{"Articles":[ {"id":"4596928-1780667506", "title":"Chicago Bears inch closer to jumping over border to Indiana", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fsports%2F4596928%2Fchicago-bears-closer-leave-indiana%2F", "byline":"Chris Irvine", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Chicago Bears are one step closer to leaving not only the city of Chicago, but also the state of Illinois, and heading over the border into Indiana. A statement from Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren, posted to their X account on Friday reads: “Yesterday, the Chicago Bears Board […]", "description":""

The Chicago Bears are one step closer to leaving not only the city of Chicago, but also the state of Illinois<\/a>, and heading over the border into Indiana<\/a>.<\/p>

A statement from Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren, posted to their X account<\/a> on Friday reads: \u201cYesterday, the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met and voted to advance our stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site to be selected.<\/p>

\u201cWe believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,\" the statement said. \"It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.\u201d<\/p>

Adam Schefter, ESPN\u2019s NFL insider, cited a source in a separate post<\/a> as saying: \u201cThere is more work to do but barring anything very strange, it\u2019s a done deal.\u201d<\/p>

The fate of the franchise has become a sore spot in Illinois politics. Last month, Gov. JB Pritzker<\/a> (D-IL), widely tipped as a 2028 presidential candidate, criticized Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson<\/a> for having \u201cno plan\u201d to keep the reigning NFC North champions in the city despite being in office for three years. Earlier this week, Johnson said that \u201cthe best place for a fan to enjoy our Chicago Bears, it\u2019s downtown.\u201d He also told the Chicago Sun-Times<\/a> \u201cthere\u2019s no plan in Hammond.\u201d<\/p>

The proposed Hammond, Indiana, site is about 23 miles from Chicago\u2019s current home, Soldier Field, which first opened in 1924, making it the NFL\u2019s oldest stadium. The stadium is not playing host to any World Cup games later this month, after former mayor Rahm Emanuel, also a 2028 hopeful, didn't bid for it<\/a>.<\/p>

CHICAGO IS LOSING THE BEARS \u2014 THANKS TO BRANDON JOHNSON<\/a><\/p>

Earlier this week, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) touted the appeal of jumping over the border, saying the Bears deserved \u201ca place that runs like Indiana, triple-A credit rating, where you get a lot more stadium built for the money you\u2019re going to invest, where you\u2019ve got friendly guidelines to have a business, in general, and where you\u2019re not going to be taxed out of existence.\u201d<\/p>

Should the Bears move, Indiana would be home to two NFL franchises, with the Indianapolis Colts plying their trade in the AFC South. <\/p>

The Bears are on somewhat of an upswing after years in the doldrums, with second-year head coach Ben Johnson and third year quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way. Last year, after winning the division, they beat their arch-rival Green Bay Packers in a dramatic wild-card playoff contest 31-27, before eventually losing in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round, 20-17.<\/p>

TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS BELIEVE FOUNDING FATHERS WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN THE NATION AT 250<\/a><\/p>

There is endless precedent for a last-minute change of heart about location, most recently with the Washington Wizards of the NBA and Capitals of the NHL, who were nearly coaxed to a new complex in Alexandria, Virginia, by then Gov. Glenn Youngkin, only to end up staying in Washington, D.C.<\/p>

It's also not unprecedented for NFL teams not to play in the city, or even the state, they're linked to. The New York Jets and Giants both play in New Jersey, while the San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara, and the Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington, Texas, for example.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154721547434.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596860-1780666140", "title":"Vance goes after Craig for Minnesota’s fraud record: ‘Fighting so hard to hide the data’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fhouse%2F4596860%2Fvance-angie-craig-minnesota-fraud-record-hide-data%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Vice President JD Vance questioned Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) on Wednesday for defending Minnesota’s record on fraud, suggesting Democrats are hiding data on corruption.  The vice president weighed in on a statement Craig made during a House hearing with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, in which the Minnesota lawmaker said the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program […]", "description":""

