Senate Republicans may use a niche procedural tool to push through $1 billion in Secret Service security upgrades, including funding tied to the completion of the White House ballroom construction project.
On Monday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released an immigration and border patrol funding bill that includes taxpayer funding for security enhancements. <a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/reconciliation_-_senate_judiciary_committee_title.pdf">The legislation</a> specifies funding for &#8220;security adjustments and upgrades,&#8221; including projects within the White House perimeter fence to support Secret Service enhancements tied to the East Wing Modernization Project.
President Trump, who previously said the ballroom would be privately funded through donors, defended the project&#8217;s rising cost on Truth Social. 
&#8220;The only reason the cost has changed is because, after deep rooted studies, it is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal, which would not have been adequate to handle the necessary events, meetings, and even future Inaugurations,&#8221; <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116527410501835336">Trump wrote.</a> &#8220;The original price was 200 Million Dollars, the double sized, highest quality completed project will be something less than 400 Million Dollars.&#8221;
The proposal is part of a broader Republican-led <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/senate-republicans-seek-1-billion-for-secret-service-upgrades-including-trumps-2026-05-05/">$72 billion package</a> to fund ICE, Border Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security through the end of Trump’s term after Democrats shut down DHS over immigration enforcement. The plan includes $19 billion for border patrol personnel, $7.5 billion for ICE investigations, and about $31 billion for immigration enforcement, according to Reuters.
Republicans are expected to advance the measure through budget reconciliation, an obscure legislative process that would let them pass it with a simple majority and bypass a Democrat filibuster in the Senate. Reconciliation comes with the trade-off of being limited to provisions that directly affect federal spending or revenue — a test the $72 billion package, including its $1 billion in Secret Service upgrades, would need to satisfy.
The push comes amid heightened security concerns after multiple assassination attempts targeting Trump, including a recent incident at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner. A White House spokesperson <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/rcna343637">told NBC News</a> that the funding would ensure the Secret Service has the resources required to &#8220;fully and completely harden the White House complex.&#8221;
The funding, which Republicans hope to pass before the midterms, would advance key priorities for the president as the party faces an increasing likelihood of losing at least one of its congressional majorities. 
Democrats have already begun to push back on the package, especially on the inclusion of funding for the ballroom.
&#8220;Just flagging that now everyone gets an up or down vote on the ballroom!&#8221; Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)<a href="https://x.com/brianschatz/status/2051509964217491472?s=20"> said on social media.</a>

BALLROOM-5

Republicans Float $1 Billion In Ballroom Security After WHCD Shooting

Ballroom

Congress

White House

Press Briefing LIVE THUMBNAIL (11)

WATCH LIVE: Rubio Steps In To Brief America While Leavitt Is On Maternity Leave

Donald Trump

Karoline Leavitt

Press

The U.S. Secret Service said Monday it is investigating an officer-involved shooting near the White House.
The shooting occurred at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C., which is about one mile from the White House.
&#8220;One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown,&#8221; a Secret Service <a href="https://x.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/2051394006488084815?s=20">spokesperson said in a statement.</a>
The incident resulted from a confrontation between an armed individual and Secret Service Police.
Metropolitan Police said the scene of the shooting was secure, but urged people to avoid the area due to road closures. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
UPDATE: 1 person shot by law enforcement near the White House. Circumstances still unclear. <a href="https://t.co/rdWhudrwFM">pic.twitter.com/rdWhudrwFM</a>
— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/2051396658643001763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
President Trump was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyKh2EYGUDg">giving remarks</a> at a small business summit in the East Room of the White House at the time.
Secret Service agents evacuated reporters from their camera positions on the north lawn and gathered them in the briefing room.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
U.S. Secret Service just evacuated us from our camera position at the White House north lawn. We’re now gathering in the briefing room. No indication as to what’s going on <a href="https://t.co/G49ZVayIHx">pic.twitter.com/G49ZVayIHx</a>
— Megan Cassella (@mmcassella) <a href="https://twitter.com/mmcassella/status/2051387586225041453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2026</a></blockquote>

