exact details of the helicopter&#8217;s route. The plane crew was never warned about the helicopter from air traffic controllers.
Per The Washington Post, the helicopter crew most likely confused the American Airlines aircraft with a plane that was farther away. Investigators also found the helicopter crew thought the aircraft was flying lower than it was. Investigators said Tuesday that the crash could have been prevented if the helicopter crew knew the instruments on the aircraft might have displayed inaccurate information about the altitude.
Homendy, who was visibly frustrated, said the two routes were close together and the FAA should have known the dangers.
“How is it that no one, absolutely no one in the FAA did the work to figure out there was only 75 feet, at best, 75 feet of vertical separation between a helicopter on Route 4 and an airplane landing on runway 33?” she asked at the hearing.
A controller at DCA was managing five helicopters and six aircraft after working alone for more than five hours at the time of the crash. The Washington Post reports nine times in the 18 minutes before the crash, the approaching collision alerts can be heard in the background of tower transmissions. However, investigators said there&#8217;s no evidence that any of the pilots or controllers involved that night were unqualified, impaired, or sleep-deprived &#8212; but they said the FAA did not conduct timely drug and alcohol testing for the controllers in the tower that evening in the aftermath of the accident.
Since this incident, the FAA banned non-essential helicopter traffic near DCA and closed the route the Black Hawk chopper took the night of the crash.
The helicopter had three crew members on board. The commercial jet was carrying 60 passengers, including youth figure skaters and coaches. United States figure skater Maxim Naumov lost his parents in the crash. He will compete in next month&#8217;s Winter Olympics in his parents&#8217; honor.

Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

NTSB Chair Says D.C. Plane Crash That Killed 67 Was ‘100% Preventable’

American Airlines

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

General

Plane Crash

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is trying to rev up support to host an IndyCar race on the National Mall in August as part of the country&#8217;s celebration of 250 years. The only problem? Democrats are trying to pump the brakes on the idea.
Fast cars and freedom sound like an all-American good time. Several backseat-driving Democrats, however, think it&#8217;s &#8220;absurd&#8221; for Congress to give the green light to an IndyCar race in D.C. when lawmakers won’t even extend health care subsidies, Punchbowl News <a href="https://punchbowl.news/archive/12326-am/">reported</a>.
The race needs Congress to pass a bill for the event because, currently, there’s a ban on advertising on the Capitol grounds. And what do race cars have all over? Ads.
A United States Department of Transportation spokesperson emphasized what the event would mean to commemorate America250.
&#8220;The Grand Prix is an unprecedented opportunity to celebrate our nation&#8217;s proud racing pedigree, showcase the beauty of the National Mall, and generate millions in critical tourism revenue for the Capital. The Trump Administration is determined to make D.C. great again, and this race is another example of that commitment. We&#8217;ll keep working with our partners in Congress to outline the positive impacts it will have on the District and correct the record.&#8221;
The America250 celebration is already set to have a much-anticipated live UFC event on the White House Lawn, the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and the Patriot Games in Washington, D.C.
The proposed race would start at the Supreme Court and then do an entire lap around the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial. “Pit Row” would be set up by the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The IndyCar Grand Prix idea has been floated to the aides of Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
A bipartisan prix is worrisome to the Democrats, who seem to only know how to white-knuckle the steering wheel. They argue it puts a strain on the U.S. Capitol Police and the surrounding roads. Democrats also think Republicans haven&#8217;t been helpful to them, according to Punchbowl News. They aren&#8217;t too keen on this race because so far the GOP has refused to hang a plaque honoring the victims of the January 6 Capitol riot, an aide told the outlet.
IndyCar told The Daily Wire that new events are something the organization welcomes.
“We continue to work on new events for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Major East Coast markets &#8211; like Washington D.C. and several other large metro destinations &#8211; are priorities for us,&#8221; a spokesperson said.
IndyCar has races scheduled for August already, but none in Washington, D.C. Per the league&#8217;s schedule, Secretary Duffy&#8217;s target date of August 21 is open. Still, it seems there might be a few pit stops before this event gets to the finish line.

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

An IndyCar Race Around The Capital Would Be As American As It Gets. Democrats Are The Roadblock.

