President Donald Trump remains confident in Secret Service leadership and believes agents did &#8220;an excellent job&#8221; protecting him, top administration officials, and White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner attendees from a gunman who opened fire on Saturday night, the White House said.
The White House released a statement on Monday morning praising the Secret Service for its quick action in stopping gunman Cole Tomas Allen before he made it into the ballroom where over 2,500 people had gathered for the high-profile event at the Washington Hilton. A White House official <a href="https://x.com/alaynatreene/status/2048741119270195482">said</a> that the president is &#8220;standing by the leadership of Secret Service, and President Trump has said he personally thinks they did an excellent job neutralizing the shooter and moving the President, First Lady, Vice President and cabinet to safety.&#8221;
The Secret Service has faced criticism from some people after Allen opened fire inside the hotel, throwing the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner into chaos and confusion. Video footage showed Allen running through a security checkpoint inside the hotel before he was quickly neutralized by agents. Allen shot one agent, who was protected by a bulletproof vest. No one else was injured.
In a 1,000-word manifesto, Allen criticized the Secret Service and claimed there was &#8220;no damn security&#8221; at the hotel before the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner. Allen checked into the Washington Hilton one day before he attempted to take out the president and top Trump administration officials.
Saturday night&#8217;s shooting has added to scrutiny of the Secret Service that has been brewing since Trump was shot at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally in July of 2024. The president has also been critical of his protection following the Butler assassination attempt, but on Saturday night, Trump said the Secret Service did exactly what it was supposed to do when Allen attempted to get into the ballroom.
&#8220;The room was very, very secure,&#8221; Trump said, adding, &#8220;The reaction time was great. Those guys had their guns drawn literally by the time he was there, they were shooting. I thought they were very impressive.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles will meet with Secret Service and Homeland Security Department leadership this week to discuss the president&#8217;s protection, the White House said.
&#8220;The meeting will discuss the processes and procedures that worked to stop Saturday’s attempt, while exploring additional options to ensure all relevant components are doing everything possible to secure the many major events planned for President Trump in the months ahead as he gears up to celebrate America 250,&#8221; a Trump administration official added.
The gunman wrote in his manifesto that he was targeting Trump and high-ranking administration officials, but he added that he was also willing to kill anyone who was attending the dinner.
&#8220;I would still go through most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary (on the basis that most people *chose* to attend a speech by a pedophile, rapist, and traitor, and are thus complicit) but I really hope it doesn’t come to that,&#8221; Allen wrote.

Secret Service

Trump Shuts Down Doubts On Secret Service Leadership After Shooting

Donald Trump

Shooting

White House

Republicans in Congress are pushing to approve legal authority for the White House’s privately-backed ballroom project, which is facing a major court challenge.
There was renewed interest and support for the ballroom, including from Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), following the attempted assassination of Trump administration officials at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night. A district court judge recently said that Congress needs to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/27/will-congress-back-ballroom-now/">clear a legal path</a> for the project to proceed, according to The Washington Post.
Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) explained Sunday on X that we would push for “unanimous consent” on a proposal that would grant “express approval” for ballroom construction, as it would be built where the East Wing used to be.
“It is an embarrassment to the strongest nation on earth that we cannot host gatherings in our nation’s capital, including ones attended by our President, without the threat of violence and attempted assassinations,” Sheehy said.
“There is no place for political violence in America. Unfortunately, it seems, too many people believe trying to kill our President and members of our government is acceptable,” he added, saying that presidents “should be able to host events in a secure area without attendees worrying about their safety.”
In the House of Representatives, Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) posted Sunday that he’s introducing the “Build the Ballroom Act” for “explicit statutory authority” for the ballroom plan.
“While the lawsuits attempting to stop this privately-funded gift to the country are nonsense, last night makes it clear that we need it — and we need it now,” Fine stated. “I look forward to Democrats repudiating their violent rhetoric against President Trump by cosponsoring and supporting this bill.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) also posted that she is drafting a bill to get the project across the finish line.
“I don’t believe congressional approval is required for the project, but if it’ll keep activist judges on the sideline, so be it,” she wrote.
The Justice Department asked the National Trust for Historic Preservation to end its lawsuit after the incident, which left a Secret Service agent shot at the Washington Hilton.
“Enough is enough. Your client should voluntarily dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today in light of last night’s assassination attempt on President Trump,” Brett Shumate, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, wrote Sunday, saying that he plans to “move to dissolve the injunction and dismiss the case in light of last night’s extraordinary events” if the case was not dropped by Monday at 9 a.m.
The Daily Wire reached out to the group for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
“The White House ballroom will ensure the safety and security of the President for decades to come and prevent future assassination attempts on the President at the Washington Hilton,” he added.
The preservation group argues that there needs to be more input into the project before it begins.
“The National Trust remains committed to honoring the historic significance of the White House, advocating for our collective role as stewards, and demonstrating how broad consultation, including with the American people, results in a better overall outcome,” National Trust President and CEO Carol Quillen said after an April 11 federal circuit court of appeals order in the case that stopped construction.