Vice President JD Vance<\/a> questioned Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) on Wednesday for defending Minnesota<\/a>\u2019s record on fraud, suggesting Democrats are hiding data on corruption.\u00a0<\/p>

The vice president weighed in on a statement Craig made during a House hearing with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, in which the Minnesota lawmaker said the state\u2019s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program fraud rate is only 1.6%. Craig\u2019s statement provoked swift backlash from Rollins, who said the federal government is relying on data touted by Minnesota officials because the state won\u2019t share food stamp data with the USDA or allow it to scrutinize figures.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIf the fraud rate is really as low as Democrats claim, why are they fighting so hard to hide the data?\u201d Vance defended Rollins in a post<\/a> to X. \u201cWhy not just work with USDA to audit and validate where the money is going? Their resistance to us going after fraud is part of why these programs ballooned in the first place.\u201d<\/p>

The National Republican Senatorial Committee also jumped on Craig, in light of an internal poll <\/a>the GOP said her Senate campaign commissioned, which touched on fraud. Craig is challenging Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan for the Democratic nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN).<\/p>

\u201cFraud is the top concern among general election voters,\u201d the poll reads. \u201cA negative message linking Flanagan to fraud is incredibly damaging and moves the US Senate race into a toss-up. \" <\/p>

NRSC Regional press secretary Nick Puglia responded: \"We're happy to see Angie Craig has come to the same conclusion we've known from the beginning: over $9 billion in fraud under failed Democrat leadership in Minnesota and Republican Michele Tafoya on the ticket puts this seat squarely in play.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

The development comes after the Trump administration and Republicans have long requested access<\/a> to Minnesota\u2019s SNAP verification and enrollment data to target fraud. Conservatives believe data sharing <\/a>will promote transparency and program integrity, after reports<\/a> that the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, which oversees the state\u2019s SNAP program, said it has not used a new state law that allows agencies to withhold payments to suspected fraudsters. There are also concerns from Washington\u2019s federal watchdog<\/a> that Minnesota\u2019s SNAP system lacks modern measures designed to deter fraud, such as microchips. <\/p>

\u201cReports have indicated that Minnesota SNAP outlays increased from nearly $725 million in 2020 to nearly $1.5 billion in 2023,\u201d Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) wrote in <\/a>January. \u201cWhat, if any, internal policies or procedures exist to alert oversight personnel for such dramatic increases?\u201d<\/p>

A group of House Republicans in April again pushed the state <\/a>to cooperate with the government after USDA and other federal agents executed criminal search warrants at nearly two dozen suspected SNAP trafficking retail locations in the Twin Cities. Minnesota has pushed back on calls to cooperate with the Trump administration on fraud, instead bringing a lawsuit<\/a> against the government, arguing that requests to recertify thousands of SNAP households through in-person interviews<\/a> are unreasonable. <\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s bad enough that the USDA has no lawful authority to impose these impossible demands on Minnesota,\u201d Attorney General Ellison said. \u201cBut once again, the Trump Administration is threatening to let the needy go hungry. Donald Trump is doing whatever he can to keep vulnerable people hungry and scheming new ways to punish the states that want to keep them fed.\u201d <\/p>

The debacle comes as Minnesota has taken center stage in the Trump administration\u2019s war on fraud, due to sweeping concerns about scammers compromising publicly funded welfare programs. <\/p>

The $250 million Feeding Our Future <\/a>fraud scheme, which scammed federal child nutrition programs funded by the USDA,\u00a0triggered conservative uproar<\/a> against Craig, as several people charged in the operation were from her district. Investigators have probed extensive suspected fraud in other publicly funded programs as well, with federal prosecutors saying <\/a>that in Minnesota, Medicaid fraud alone likely costs taxpayers $9 billion.\u00a0<\/p>