An IndyCar Race Around D.C. Sounds Awesome But Democrats Are The Roadblock

INDYCAR

News

Sports

The 30-year-old man suspected of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot will remain in jail as his case moves forward, a federal judge ruled on Friday.
Brian Cole Jr. was arrested last month and charged with two federal counts related to transporting and attempting to detonate explosive devices. Cole&#8217;s lawyers argued for the federal government to put him under house arrest as he awaits his trial, revealing that he has been diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder and arguing that he poses no threat to society, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/30/us-news/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-brian-cole-jr-is-autistic-and-has-ocd-lawyers-reveal-in-bid-against-pre-trial-detention/">reported</a>.
Prosecutors said that releasing Cole would &#8220;return him to precisely the same circumstances … [as] in the fall of 2020 … when the defendant was planning his crimes and learning about the historical use of pipe bombs.&#8221; U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Sharbaugh sided with the prosecution and ordered Cole to be held without bail, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-orders-man-accused-planting-pipe-bombs-washington-remain-custody-2026-01-02/">Reuters</a>.
&#8220;Although home incarceration and a GPS monitor would provide some check against Mr. Cole’s ability to carry out any menacing or dangerous conduct in the community, the Court is simply not satisfied these conditions rise to the necessary level for the reasons explained,&#8221; Sharbaugh <a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-will-remain-locked-up-ahead-of-trial-brian-cole-prosecution-defense-january-six-donald-trump-detained-jail">wrote</a> in his ruling. &#8220;This is particularly true based on the severity of the potential danger Mr. Cole is alleged to pose, given his alleged persistent acquisition and retention of so-called &#8216;bombmaking parts,&#8217; and given his reported penchant and capacity to create explosive devices and deploy them in public settings.&#8221;
The Department of Justice said that Cole wiped his cellphone 943 times after allegedly planting the bombs until just before his arrest. Cole&#8217;s lawyers, however, argued that he often wiped his phone because of his OCD, not to hide any incriminating evidence, the Post reported. His defense team added that Cole has no history of violence.
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Cole, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was tracked down by federal authorities nearly five years after the pipe bombs were discovered. Investigators combed through thousands of purchases, cellphone data, and license plates before tying Cole to the crime. Federal investigators said that Cole <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/d-c-pipe-bomb-suspect-shed-light-on-his-motive-in-interviews-with-investigators-doj-says">confessed</a> to planting the bombs and expressed support for President Donald Trump. Cole allegedly told authorities in a videotaped confession that he wanted someone to “speak up” about the 2020 election being stolen, adding that people felt “that their votes are like just being thrown away.&#8221;
However, questions remain around the timing of Cole&#8217;s alleged plot to plant the pipe bombs in response to the 2020 election, as charging documents state that Cole purchased the materials for the bombs as early as May 2019, long before the controversy over the 2020 election erupted.
Cole allegedly set the bombs to detonate one hour after he set them, but they never went off. Cole said that he was “pretty relieved” when he learned that the bombs did not detonate, according to the Justice Department.
“Indeed, the defendant admitted that he set both devices to detonate 60 minutes after he placed them,” the DOJ stated. “His failure to accomplish his objectives does not mitigate the profoundly dangerous nature of his crimes.”
FBI Director Kash Patel has pointed to Cole&#8217;s arrest as an example of the bureau&#8217;s failures under the Biden administration, arguing that the pipe bomb case went unsolved for nearly five years due to &#8220;either sheer incompetence or complete intentional negligence.&#8221;
Cole faces up to 30 years in prison.

Brian Cole Jr.