Security Scare at The White House Correspondents’ Dinner with President Trump

White House Ballroom Fight Heats Up After Shooting Raises Stakes

Congress

Lauren Boebert

Politics

Randy Fine

Tim Sheehy

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
I was in the room at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner when shots rang out and chaos followed.
I’m not a journalist. I was invited as a guest of The Daily Wire. I accepted immediately — why wouldn’t I? It’s an experience I&#8217;d never had. I had no idea how memorable it would be.
 I went alone, and as an introvert, the thought of entering a ballroom filled with 2,600 strangers and making small talk filled me with dread. This was small talk on steroids. Still, it felt like a cultural bucket-list moment. I’ve been to the Grammys, several Super Bowls, the MTV Video Music Awards (back when they were a hot ticket), and Coachella many times. These are the kinds of happenings you remember. Why not add this one to the list?
I got dressed up, had my makeup done, and headed to the hotel. My Uber couldn’t get close, so I walked the last six blocks in the rain. By the time I arrived, I looked like a drowned rat. Oh well, I thought, no one will be looking at me. Protesters screamed as I approached.
“F*ck you!”
“Pedophile!”
“If you go in there, you’re complicit!”
“Free Palestine!”
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1084513" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1084513" class="wp-image-1084513 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1766-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1766-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1766-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1766-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1766.jpeg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Credit: Clay Travis</div>
It was unsettling, but I’ve faced protesters before. I ran inside, showed my ticket, passed purse check and a metal detector, and went straight to the bar for a glass of wine.
I found my hosts: Brent Scher, editor in chief of The Daily Wire, and his wife, Cassie. The other guest of The Daily Wire that I’d share a table with was Jessica Reed Kraus of House Inhabit. We laughed about our soaked hair, ruined makeup, and now crooked fake lashes, then made our way to our table in the back of the massive room — true nosebleed seats, perfect for people-watching.
Despite my initial anxiety about the event, I was having fun.
“There’s Harris Faulkner.” “There’s that media guy. What’s his name? <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/brian-stelter">Brian Stelter</a>!”
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1084515" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1084515" class="size-medium wp-image-1084515" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1738-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1738-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1738-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1738-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/IMG_1738-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Credit: Jennifer Sey</div>
We took photos and settled in as the energy built. We wondered what a mentalist would actually do on stage, and we wished the organizers had risked a comedian instead of avoiding controversy.
Then it happened.
Shouting. “Get down! Get under the table!”
Three loud pops. Gunshots. I didn’t know if they were in our room.
Is this really happening?
I dropped under the table, clutching the hand of a woman I’d met barely an hour earlier. We were teary-eyed but not hysterical. Two waitstaff huddled with us. One woman at our table kept her composure, calmly repeating, “You’re okay, you’re okay. Stay down.” Over and over.
We watched FBI Director Kash Patel rush past while we stayed low.
I never thought I&#8217;d experience anything like this. I work in fashion. As the chief marketing officer for Levi’s, I hosted some of the biggest parties at Coachella. Our worst fear was someone taking too many party drugs and getting sick. We never worried about gunfire.
Yet every major cultural or conservative event I attend now — Turning Point USA’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit, a Moms for Liberty event, and now the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner — carries the real risk of leftist violence. I knew it the moment I was under that table. Some deranged leftist believed he was a hero, just like the alleged killer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/luigi-mangione">Luigi Mangione</a>.
I have a stalker who leaves threatening voicemails. Friends tell me to “be careful,” but what does that mean anymore? If a shooter can get <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-never-went-through-whcd-security-at-the-washington-hilton">anywhere near</a> the president at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner, there’s no safe level of careful. You simply live your life and hope fate is kind.
I wasn’t with my husband or even a close friend. I had no idea how close the gunman was. Would he burst into the ballroom and start spraying bullets? I was in the back — perfect collateral damage for someone who views shooting at this president as a heroic act.
Eventually Jessica and I decided to run. We slipped out a side door and walked as fast as we could in heels. It was cold. My bad ankle screamed with every step, but adrenaline pushed me forward. We sat down somewhere, sirens blaring, still unsure what had actually happened.
We caught an Uber, but police blocked everything. We ended up standing on a corner with other women in evening dresses while National Guard troops pointed guns and shouted. I just wanted out. We eventually slipped around the yellow tape. I left the group and walked alone back to my hotel. Protesters and homeless people yelled at me on the streets, but it barely registered.
I finally reached my room, called my husband, and texted my oldest son.
I wasn’t in real danger; the gunman never reached the ballroom. But in those terrifying minutes, you don’t know that. You hear shots, huddle under a table with strangers, and wonder whether a tablecloth will be the only thing between you and death.
I went to the dinner to celebrate a free press and free speech. Instead, I ended up squeezing the hand of a woman I’d just met, huddled under a table, wrestling with the very real possibility that this might be it for me. I was certain it was a deranged leftist who believes violence is justified when it comes to anything connected to President Donald Trump. And that’s exactly who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/manifesto-shows-shooter-was-willing-to-kill-everyone-at-correspondents-dinner">it appears it was</a>.
I gave up my career when I began advocating for open schools during the pandemic because I believe in free speech. I realized under that table that if I had to, I would risk my life for it.
***
Jennifer Sey is the CEO of XX-XY Athletics. She is an author, filmmaker, and retired national champion gymnast.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