VANCE BECOMES KEY GOP SURROGATE IN FIGHT FOR CONTROL OF THE HOUSE<\/a><\/p>

\u201cWhile that fraud in and of itself was breathtaking, the truth is, Feeding Our Future is only a start, and we believe it's only a small fraction of the fraud that is actually ongoing here in the state of Minnesota,\u201d federal prosecutors said in<\/a> May. <\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Craig campaign for comment. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26015550296523.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596705-1780665696", "title":"Janeese Lewis George out of line with majority of DC voters on youth curfew: Poll", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2F4596705%2Fjaneese-lewis-george-out-of-line-dc-voters-youth-curfew-poll%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A new poll shows broad support among Washington, D.C., voters for youth curfews, a policy that leading mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George has opposed, even as she maintains a double-digit lead in the race to succeed Mayor Muriel Bowser. Lewis George leads her nearest rival, Kenyan McDuffie, by 11 percentage points among likely Democratic primary […]", "description":""

A new poll shows broad support among Washington, D.C.<\/a>, voters for youth curfews, a policy that leading mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George has opposed, even as she maintains a double-digit lead in the race to succeed Mayor Muriel Bowser<\/a>.<\/p>

Lewis George leads her nearest rival, Kenyan McDuffie, by 11 percentage points among likely Democratic primary voters with less than two weeks remaining before the June 16 election, according to a Washington Post\u2013<\/a>Schar School<\/a> poll. Roughly a quarter of voters remain undecided, leaving room for movement in the final stretch of the campaign.<\/p>

Lewis George, a democratic socialist who represents Ward 4 on the D.C. Council, has emerged as the front-runner in a race that will shape the city\u2019s post-Bowser era after more than a decade of her leadership. Several council seats and the district's non-voting congressional seat are also on the ballot, adding to what is expected to be a consequential election for the city.<\/p>

The poll found that 71% of registered voters support restricting teenagers from gathering in certain parts of the city at night, while just 20% oppose the policy. McDuffie has made the issue a central focus of his campaign in recent weeks, holding press conferences and condemning Lewis George for opposing youth curfew proposals before the council.<\/p>

Earlier this year, Bowser imposed strict juvenile curfews after groups of young people took over streets, and most recently, a Navy Yard Chipotle. These events, often organized on social media, caught the attention of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who vowed<\/a>\u00a0that those who participate in the so-called \u201cteen takeovers\u201d would face fines of up to $500 and possible jail time.<\/p>

\"Janeese Lewis George voted against teen curfews at least six times and blocked extended rec center hours on Fridays and Saturdays for teens to further her own agenda \u2014 that\u2019s not putting DC families first,\" McDuffie wrote<\/a> in a post on X.<\/p>

On Tuesday, Bowser criticized<\/a> Lewis George for her opposition to youth curfew policies. <\/p>

\u201cI am greatly disappointed that five members of Council are essentially obstructing the council from moving forward on this important public safety legislation,\u201d Bowser\u00a0wrote<\/a>, explicitly naming the council members who blocked the votes, including Lewis George.<\/p>

While McDuffie holds an advantage on crime<\/a>, voters give Lewis George higher marks on affordability<\/a> and education<\/a>, two issues that have helped fuel her lead.<\/p>

Among likely Democratic primary voters, 36% identified Lewis George as their first choice, compared with 25% for McDuffie. The remaining candidates each received less than 5% support.<\/p>

HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY<\/a><\/p>

Lewis George\u2019s strongest support comes from younger voters and residents who have lived in the city for fewer than 20 years. She holds a commanding 37-point lead in Ward 1 and a 16-point advantage in Ward 6. Her edge narrows east of the Anacostia River, however, where she and McDuffie are effectively tied, and more than 4 in 10 voters remain undecided.<\/p>

The poll\u2019s margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points among registered voters and 3.7 percentage points among the sample of 836 registered Democrats and likely primary voters. Likely voter results were generated by assigning all registered voters a probability of turnout.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP22123164760649.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596721-1780663620", "title":"Democrat Abdul el Sayed clinches UAW support over primary rivals for Michigan Senate", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4596721%2Fabdul-el-sayed-uaw-support-over-primary-rivals-michigan-senate%2F", "byline":"Ramsey Touchberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The United Auto Workers Union endorsed Democrat Abdul el Sayed for Michigan’s battleground Senate seat on Friday, siding with the most progressive candidate in a competitive three-way primary contest. The union praised the former local health official for having a “strong working-class agenda with moral clarity” that includes support for a Medicare-for-All single-payer healthcare system. UAW’s endorsement is […]", "description":""