Federal Judge Orders Suspect In Jan 6 Pipe Bomb Case To Stay Behind Bars

Crime

January 6

Judge

The 30-year-old man accused of planting pipe bombs outside of the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night of January 5, 2021, told investigators that he wanted someone to &#8220;speak up&#8221; about the 2020 election being stolen, according to the Department of Justice.
Prosecutors said on Sunday that Brian Cole Jr. gave a &#8220;detailed confession&#8221; about planting the pipe bombs and revealed that he didn&#8217;t &#8220;like either party at this point,&#8221; according to a DOJ memo, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5665154-capitol-riot-pipe-bombs-suspect-confession-justice-department/">reported</a>. Cole allegedly said that he was not a political person, but after Joe Biden&#8217;s win over President Donald Trump in 2020, he began following the news more closely, especially on YouTube and Reddit. Cole said that he believed &#8220;something was wrong&#8221; with the 2020 election and people felt &#8220;that their votes are like just being thrown away,&#8221; and someone needed to &#8220;speak up,&#8221; prosecutors said.
Federal prosecutors argued that Cole should remain detained as the case proceeds. Cole allegedly told investigators that he had no intention of killing or injuring anyone with the pipe bombs, which is why he said he placed them at night. Cole said that he was &#8220;pretty relieved&#8221; when he learned that the bombs never went off after he set them to detonate one hour after he placed them, according to the DOJ. Prosecutors, however, argued that Cole&#8217;s alleged actions put people at risk regardless of whether he intended to harm anyone.
“Indeed, the defendant admitted that he set both devices to detonate 60 minutes after he placed them,” the DOJ memo stated. “His failure to accomplish his objectives does not mitigate the profoundly dangerous nature of his crimes.”
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He allegedly confessed to investigators shortly after his arrest and expressed support for Trump, as was previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/d-c-pipe-bomb-suspect-reportedly-confesses-to-investigators">reported</a>. However, questions remain about whether Cole allegedly planted the bombs in response to Trump&#8217;s 2020 election loss, as the charging documents state that he purchased the materials for the bombs as early as May 2019, long before the controversy surrounding the 2020 election erupted. Cole has also expressed anarchist views, according to some reports.
The Daily Wire reported earlier this month that Cole was employed by a bail bonds company run by his father, which worked to free illegal immigrants from ICE facilities and sued the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security.
Cole, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested earlier this month after investigators reviewed thousands of purchases, cell phone data, and license plates.

Brian Cole Jr. / Instagram

D.C. Pipe Bomb Suspect Shed Light On His Motive In Interviews With Investigators, DOJ Says

Department of Justice

The FBI officially closed the J. Edgar Hoover Building office in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
Director Kash Patel announced the move after reports over the summer that headquarters would now be relocated to the Ronald Reagan Building.
“After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility. Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could,” Patel posted to X on Friday.
He also said a plan for a $5 billion, newly built headquarters was scrapped.
“Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain,” he continued, adding that the Hoover Building “will be shut down permanently.”
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In July, General Services Administration Public Buildings Service Commissioner Michael Peters said in a press release for the FBI that the decision to instead move to the Ronald Reagan building, which is only down the block from the Hoover building, would also cut costs on upkeep for the facility.
“This move not only provides a world-class location for the FBI’s public servants, but it also saves Americans billions of dollars on new construction and avoids more than $300 million in deferred maintenance costs at the J. Edgar Hoover facility,” Peters stated in July. “We are proud to partner with Director Patel to drive efficiency and improve the quality of space for a productive workforce in service to national security and taxpayers.”
The closure announcement comes amid other reports about the possible teardown of different federal buildings in the city, such as the Liberty Loan Building, Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, and the GSA Regional Office Building, according to the <a href="https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/controversy-over-new-arc-plans-as-ex-gsa-worker-claims-historic-buildings-at-risk-donald-trump-arc-de-triomphe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National News Desk</a>. However, the outlet reported that GSA Associate Administrator for Strategic Communications Marianne Copenhaver denied the accusations as “a manufactured narrative built on speculation.”
At the White House, Trump’s decision to demolish the East Wing and build a ballroom has earned both intense praise and criticism since it was announced in October.

Justice Department Announces Federal Enforcement Action Against International Criminal Organization