I’m Not A Journalist. I’ll Never Forget What I Saw At The White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

journalists

Media

Political Violence

Upstream

The White House came out swinging against a bill, backed by several Republicans, that would prohibit the deportation of Haitian nationals living in the United States, according to a memo first obtained by The Daily Wire. 
The Office of Management and Budget said Wednesday that the Trump administration “strongly opposes” a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1689">bill</a> sponsored by eight congressional Democrats and New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler that would expand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians until 2029. The move from the White House comes as the House is expected to vote soon on the measure after four Republicans joined Democrats to force a vote.
“Across several Executive Orders and Proclamations, the President has made it clear that this Administration’s priority is protecting the American people and addressing the criminal threat posed by those who enter this nation with little to no vetting or overstay the visa granted them,” the White House said Wednesday. “Numerous Haitian nationals previously granted TPS have been the subject of administrative investigations for fraud, public safety, and national security.”
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/04/07/haitian-illegal-alien-violently-kills-innocent-mother-repeatedly-hitting-her-hammer">announced</a> that Rolbert Joachin, an illegal immigrant from Haiti accused of murdering a woman with a hammer, was granted TPS by the Biden administration.
In March, Lawler and three other Republicans <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2026012215?Page=2">backed</a> a discharge petition from Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) to force a vote on the proposal. The other Republicans who joined the discharge petition included Reps. Don Bacon (NE), Maria Salazar (FL), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA). The Daily Wire reached out to their offices for comment on the president’s opposition to the measure. 
Bacon said he opposed removing TPS status because it would impact the healthcare industry.
“Removing the TPS status would cost 350,000 healthcare workers their ability to work at a time when we’re already facing serious workforce shortages,&#8221; Bacon told The Daily Wire.&#8221;I’ve heard from healthcare providers and business leaders across Nebraska who are concerned about the impact this would have on patient care and our economy. I don’t see the goodness of deporting people who are here legally, who are working, and who contribute to our country.”
Democrat sponsors of the proposal include Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat and Haitian-American facing expulsion from the House for allegedly funneled millions of dollars into her campaign illegally.
Should the bill pass, the White House said that President Donald Trump would be advised to veto the legislation.
Former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem directed TPS status for Haitians to be terminated on February 3, 2026, saying the conditions for giving Haitians specially protected status from deportation were no longer met. 
Judges have so far blocked efforts to revoke TPS, and DHS said it is working with the Justice Department to “determine next steps.”
Lawler and about two dozen other House Republicans recently faced criticism from conservative lawmakers over their support for Salazar’s “DIGNIDAD Act,” which would provide legal status without a way to get citizenship for those in the country illegally before 2021. Critics say the measure would be de facto amnesty and would significantly curtail efforts to deport illegal immigrants.