The United Auto Workers<\/a> Union endorsed Democrat Abdul el Sayed for Michigan\u2019s<\/a> battleground Senate seat on Friday, siding with the most progressive candidate in a competitive three-way primary contest.<\/p>

The union praised the former local health official for having a \u201cstrong\u00a0working-class\u00a0agenda\u00a0with moral clarity\u201d that includes support for a Medicare-for-All single-payer healthcare system. UAW's endorsement is coveted in Michigan, the nation\u2019s epicenter for auto manufacturing.<\/p>

El Sayed is facing Democratic opponents Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow in the Aug. 4 primary to take on presumptive Republican nominee former Rep. Mike Rogers. The candidates seek to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) in a toss-up race that could help determine the upper chamber\u2019s balance of power.<\/p>

\u201cUAW members\u00a0in Michigan\u00a0want a fighter\u00a0in\u00a0Washington, D.C.,\u00a0who\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0afraid to\u00a0push forward\u00a0a strong\u00a0working-class\u00a0agenda\u00a0with moral clarity,\u201d the member-elected board of the UAW\u2019s Community Action Program said in a statement. \u201cHaving never taken a dime from corporate PACs,\u00a0Dr.\u00a0Abdul El-Sayed\u00a0is someone we can trust to have our backs, including\u00a0when we need it most \u2014 like come\u00a0May Day\u00a02028.\u201d<\/p>

The board added: \u201cFrom Medicare for All to banning stock buybacks, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is ready, eager, and well-equipped to move our core issues in the U.S. Senate.\u201d<\/p>

El Sayed said he was \u201chonored and humbled\u201d by the endorsement.<\/p>

\u201cMichigan union autoworkers built the American middle class and proved that when people stand together, there\u2019s nothing we can\u2019t accomplish,\u201d he posted to social media. \u201cSolidarity forever.\u201d<\/p>

GOP\u2019S MIKE ROGERS EDGES DEMOCRATS BATTLING FOR MICHIGAN SENATE SEAT<\/a><\/p>

The endorsement comes as el Sayed\u2019s support has surged among Democratic voters in Michigan over the past several months, allowing him to lap his opponents by double digits in a recent survey. However, his rise has drawn fears from establishment-aligned figures that his far-left stances could hurt their general election chances.<\/p>

Trump-backed Rogers maintains a polling advantage over all three Democrats but remains within the margins of error in recent surveys, presenting a statistical dead heat for the battleground seat. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26111101333279.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596794-1780663375", "title":"Ex-CIA officer accused of stealing $40 million in gold bars to remain jailed", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4596794%2Fex-cia-officer-gold-bar-scheme-to-remain-jailed%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The former CIA officer accused of stealing more than $40 million worth of gold bars and stashing them inside his northern Virginia home was ordered detained as his criminal case moves forward, a federal judge ruled on Friday. U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered that David Rush remain in detention following a hearing in federal […]", "description":""

The former CIA<\/a> officer accused of stealing more than $40 million worth of gold bars and stashing them inside his northern Virginia<\/a> home was ordered detained as his criminal case moves forward, a federal judge ruled on Friday.<\/p>

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered that David Rush remain in detention following a hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, deeming him a flight risk. The ruling marks the latest development in a case that has sent shock waves through the intelligence community and prompted internal fallout at the CIA. The Justice Department has described Rush as a \"master manipulator\" who \"cannot be trusted.\"<\/p>

Rush, a senior CIA official who worked on one of the government\u2019s most sensitive programs, was arrested by the FBI<\/a> on May 19 after an internal CIA investigation uncovered what officials described as potential criminal misconduct.<\/p>

