The nation&#8217;s capital will celebrate fast cars and freedom this summer as IndyCar hosts the first-ever street race on the National Mall as part of America&#8217;s 250th anniversary celebrations.
The <a href="https://www.freedom250gp.com/">Freedom 250 Grand Prix</a> will host the best NTT INDYCAR drivers who will take on the 1.7-mile-long course that cuts through the nation&#8217;s historic landmarks in Washington, D.C.
The INDYCAR race celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and was made possible through an Executive Order signed earlier this year by President Donald Trump entitled &#8220;Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing.&#8221;
The race course features a .4-mile front stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue, where INDYCAR fans can see the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Pit row will run adjacent to the track, on Pennsylvania Avenue. Other landmarks along the race course include the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Archives. INDYCAR officials describe the course as &#8220;challenging&#8221; and &#8220;picturesque.&#8221;
&#8220;This circuit is unlike any other street race we’ve seen,&#8221; said two‑time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and back‑to‑back Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden.
The Nashville native toured the circuit Monday morning in Washington, D.C.
<div id="attachment_1056063" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1056063" class="size-full wp-image-1056063" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/indycar-map.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="563" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/indycar-map.jpg 1000w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/indycar-map-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/indycar-map-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />Credit: INDYCAR</div>
&#8220;You’ve got a high‑speed section down Pennsylvania Avenue that will reward commitment and precision, mixed with technical corners around 9th Street that will demand respect,&#8221; Newgarden said. &#8220;Racing through the heart of American history, with those amazing landmarks lining the course, is going to be incredibly powerful. I can’t wait to be back here to race and celebrate America’s birthday at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.&#8221;
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks were alongside Newgarden and other race organizers Monday to kick off the countdown to race day.
&#8220;Freedom doesn’t ring, it revs! The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will showcase American ingenuity in engineering and technology along the backdrop of our historic capital in a spectacle that will leave the world in awe,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “President Trump and our partners at INDYCAR are preparing a historic celebration worthy of America’s 250th anniversary. The design of this unique and competitive track will deliver an exhilarating and safe experience for millions of Americans to enjoy and celebrate.&#8221;
Race course construction for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit starts later this year, with the roads near the U.S. Capitol and around the National Mall expected to remain open and accessible throughout the majority of the course creation.
This race will take place after another historical sporting event planned in Washington, D.C., as part of the year-long America 250 celebrations. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will take place in August, following the UFC Freedom 250 scheduled for June 14, live from The White House lawn.
It&#8217;s a summer full of firsts. Unlike the UFC fight, the INDYCAR race is free and open to the public.
The engines will rev throughout Washington D.C., August 22-23.

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

Fast Cars And Freedom Will Take Over The Nation’s Capital For America’s 250th Anniversary

A Different Kind Of Race Takes Over Nation's Capital For America 250 Celebration

America 250

Donald Trump

Freedom 250

INDYCAR

News

Sports

Washington D.C.

As schools and libraries nationwide kick off events for the beginning of National Reading Month, Second Lady Usha Vance joined in the celebration by reading to young patients at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Vance held the event for patients ages 3 to 12 on Monday, March 2, per a press release from her office. The second lady selected “The Sneetches and Other Stories” by Dr. Seuss, which she mentioned was one of her favorite books to read with her own children. It was also the perfect choice for Monday, which happened to be Dr. Seuss’ birthday.
 “Childhood literacy is something that’s very important to me, both as a parent and as someone who grew up reading avidly,” Vance said. “In particular, when children are spending a lot of time in the hospital it’s important that they have access to books, both as entertainment and to ensure they develop the essential literacy skills they will need for the rest of their lives. It’s an honor to spend time with these children and to encourage them to keep reading after they complete their stay here at the hospital.”
The second lady further delighted the young patients by handing out puzzles, stuffed animals, and books after the event. She told the audience that she hosted the event because she loved reading as a child and hoped to encourage children to keep reading voraciously.
“The visit from Second Lady Usha Vance during National Reading Month beautifully reinforces the importance of reading and storytelling in a child’s development and healing journey,” said Elizabeth Wells, MD, MHS, executive vice president, chief clinical officer, and physician-in-chief at Children’s National, noting that the patients could enormously benefit from getting lost in the pages of books. 
“Books can provide comfort, connection and a sense of normalcy for children in the hospital. We are sincerely thankful for her time, her compassion and her commitment to supporting kids and families.”
Earlier this year, the Vance family <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-pro-family-administration-vances-announce-they-are-expecting-their-fourth-baby-in-july">announced</a> the happy news that they were expecting their fourth child together. The vice president, 41, and his wife, 40, have been married since 2014. 
With the birth of their new son expected in July, the couple will have joined a small club of presidents and vice presidents to have had a child while in office.