New York Congressman Mike Lawler Holds Town Hall Gathering For Constituents In Putnam County

EXCLUSIVE: Trump Admin Comes Out Swinging On Haitian Immigration Bill Backed By Some Republicans

Haiti

Illegal Immigration

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Trump Administration

Press Briefing LIVE THUMBNAIL (11)

LIVE COVERAGE: White House Highlights Trump’s ‘Historic’ Cuts On Tax Day

Karoline Leavitt

Press

President Donald Trump said the situation with Iran is “very close to over,” defending the moment he chose to step in and warning what could have happened if he didn’t.
“I had to divert because if I didn’t do that right now, you would have Iran with a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “And if they had a nuclear weapon, you would be calling everybody over there, ‘sir’ — and you don’t want to do that.”
Trump made the remarks during an interview that aired Wednesday morning on Mornings with Maria, where he was pressed on whether the conflict is nearing an end.
“Well you keep saying ‘was’&#8230; Is this war over?” host Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo asked.
“I think it’s close to over. I mean, I view it as very close to over,” Trump responded.
He added that even if the United States pulled back now, the damage has already been done.
“If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country,” Trump said.
Still, Trump made clear the situation remains ongoing.
“We’re not finished. We’ll see what happens,” he said, adding that he believes Iran is now eager to reach an agreement. “I think they want to make a deal very badly.”
Trump also weighed in on oil prices, brushing off concerns about the spike tied to the conflict.
Speaking in the same interview, Trump said he expected things to get much worse and suggested where prices are now is not nearly as bad as some predicted.
“A lot of people said it would be $200,” Trump said. “I think we’re doing very well.”
Bartiromo pointed out oil has still surged and markets have taken a hit, but Trump made clear he was willing to accept that tradeoff.
“You’re right,” he said. “I was willing to do that, to stop a nuclear weapon from being used against this country or the Middle East.” 
Trump added that the current price actually caught him off guard.
“If you told me that we were gonna be at only $92 a barrel, I would have been very surprised,” he said. “I am very happy.”
He also predicted prices could fall quickly if the situation wraps up.
“It’s gonna come dropping down very big as soon as it’s over,” Trump said, doubling down on his view that it could be “very soon.”