Rush is accused of obtaining large quantities of foreign currency and hundreds of gold bars from the CIA under the guise of work-related expenses between November 2025 and March 2026, according to court filings. Investigators allege that much of the money and gold could not be accounted for during an agency review.<\/p>

When FBI agents searched Rush\u2019s home, they allegedly discovered approximately 303 gold bars worth more than $40 million, roughly $2 million in cash, and more than 30 luxury Rolex watches.<\/p>

Federal authorities have also accused Rush of falsifying his credentials when applying for employment with the CIA, including by allegedly lying about portions of his education and work history dating back to 2009. Separate court documents allege he submitted fraudulent time sheets by falsely claiming service in the Navy Reserve.<\/p>

Details about Rush\u2019s exact responsibilities at the agency remain largely classified. However, NBC News reported<\/a> that he served as a CIA employee for roughly 17 years and most recently acted as a liaison to the Department of War<\/a> for a sensitive nuclear submarine program.<\/p>

The case has sparked growing scrutiny of CIA leadership. NBC News reported Thursday that several senior CIA officials were placed on administrative leave over questions surrounding their handling of Rush\u2019s requests for money and their response to internal warning signs about his activities.<\/p>

The agency also briefed lawmakers this week on the matter as congressional questions mount over how an officer accused of deceiving the agency about his background was able to rise into its senior ranks.<\/p>

Following Rush\u2019s arrest, the CIA and FBI issued a joint statement saying CIA Director John Ratcliffe<\/a> referred information uncovered during an internal investigation to federal law enforcement authorities.<\/p>

FBI ARRESTS CIA OFFICIAL WHO SNATCHED OVER $40 MILLION IN GOLD BARS<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThe FBI is working with partners at the CIA and DOJ,\u201d the agencies said. \u201cAs we continue to fully investigate this matter, we\u2019re committed to following the facts, ensuring accountability, and pursuing justice in accordance with the law.\u201d<\/p>

Rush has not yet entered a plea to the charges. The case remains under seal in part, with additional proceedings expected as investigators continue examining the alleged scheme.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26147857162108.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596752-1780663322", "title":"Trump says strong jobs report should boost stocks despite market slide", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4596752%2Ftrump-strong-jobs-report-boost-stocks-despite-market-slide%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump said that Friday’s jobs report should result in additional market growth, a line he has consistently pushed during his 17 months back in office. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that new payrolls jumped by 172,000 in May, more than double the expectations of economic analysts. The unemployment rate stayed […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> said that Friday\u2019s jobs report<\/a> should result in additional market growth, a line he has consistently pushed during his 17 months back in office.<\/p>

On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that new payrolls jumped by 172,000 in May, more than double the expectations of economic analysts. The unemployment rate stayed constant at 4.3%, while April\u2019s job numbers were also revised up by roughly 100,000.<\/p>

\u201cWith a great Jobs Report, like just announced, stocks should go up, not down. That\u2019s the way it was for 200 years,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday morning, shortly after BLS published its report. \u201cGrowth does not mean inflation! How else can a Country attain GREATNESS???\u201d<\/p>

Despite the latest BLS data, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ index were all down in the early hours of trading on Friday.<\/p>

CAN CUTTING RED TAPE MAKE HOUSING AFFORDABLE AGAIN?<\/a><\/p>

Trump<\/a> has been searching for positive economic indicators as the ongoing war in Iran has continued to keep prices high. Domestic gas prices averaged above $4 per gallon at the end of May, a more than $1 increase from pre-war levels.<\/p>

Furthermore, ongoing inflation has decreased the chances that newly minted Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh<\/a> will lower interest rates before the end of the year, though Trump repeatedly pressured former chairman Jerome Powell on the subject.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154768151436.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596722-1780661697", "title":"First reactor in Trump pilot program hits milestone to ramp up nuclear nationwide", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4596722%2Ffirst-reactor-trump-pilot-program-milestone-nuclear-nationwide%2F", "byline":"Callie Patteson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The first small modular nuclear reactor in the Trump administration’s pilot program to develop advanced nuclear energy has hit a crucial milestone toward deploying more nuclear power across the country.  The Department of Energy announced that an advanced reactor being developed by Antares Nuclear under the agency’s Reactor Pilot Program achieved criticality.  Reaching criticality means […]", "description":""