Usha Vance

Usha Vance Visits Children At Hospital For National Reading Month

Second Lady Usha Vance Reads To Children's Hospital Patients For National Reading Month

Books

Children

Children's Books

Literacy

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will have their second in-person meeting Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C.
Both the president and the mayor kept the Oval Office encounter under wraps until Thursday afternoon—though The New York Times reports that people familiar with the matter said the two would discuss strategies to increase housing supply in New York City, an issue that has become a defining challenge for Mamdani’s administration.
It remains unclear whether a formal agenda has been finalized.
Mamdani and several of his top advisers reportedly traveled to Washington on Thursday morning. Unlike his previous visit to the White House in November, this trip was not publicly announced in advance.
The mayor posted a selfie from his flight to Washington in November, drawing attention to the high-profile meeting. Media outlets were aware of the November meeting days in advance, but as with Thursday’s meeting, few details about the agenda were released beforehand. When Mamdani landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in November, he was swarmed by the press before departing for the White House.
Their first meeting surprised political observers from both parties. Despite significant policy differences, Trump and Mamdani appeared cordial, even allowing portions of the session to be open to the press. The two exchanged light-hearted remarks, with a memorable moment occurring when Mamdani was asked by a reporter if he still thought President Trump was a fascist. Trump responded: “Just say yes; it’s easier than explaining.”
On Tuesday, Trump brought up Mamdani during his State of the Union address, noting he was a “nice guy,” while adding that he disagrees with what he called the mayor’s “bad policy.”
The timing of Thursday’s closed-door meeting underscores the growing urgency of housing affordability in New York. Last week, Mamdani proposed raising property taxes by 9.5% to balance the city’s budget. The mayor has made tenant protections and expanded housing construction central pillars of his administration.
Later Thursday evening, the mayor is scheduled to kick off his &#8220;Rental Rip-off&#8221; series, a public forum designed to give renters across the city an opportunity to share concerns about rising rents, landlord practices, and housing conditions. City officials say testimony gathered during the series will help shape future legislative proposals.

Zohran Mamdani, Donald Trump

Trump And Mamdani’s ‘Secret’ D.C. Meeting Centers On A Defining NYC Fight

Executive

Housing

New York City

Politics

Zohran Mamdani

16×9-sotu-lb_720

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

Daily Wire

Isabel Brown

Michael Knowles

State of the Union

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

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

General

George Washington University

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

Untitled design – 2026-02-23T175137.582

Michael Knowles, Isabel Brown To Attend State Of The Union

Media

US-ENVIROMENT-SEWAGE-POTOMAC

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

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Drinking Water

Maryland

Matt Walsh

Opinion

potomac river

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

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

enviornment

Trump Administration

Virginia

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

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

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

Environmentalism

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

Mark Kelly/Elissa Slotkin

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

Department of Justice

Elissa Slotkin

Mark Kelly

U.S. Military

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

US-SPACE-DEFENSE

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

Pete Hegseth

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

Protesters Rally Against Elon Musk Outside OPM Office

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

bureaucracy

federal employees

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