UFC 327: Procházka v Ulberg

Trump’s Past-Tense Talk Sets Up Question On Whether Operation Epic Fury Is Over

Iran

President Trump

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday tried to downplay his viral description of President Donald Trump as &#8220;daddy&#8221; as a &#8220;language problem.&#8221;
Rutte, 59, set off a wave of memes during a June 2025 presser in The Hague when he used the term to praise Trump&#8217;s negotiating and foreign policy tactics.
The former Dutch prime minister used the affectionate phrase soon after Trump lashed out at Israel and Iran following their 12-day conflict, saying the two countries &#8220;don&#8217;t know what the f*ck they&#8217;re doing.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Trump is PISSED about the ceasefire violations.
&#8220;We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don&#8217;t know what the f*** they&#8217;re doing.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/DVGHuUP3Oj">pic.twitter.com/DVGHuUP3Oj</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1937475590996775362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Rutte, sitting next to the president, said at the time, &#8220;Daddy has to sometimes use strong language.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said &#8220;daddy has to sometimes use strong language&#8221; on Wednesday, referring to comments made by President Trump about Iran and Israel fighting.
Read more: <a href="https://t.co/pIyCLeXNO8">https://t.co/pIyCLeXNO8</a> <a href="https://t.co/91oWCuOgf8">pic.twitter.com/91oWCuOgf8</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1937890485189718135?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Hours later at the NATO Summit, Secretary of State Marco Rubio laughed as an international reporter asked Trump how he felt being called &#8220;daddy.&#8221;
&#8220;I think he likes me,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;If he doesn&#8217;t, I&#8217;ll let you know. I&#8217;ll come back and hit him hard.&#8221;
&#8220;He did it very affectionately. &#8216;Daddy — you’re my daddy.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Marco Rubio laughs as a reporter asks Trump how it felt being called “daddy” by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte <a href="https://t.co/aKBWjy8n5B">pic.twitter.com/aKBWjy8n5B</a>
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) <a href="https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1937898294870413654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Asked again Thursday whether he still considered the commander-in-chief &#8220;daddy,&#8221; Rutte attributed the remark to a language barrier.
“I have to explain to you, because it follows me a little bit,” Rutte said at Washington’s Ronald Reagan Institute forum. “In Dutch, you would say, ‘Hey, the translation of your father is daddy.’ And I would say, ‘Hey, yeah, sometimes daddy has to be angry. So I was not calling him my daddy. But of course, daddy has also a special connotation, and I now have to live with this for the rest of my life.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Q: &#8220;Do you still consider [President Trump] &#8216;daddy&#8217; after yesterday?&#8221; 
<a href="https://twitter.com/SecGenNATO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecGenNATO</a> Mark Rutte: &#8220;I was not calling him my daddy, but saying—but of course, &#8216;daddy&#8217; has also a special connotation, and I have to stay with this for the rest of my life.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/sV37k00z8y">pic.twitter.com/sV37k00z8y</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2042271255018021220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
Rutte struck a lighter tone as well, noting Trump had leaned into the moment.
&#8220;And I own it. The president owns it, because he brought out t-shirts, he made a movie, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daddys-home-team-trump-embraces-nato-leaders-remarks-with-new-merch">Daddy is Home,</a> when he returned to the United States, it was so funny,&#8221; Rutte said. &#8220;This is why I like him so much.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 “DADDY” MERCH OUT NOW!<a href="https://t.co/YAxVOAdj8y">https://t.co/YAxVOAdj8y</a> <a href="https://t.co/08PnAHhtFX">pic.twitter.com/08PnAHhtFX</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1938241270255915189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote>

Donald Trump/Mark Rutte

NATO Chief Explains Trump ‘Daddy’ Comment And Admits It’s Not Going Away

NATO

President Donald Trump is expected to argue Wednesday night that Operation Epic Fury is ahead of schedule and meeting its objectives as he delivers an update on the war effort.
A White House official told Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan that Trump will give an &#8220;operational update&#8221; during his 9 p.m. ET address, highlighting what the administration says is progress that is &#8220;meeting or exceeding all of its benchmarks.&#8221; 
The president is also expected to outline a potential timeline for ending the conflict, after saying earlier this week the operation could conclude within two or three weeks.
Trump&#8217;s remarks are expected to focus on military goals, including degrading Iran&#8217;s ballistic missile capabilities, targeting the Iranian navy, and disrupting support their proxy terror groups, and striking elements of Iran&#8217;s nuclear program.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: White House official tells <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> that during his 9pm address tonight, President Donald Trump will give an &#8220;operational update on the progress of Operation Epic Fury, which is meeting or exceeding all of its benchmarks.&#8221;
The president will highlight the success of…
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2039363911221146039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump said Iran had requested a ceasefire but indicated the United States would not consider it until the Strait of Hormuz reopened.
&#8220;Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear,&#8221; he wrote on Truth Social. &#8220;Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!&#8221;
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed confidence in the operation&#8217;s progress, but stopped short of committing to a specific timeline.
&#8220;I think we’re very close to achieving our objectives,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;I don’t want to put a timeline on it, but we can see the finish line, the finish line meaning we will have achieved all of the objectives that the President outlined. And those are important because if we achieve those objectives we will make it nearly impossible for Iran to have a nuclear weapon anytime in the near future.&#8221;