The first small modular nuclear<\/a> reactor in the Trump administration<\/a>\u2019s pilot program to develop advanced nuclear energy has hit a crucial milestone toward deploying more nuclear power across the country.\u00a0<\/p>

The Department of Energy announced<\/a> that an advanced reactor being developed by Antares Nuclear under the agency\u2019s Reactor Pilot Program achieved criticality. <\/p>

Reaching criticality means that a reactor is perfectly stable and its nuclear chain reaction is self-sustaining and able to produce energy.<\/p>

The administration said that Antares\u2019 design, known as Mark-0, successfully completed a zero-power fueled demonstration at the Energy Department's Idaho National Laboratory. The agency said the test confirmed that the reactor can operate safely, creating a pathway for similar reactors to produce electricity as soon as 2027. <\/p>

\u201cIt is fitting that on the eve of our nation\u2019s 250th anniversary, we are witnessing a historic moment for American energy,\u201d Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement. \u201cFor the first time in more than four decades, a new privately developed non-light-water reactor has reached criticality in the United States.\u201d <\/p>

The Mark-0 is the first of several advanced reactors that is expected to reach criticality by July 4. This deadline was set<\/a> by President Donald Trump last year in a series of executive orders aimed at boosting nuclear energy deployment and quadrupling domestic capacity by 2050.\u00a0<\/p>

Advancing nuclear energy technology is part of the president's \"energy dominance\" agenda and efforts to beat China in the race for artificial intelligence. Nuclear energy has become an extremely attractive option for the administration and Big Tech to power AI, as the carbon-free resource is considered one of the most reliable sources of energy.<\/p>

When the Independence Day deadline was announced, some in the industry doubted that the developers would be able to hit the target, as there has been little progress made on deploying small modular reactors in recent years.<\/p>

Compared to larger and more traditional nuclear facilities, these small reactors have a smaller physical footprint, allowing them to be built closer to local grids and in less time.\u00a0Typically, they can generate upward of about 300 megawatts of power.\u00a0One megawatt can usually produce enough electricity to power 400 to 900 homes. There are no SMRs operational in the U.S. and just a handful are operational worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>

In August of last year, Wright acknowledged<\/a> during an interview with the Washington Examiner that the goal might be too ambitious, though he remained confident that it was achievable. <\/p>

Achieving criticality does not mean that the reactor is fully operational and producing electricity. None of the reactors being developed under the pilot program are expected to produce commercial generation, as they are being built specifically for testing and demonstration purposes.\u00a0<\/p>

Under the Atomic Energy Act, the Department of Energy is not able to license commercial reactors but is instead able to license reactors, often for research purposes, under agency control or under substantial contractual obligations.\u00a0<\/p>

The administration, however, is hopeful that the accelerated pilot program will serve as a fast-tracked bridge for commercial licensing under the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, by providing federal regulators with critical operational data \u2014 such as the successful criticality tests.\u00a0<\/p>

Several advanced nuclear developers within the pilot reactor program anticipate they will start submitting license-related applications with the NRC later this year.\u00a0<\/p>

This includes Aalo Atomics, which confirmed<\/a> to the Washington Examiner last month that it is also on track to hit the July 4th deadline. <\/p>

A LOOK BACK ON TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO BOOST NUCLEAR ENERGY ONE YEAR LATER<\/a><\/p>

Now that Antares has achieved criticality, the company expects to produce electricity from its advanced reactors in 2027. It then plans to deploy its reactors at military installations in 2028.\u00a0<\/p>