FBI Shuts Down Old Headquarters In Move That Could Save Taxpayers Billions

kash patel

The Afghan national accused of killing one National Guard soldier and injuring another in a Thanksgiving week attack in Washington, D.C., could now face the death penalty after prosecutors moved the case to federal court.
The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has filed a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/media/1421951/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminal complaint</a> against 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, charging him with two federal firearms offenses: transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate commerce and transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to commit a crime. Lakanwal is also charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with intent to kill while armed.
The federal charges bring the case to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from the D.C. Superior Court. Lakanwal is accused of gunning down U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, while they patrolled the streets of the nation&#8217;s capital. Beckstrom died from her wounds just a day after the attack, while Wolfe was critically injured and still in recovery, but expected to survive. 
“The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.”
The federal complaint filed Tuesday says that Lakanwal “purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Beckstrom by shooting her in the head with a firearm. Your affiant also asserts that, by shooting Wolfe in the head with a firearm, LAKANWAL assaulted Wolfe with intent to kill him.”
Lakanwal, who was shot during the attack, pleaded not guilty to the D.C. charges earlier this month. 
According to the complaint, the weapon used in the shooting was a stolen .357 Smith &amp; Wesson revolver. Prosecutors say on October 15, Lakanwal sent photos of an AR-15 and a pistol to an unnamed individual in Washington, where he lived, along with the message, “find this stuff for me.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1019681" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM.png" alt="DOJ. " width="1049" height="667" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM.png 1049w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM-300x191.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM-906x576.png 906w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM-768x488.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1049px) 100vw, 1049px" /></div>
“I’m doing [Lyft] an[d] Uber so I will need one of them[.]” Lakanwal allegedly said. The unidentified person replied by saying, “I wish I could help brother but the laws here are to[o] strict[.]”
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The criminal complaint states that Lakanwal had not provided a Lyft ride since May, and that a family member told investigators his Uber account had been banned.
The unidentified individual later supplied Lakanwal with the revolver, which had been stolen from a Seattle home in May 2023, according to the complaint. The person who furnished the weapon told investigators he believed Lakanwal wanted it “for personal protection while working as a rideshare driver.”
After obtaining the firearm, Lakanwal is alleged to have purchased ammunition the following day. Two hours later, Lakanwal searched “Washington, D.C.” and “The White House” in Google Maps, according to the complaint.

President Trump Orders Hundreds More National Guard Troops to D.C. After Shooting Of Guardsmen

Trump Wants Death Penalty For Afghanistan Man Charged In Deadly National Guard Shooting

Jeanine Pirro

The Kennedy Center board voted unanimously Thursday to rename the Washington, D.C., performing arts venue The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, The Daily Wire has learned.
Trump had teased the possibility of renaming the center, which he has made a focal point of his second administration. It is unclear how or when the renaming will become official. Earlier attempts have been made to rename the center. In July 2025, Missouri GOP Rep. Bob Onder introduced the &#8220;Make Entertainment Great Again&#8221; Act, which proposed renaming the entire complex the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts. Later that month, the House Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to rename the center’s main Opera House after First Lady Melania Trump.
“The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to name the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The unanimous vote recognizes that the current Chairman saved the institution from financial ruin and physical destruction. The new Trump Kennedy Center reflects the unequivocal bipartisan support for America’s cultural center for generations to come,” Roma Daravi, Vice President of Public Relations, stated.
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President Kennedy&#8217;s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, <a href="https://people.com/jack-schlossberg-slams-effort-rename-kennedy-center-theater-after-melania-trump-11778364">objected</a> to the name change, citing a 1983 <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter3/subchapter5&amp;edition=prelim">federal statute</a> that prohibits additional memorials or plaques in the public areas of the Kennedy Center. The statue stated, &#8220;There is established in the Smithsonian Institution a bureau, which shall be directed by a board to be known as the Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (hereafter in this subchapter referred to as the &#8216;Board&#8217;), whose duty it shall be to maintain and administer the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and site thereof as the National Center for the Performing Arts, a living memorial to John Fitzgerald Kennedy &#8230; the Board shall assure that after December 2, 1983, no additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials shall be designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.&#8221;
&#8220;Plain reading of the statute makes clear — YOU CAN&#8217;T DO THAT,&#8221; Schlossberg, 32, wrote on Instagram. &#8220;Law prohibits renaming Kennedy Center.&#8221;
In early 2025, President Trump ousted the Board of Trustees and named himself Chairman of the Board and appointed Richard Grenell as interim executive director. Trump wrote, &#8220;NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA.”
Grenell stated, &#8220;Corporations don&#8217;t want to fund an all-lesbian cast of Othello.&#8221;

President Trump Participates In A Kennedy Center Board Meeting And Tour

Kennedy Center To Be Renamed After President Donald Trump

John F. Kennedy (JFK)

Ric Grenell

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