Trump Monitors Military Operations at White House

Trump’s Team Drops New Clues About Tonight’s Address As Epic Fury Hits One Month

Operation Epic Fury

War Secretary Pete Hegseth stepped in on Tuesday, lifting the suspension on the Army aircraft crews who flew past musician Kid Rock&#8217;s Nashville mansion, dubbed the Southern White House.
Hegseth shared a post announcing the move, saying, &#8220;Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED. No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/KidRock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KidRock</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USArmy</a> pilots suspension LIFTED.
No punishment. No investigation.
Carry on, patriots. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/Zqhv1Zx1iG">https://t.co/Zqhv1Zx1iG</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/2039109100282196436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apache-helicopters-kid-rock-house-crew-suspended/">CBS News</a> reported earlier on Tuesday that the Army aircraft crews had been suspended.
According to the news outlet, the crews have been grounded. An Army spokesperson said in a statement that a full review will look into &#8220;the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements.&#8221;
&#8220;The Army takes any allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable,&#8221; Maj. Montrell Russell said.
Two helicopters identified as AH-64 Apaches — coming from Fort Campbell, Kentucky — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-sparks-military-investigation-after-wild-stunt-at-southern-white-house">flew by</a> Kid Rock&#8217;s &#8220;Southern White House,&#8221; where the singer saluted the crew from his pool deck as he stood next to his replica of the Statue of Liberty.
&#8220;This is a level of respect that sh*t for brains Governor of California will never know,&#8221; Kid Rock captioned the <a href="https://x.com/KidRock/status/2037987671671292134?s=20">video</a> he posted of the helicopters that now has more than 10 million views. &#8220;God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her.&#8221;
Since Army officials launched the &#8220;administrative review&#8221; Monday, Kid Rock has spoken out defending the servicemen he was delighted to see.
“It was pretty cool they stopped right there,” Kid Rock told local Nashville station <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/kid-rock-helicopter-pilot-crew-suspended/">WKRN</a>. &#8220;I wasn’t expecting any of that, but I thought it was really neat.&#8221;
The musician, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, told WKRN he doesn&#8217;t think the chopper crews will be punished too severely as a result of their actions.
&#8220;I think they’re going to be alright,&#8221; Kid Rock said. &#8220;My buddy is the commander in chief.&#8221;
Kid Rock was obviously talking about his friend, President Donald Trump. The outspoken conservative is a longtime Trump supporter and even sang at the last Republican National Convention.
The pilots of the Army choppers apparently had the green light — at least as far as Kid Rock was concerned — to fly by the mansion. The singer told WKRN he has met with the pilots, who are stationed not too far away from Music City, and told the servicemen they could &#8220;cruise&#8221; by his place anytime.
The Daily Wire has reached out to Fort Campbell officials about the incident.

Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Pete Hegseth Steps In After Army Pilots Buzz Kid Rock’s Mansion

America

Kid Rock

Nashville

News

Trump

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is extending Biden-era loans to Planned Parenthood for a final year, The Daily Wire can first report, putting the White House at odds with pro-life leaders.
The White House paused the Biden-era grants in 2025, prompting a slew of legal challenges from Planned Parenthood and allied organizations. The Department of Health and Human Services unfroze the grants in January, prompting massive outcry from pro-life activists. <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/01/14/why-hhs-restored-planned-parenthood-funding/">Some pro-lifers told The Daily Signal at the time</a> that the administration didn&#8217;t have a choice, since it withheld the funds to Planned Parenthood without amending 42 U.S. Code Part 300, which concerns family planning grants.
The Daily Wire began hearing rumblings on Monday evening that Planned Parenthood would receive that funding through next year. White House spokesman Kush Desai confirmed to The Daily Wire on Tuesday morning that the White House has come up against &#8220;significant legal challenges&#8221; in stopping the money from the Biden era Title X grants, but noted that this year will be the last that Planned Parenthood is funded by the grants.
“The administration has issued the fifth and final year of Title X grants that were locked in place during the Biden presidency,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;The administration faced significant legal challenges in stopping any of these dollars from going out.&#8221;
&#8220;Title X funds cannot be used for abortions by law and, consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on Enforcing the Hyde Amendment, the Administration remains committed to realigning the Title X program with the President’s pro-life and pro-family agenda going forward,&#8221; Desai said.
He noted that HHS will soon be releasing a new Title X funding opportunity for the next five-year funding cycle, one that will prioritize life and promote the administration&#8217;s pro-family agenda.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services continue &#8220;to faithfully execute the One Big Beautiful Bill’s defunding of Planned Parenthood in Medicaid spending, and the Administration continues to scrap millions of taxpayer funding for the international abortion industry,&#8221; he said.
Key leaders in the pro-life movement are still distraught at the idea of Planned Parenthood receiving so much money from the government. Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of SBA Pro-Life America, argues that funding the abortion giant means &#8220;propping up a business whose main purpose is to end the lives of innocent unborn children.&#8221; And she warns that failing to defend the unborn will cost the GOP at the polls in the midterm elections.
<div id="attachment_1069297" style="width: 894px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/citing-legal-challenges-trump-admin-extends-biden-era-planned-parenthood-awards-another-year/us-politics-abortion-trump" rel="attachment wp-att-1069297"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1069297" class="wp-image-1069297 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-961522424-884x576.jpg" alt="" width="884" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-961522424-884x576.jpg 884w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-961522424-300x195.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-961522424-768x500.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-961522424.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 884px) 100vw, 884px" /></a>Trump addresses the Susan B. Anthony 11th Annual Campaign for Life Gala in 2018 (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;This is an inexplicable slap in the face to the pro-life GOP base,&#8221; she said on Tuesday. &#8220;Three out of 4 GOP base voters support defunding Planned Parenthood. One third of those voters say they’d be less enthusiastic about voting this November if the GOP abandons pro-life policies.&#8221;
Pro-life leaders are already angry that the Trump FDA has newly approved an abortion drug, has not <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reverse-this-wrong-republicans-push-rfk-to-fix-bidens-abortion-drug-mistakes">reinstated safety measures on abortion drugs</a> removed under the Biden administration, and kept a Biden FDA rule alive, allowing abortion drugs to be shipped to states that have banned them. The movement was also aghast when the president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-republicans-should-be-flexible-on-rule-that-bars-taxpayer-funded-abortions">suggested lawmakers</a> should be &#8220;flexible&#8221; on the Hyde Amendment.
Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life, said that she and others have been told that Planned Parenthood is getting the funds because &#8220;the rules require it.&#8221;
&#8220;Let’s talk about that,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/KristanHawkins/status/2038807191071932476">posted</a> on X. &#8220;If we are going to claim we must follow &#8216;the rules&#8217; to fund abortion vendors, then we should also enforce the law that prohibits mailing Chemical Abortion Pills. The Comstock Act is already federal law, and it makes it ILLEGAL to traffic dangerous abortion drugs by mail. That law is being ignored thousands of times every single day, as we said in our letter to [Attorney General Pam Bondi] JUST EARLIER TODAY.&#8221;
She added: &#8220;The Trump Administration doesn’t get to ignore federal law when it comes to the predatory abortion industry and then reward the same industry with more taxpayer dollars!&#8221;