\"What Antares achieved is specifically zero-power criticality \u2014 the chain reaction was sustained at essentially no measurable energy output,\u201d INL Laboratory Director John Wagner said<\/a>. \u201cThis is not electricity generation. It is not full-power operation. It is proof that the system works: the scientific and engineering validation that every subsequent step depends on.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP21323720062915.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596644-1780660559", "title":"FDA launches mifepristone study after pressure from Trump’s right flank", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F4596644%2Ffda-mifepristone-study-pressure-trump-right-flank%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Food and Drug Administration has launched a safety review of mifepristone, the drug used for medicated abortions, according to the Wall Street Journal. The review comes as some anti-abortion advocates have grown increasingly frustrated with the Trump administration, arguing it has moved too slowly on promises to revisit federal abortion-pill regulations ahead of the […]", "description":""

The Food and Drug Administration <\/a>has launched a safety review of mifepristone, the drug used for medicated abortions<\/a>, according to the Wall Street Journal<\/a>.<\/p>

The review comes as some anti-abortion advocates have grown increasingly frustrated with the Trump administration<\/a>, arguing it has moved too slowly on promises to revisit federal abortion-pill regulations ahead of the midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>

Administration officials said the study is expected to take roughly six months, making it unlikely to be completed before voters head to the polls. Still, the review hands a win to anti-abortion activists and Republican lawmakers who have pushed for tighter restrictions on the pill.<\/p>

The FDA in 2023 eliminated requirements that patients receive in-person screening before obtaining mifepristone, a protocol that had been in place since the drug\u2019s approval in 2000. The change expanded access to medication abortions by allowing telehealth providers to prescribe the drug and mail it directly to patients.<\/p>

During their Senate confirmation hearings, former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary<\/a> and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. <\/a>pledged to conduct a comprehensive review of mifepristone\u2019s safety under the expanded telehealth framework. But anti-abortion groups have increasingly questioned whether the administration intended to follow through on those commitments.<\/p>

Pressure on the FDA intensified after the Supreme Court<\/a> last month left in place the current rules <\/a>governing abortion-pill access while Louisiana\u2019s <\/a>challenge to the agency\u2019s mifepristone regulations continued in lower courts. The decision preserved the status quo for telehealth prescriptions and mail delivery of the drug, shifting attention back to the FDA\u2019s regulatory authority.<\/p>

Following the ruling, the agency said on X that it would \u201cpress forward to complete the science-based safety review\u201d and provide greater transparency about the review\u2019s progress.<\/p>

HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY<\/a><\/p>

Medication abortions account for roughly 65% of all abortions in the United States, according to the Guttmacher Institute<\/a>. Many studies have found mifepristone to be safe and effective, including when prescribed remotely and taken at home. Anti-abortion groups dispute those findings, arguing existing research undercounts serious complications and that federal reporting requirements fail to track nonfatal adverse events adequately.<\/p>

\u201cWe already know chemical abortions kill babies and endanger women,\u201d said Sen. Bill Cassidy <\/a>(R-LA), chairman of the Senate health committee. \u201cThe Trump administration needs to stop dragging their feet and immediately reinstate the in-person requirement.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26082605579783.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596612-1780659900", "title":"White House report card: A confusing week for Congress and the rest of us", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwashington-secrets%2F4596612%2Fwhite-house-report-card-confusing-week-congress%2F", "byline":"Rob Crilly", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Welcome to Friday’s edition of Washington Secrets, your guide to power and politics in the nation’s capital. As usual, we review the president’s week with the help of our political strategists. That was a week of two halves for Donald Trump. He was barely spotted last weekend, and from Monday to Wednesday, his daily public […]", "description":""

Welcome to Friday\u2019s edition of Washington Secrets, your guide to power and politics in the nation\u2019s capital. As usual, we review the president\u2019s week with the help of our political strategists.<\/p>

That was a week of two halves for Donald Trump<\/a>. He was barely spotted last weekend, and from Monday to Wednesday, his daily public schedule was composed entirely of private events, policy meetings, executive time, and dinners.<\/p>

It made for seven straight days without a chance for the White House press corps to lob questions his way.<\/p>