President Biden speaks at the Brookings Institution in Washington

Bullets Fly Near White House As Secret Service Locks Everything Down

Shooting

United States Secret Service

WASHINGTON—Thanks to a new executive order backed by first lady Melania Trump, federal employees who foster or adopt children will now receive new benefits, according to an internal White House email obtained by The Daily Wire.
The White House Management Office informed Executive Office of the President (EOP) staff on Friday that under the Family and Medical Leave Act, employees who foster or adopt a child can receive up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave, flexible work schedules, and &#8220;other workplace accommodations at the discretion of component leadership.&#8221;
Many of these benefits were first established during President Donald Trump&#8217;s first term and continued under former President Joe Biden, but officials say the new order clarifies and expands how they can be used.
The renewed focus comes as part of the first lady&#8217;s &#8220;Fostering the Future&#8221; initiative, developed alongside the Office of Personnel Management and the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services.
A White House official told The Daily Wire that the order is designed to remove barriers for federal workers seeking to foster or adopt.
“Federal workers looking to adopt or foster a child no longer need to worry that their work would delay or prevent a child from being with a loving family,&#8221; the official shared. &#8220;Their responsibility as a parent or caregiver doesn’t happen all at once. He or she may need one day here for a court visit and another day there for a doctor’s appointment. Delaying any of these things means that one more kid isn’t being reunified with their family or finding the next best place to belong and be cared for.”
The policy builds on the first lady&#8217;s initiative. According to the internal email, Melania Trump coordinated with the Office of Personnel Management, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, and the Health Department&#8217;s Administration for Children and Families to &#8220;support foster and adoptive families across the federal workforce.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1088095" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-workers-get-new-support-through-melania-trumps-foster-care-adoption-initiative/president-trump-signs-executive-order-on-fostering-the-future" rel="attachment wp-att-1088095"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1088095" class="wp-image-1088095 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2246565350-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2246565350-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2246565350-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2246565350-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2246565350.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images</div>
On Thursday, President Trump signed a proclamation designating May 2026 as National Foster Care Month, calling upon &#8220;all Americans to honor the efforts of those who contribute to our Nation’s foster care system and recommit to improving the lives of those children who depend upon their service.&#8221;
One of the biggest challenges that FLOTUS and her allies face, The Daily Wire has learned, is the need for more caring foster parents and adoptive families.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, the Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with 14 states and Washington, D.C., through the bipartisan &#8220;Home for Every Child&#8221; initiative to increase the number of licensed foster homes. Currently, there are just 57 licensed homes for every 100 children in care.
Participating states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Iowa, are working to improve data tracking and reduce barriers in the foster care system, with the goal of reaching a one-to-one ratio.
“When we don’t have enough homes for those children, they get placed in non-traditional settings that are not conducive to long-term growth and development of the child,” Assistant Secretary Alex Adams previously told The Daily Wire. “So we need to increase nationally the ratio of homes to kids.”

House Ways And Means Committee Holds Foster Care Roundtable

EXCLUSIVE: Federal Workers Get New Support Through Melania’s Foster Care, Adoption Initiative

Adoption

Foster Care

Melania Trump

WASHINGTON — ABC is remaining silent amid calls from the White House for late night show host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired for joking that Melania Trump looked like an &#8220;expectant widow&#8221; — just days before another would-be assassin tried to kill Donald Trump.
&#8220;I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale,&#8221; President Donald Trump said on Monday afternoon. &#8220;Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s comments followed a rare statement from his wife, who said on Monday that &#8220;Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country.&#8221;
&#8220;His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,&#8221; the First Lady said. &#8220;People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.&#8221;
&#8220;A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.&#8221;
The Daily Wire has repeatedly reached out to both ABC and Kimmel&#8217;s representatives over the past 24 hours about the White House statements. Neither ABC nor Kimmel&#8217;s team has responded to requests for comment.
The network recently announced its decision to pull &#8220;The Bachelorette&#8221; amid concerns over bachelorette Taylor Frankie Paul and domestic violence videos that surfaced. Years earlier, the network cancelled host Chris Harrison for defending bachelorette contestant Rachael Kirkconnell after photos surfaced of her attending an antebellum-themed party.
Kimmel&#8217;s remarks, however, have not appeared to faze the network, despite aggressive condemnation from the White House.
“Who in their right mind says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?” questioned Karoline Leavitt from the briefing room podium on Monday afternoon.
<div id="attachment_1085511" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-presses-abc-on-kimmels-melania-widow-joke-crickets/abcs-jimmy-kimmel-live-season-14-4" rel="attachment wp-att-1085511"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1085511" class="wp-image-1085511 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-534439408-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-534439408-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-534439408-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-534439408-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-534439408.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>(Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)</div>
Kimmel, meanwhile, defended his remarks without apologizing, claiming he was joking about the Trumps&#8217; age difference, mocking the Trumps, and even repeating the joke.
“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.”
&#8220;I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular,&#8221; he said during his stand-up bit. &#8220;But I understand that the First Lady had a stressful experience over the weekend &#8230; and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house. And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”
Kimmel&#8217;s defense prompted a scathing response from Steven Cheung, the White House Director of Communications.
&#8220;Jimmy Kimmel is a sh*t human being for: #1. Making a disgusting joke about assassinating the President #2. Doubling down on that joke instead of doing the decent thing by apologizing,&#8221; Cheung said.
&#8220;ABC needs to fire him immediately and he should be shunned for the rest of his life,&#8221; he said.
ABC has still not responded to requests for comment from The Daily Wire.

JIMMY KIMMEL

ABC News Silent As White House Calls For Jimmy Kimmel Firing

Jimmy Kimmel

the_squad_gi

Dems’ ‘Cult Of Hatred’ Reveals Hard-To-Ignore Pattern After Another Assassination Attempt

Democrats

Political Violence

President Trump

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

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

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

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

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

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

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