President Trump Returns To The White House From Florida

Citing Legal Challenges, Trump Admin Extends Biden Era Planned Parenthood Awards Another Year

Abortion

Planned Parenthood

The following is an edited transcript excerpt from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mks-ep-1936-sub?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
* * *
President Trump just gave the finest one liner in the history of press conferences. 
So here is President Trump, sitting in the Oval Office yesterday with the Japanese prime minister, who seems to adore him. When she arrives at the White House, for example, she runs up and gives him a big hug. He proceeds to show her the Hall of Presidents, on the White House little walkway there by the Rose Garden, and she sees Joe Biden&#8217;s picture is just an auto pen and seems to get a huge kick out of it.
Trump also got along famously with Shinzo Abe. So, there&#8217;s something about Trump and Japan — they get along great. It&#8217;s like white on rice, to use an apt metaphor.
In any case, while they&#8217;re sitting in the Oval Office, a reporter asks President Trump why he did not tell everyone about the attack on Iran before he launched it.
“Japan and U.S. are very good friends. But one question — why didn&#8217;t you tell U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before taking action? We are very confused.”
Trump responded, “Well, one thing — you don’t want to signal too much. When we go in, we went in very hard, and we didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor? Right? He’s asking me, do you believe in surprise? I think much more so than us.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump: &#8220;Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn&#8217;t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/O5t0EWoOkw">pic.twitter.com/O5t0EWoOkw</a>
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/2034664767256658127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Just magnificent. I don’t know how to frame a clip, but that’s it. No one will ever beat it.
Jeremy Boreing took me out for dinner last night for my birthday, and we were talking about how Trump is Elvis. Trump is Elvis. Now, Jeremy has criticized Trump many times over the years, but he believes the guy is just amazing at this. He’s Elvis.
So, Trump is sitting there, and he gets the question: Why didn’t you tell people about the attack?
And he starts to give a serious answer by saying: Well, you know, I didn’t want to signal…
And then that showbiz brain kicks in: Hey — who knows more about surprises than you guys?
At that point he could have gotten up, grabbed a stool, lit a cigarette, spotlight on him like he’s in a comedy club in New York: Let me tell you about these guys… we got some of our Japanese friends here, am I right? You guys know a little bit about surprises? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?
Just a great bit.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mks-ep-1936-sub?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-1054531 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MK-watch-now-1-1024x171.jpg" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MK-watch-now-1-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MK-watch-now-1-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MK-watch-now-1-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MK-watch-now-1-1536x256.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MK-watch-now-1.jpg 1800w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
I’m going to miss him very, very much after his fourth or fifth term — whatever. I know, at a certain point, after he’s 120 years old, life will take its course. But I’m just sorry we’re already in the second term. We’ve only got, what, two or three terms left?
It’s beautiful.
And it’s not just funny — it’s a serious point. The serious point he’s making is that you don’t telegraph your moves when you’re engaging in war, even when you’re engaging in ordinary politics. And he conveys that serious point with humor, and people take note.
Antonin Scalia used to do this in his Supreme Court opinions and dissents. He would use funny lines like “applesauce,” and “did you ask the nearest hippie?” These are real lines Scalia used. Why did he do it? Because it&#8217;s funny and it grabs your attention. It’s memorable. It sticks in the minds of law students and it&#8217;s going to shape American jurisprudence.
Same thing here.
Very, very funny — and very, very smart.

US-JAPAN-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-TAKAICHI-TRUMP

President Trump Drops The Greatest One Liner In Press Conference History

Japan

Middle East

Opinion

Pearl Harbor

It&#8217;s the Red Hen all over again.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas and former White House press secretary, says she was having lunch with two mom friends at a restaurant called <a href="https://www.thecroissanterielr.com/menu#sectionId-d6c124ee-7ad0-461a-b274-1929dc7a5462">The Croissanterie</a> in Little Rock when the owner kicked them out. Her presence at the restaurant, the owner told the governor, made the employees feel &#8220;threatened and uncomfortable&#8221; because of her political views. As they left, she was given the middle finger.
This is the second time Sanders has found herself in this exact situation. Back in 2018 when she was White House press secretary, it made national news when a small Virginia restaurant called the Red Hen told her she and her family to leave because she worked for Donald Trump. The incident won the owner of the restaurant profiles from liberal media like the Washington Post, which <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE3JwfWm2EI">hailed the owner</a> for &#8220;taking a stand&#8221; against Sanders.
That restaurant <a href="https://www.thenews-gazette.com/article/4303,red-hen-to-close">permanently closed in 2023</a>.
For Sanders, it was more surprising to have it happen in her home state of Arkansas. She told The Daily Wire on Tuesday night that the only people to talk to her during her just over an hour meal at The Croissanterie came over to thank her for the work she was doing in the state. By the time they were booted, they had already eaten and paid.
When her security detail was informed that they were being asked to leave, she decided that they&#8217;d leave without making a scene. But then the group started shouting, &#8220;It&#8217;s time to leave,&#8221; and giving her the middle finger in front of other guests.
Sanders, who is up for reelection this year, is widely popular in Arkansas. She was elected in 2022 by nearly thirty percentage points, and is viewed positively by more than half of the state, polls show.
In a statement on the incident, Sanders says The Croissanterie doesn&#8217;t meet the proper &#8220;standard&#8221; for Arkansas.
&#8220;Arkansans are known for their warm hospitality, and while that restaurant certainly doesn&#8217;t meet that standard, my administration will continue to focus on lifting Arkansans up, not tearing others down with discrimination and hate,” Sanders said.
The Croissanterie did not respond to a request for comment. After publication of this story, a group of employees at the restaurant posted on Facebook taking a shot at the governor. The post indicates
&#8220;Sarah Huckabee Sanders, no amount of evil you send our way can ever take our smiles away!!!&#8221; wrote Hickman, along with a picture of the staff. &#8220;I’m proud af to work here! I’m proud af to be gay and I’m proud af to be an Arkansan. My voice matters. Try again.&#8221;
&nbsp;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1062339" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-9.45.54-AM-583x576.png" alt="" width="583" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-9.45.54-AM-583x576.png 583w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-9.45.54-AM-300x297.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-9.45.54-AM-768x759.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-9.45.54-AM.png 1214w" sizes=" (max-width: 583px) 100vw, 583px" /></div>

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Red Hen Déjà Vu: Sarah Sanders Kicked Out Of Arkansas Restaurant, Flipped Off By Staff

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

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