Then, just as headlines and social media posts began asking what was going on and why the president had disappeared <\/a>behind White House walls, it all changed. The 20 or so members of the press pool were summoned to the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon for an executive order signing ceremony.<\/p>

The president spoke to reporters for 38 minutes, answering questions about whether his $1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund had been closed or paused \u2014 \"I'd have to ask the lawyers\u201d <\/a>\u2014 the status of the stalled memorandum of understanding with Iran \u2014 \"In theory they're pretty close to signing a paper \u2014 and found time to attack CNN\u2019s Kaitlan Collins \u2014 \u201cI see her standing there with hatred in her eyes.\u201d<\/p>

The questions were a reminder that he has suffered a string of recent setbacks, including later on Wednesday when he watched four Republicans help pass a House resolution to block him from launching more strikes on Iran<\/a>.<\/p>

On Thursday, it was back to business as usual. He announced plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to revive the U.S. coal industry, using wartime powers.<\/p>

\"So today we're taking historic action to bring down the price of energy and the cost of living for all Americans with the power of clean, beautiful coal,\" Trump said.\u00a0<\/p>

On Friday, he was due to travel to Wisconsin for a roundtable on farming before heading to his New Jersey golf club for the weekend.<\/p>

There was good news ahead of his departure.\u00a0The U.S. economy posted another month of employment gains in May. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 172,000 jobs last month after rising by an upwardly revised 179,000 in April.<\/p>

So what do our strategists make of it all?<\/p>Jed Babbin: Grade B

President Trump lost two big votes in the House this week and won one in the Senate. It\u2019s been a confusing week for Congress and the rest of us.<\/p>

The confusion was generated by Trump\u2019s loss on a War Powers Resolution aimed at cutting off the Iran war, and on a new arms package for Ukraine. It\u2019s not clear how much Trump worked either issue, but he lost them both. He later won a huge package, in a Senate vote, for brandishing his anti-illegal immigration cudgel. Is anyone paying attention? House members seem to keep losing their bids for higher office. Maybe someone is paying attention.<\/p>

Meanwhile, Iran is dancing around the Trump negotiators again (still). Iran clearly doesn\u2019t want to open the Strait of Hormuz and will resist any effort Trump makes to do so. It now poses a condition for the war in Lebanon to end at the same time the Iran war ends. These guys don\u2019t want peace. They want the war to continue.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s economy seems to be holding up under all the pressure from the Iran war and its heightening of gasoline prices. The Ukraine war is not coming to a close any time soon, nor is the Lebanon war. I won\u2019t apologize for saying so, but at this point, the normal state of the world is war.<\/p>

Jed Babbin is a Washington Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on X @jedbabbin<\/a>.<\/p>John Zogby: Grade D+

House Republicans were unsuccessful in blocking an effort to put a stop to the Iran war. Just four members of the president\u2019s own party, but just enough, were ready to challenge him, leaving open the possibility of an independent streak among GOP representatives.<\/p>

Senate Republicans, who already helped\u00a0push back against\u00a0Trump on the Iran war in an initial vote, had also rejected the president\u2019s $1 billion proposal to aid his ballroom project and a Justice Department fund to\u00a0compensate presidential allies\u00a0he claims have been unfairly prosecuted. Just stop and absorb what we are talking about.<\/p>

Then, late Thursday, 18 GOP House members<\/a> joined the Democrats to approve an aid package to Ukraine over the president's opposition. An unapproved and unpopular Iran war \u2014 whose approval numbers reflect those at the END of the Vietnam War, not the beginning \u2014 a universally panned destruction of history and an unnecessary addition to the White House, and a slush fund for many convicted criminals.<\/p>

A federal judge has banned the Kennedy Center board from adding Trump's name to the cultural institution and from closing it for renovations. <\/p>

The president's big bash concert to honor the 250th anniversary of this nation has been canceled because the leading participants pulled out.<\/p>

Every Friday night, so it seems, there is an announcement (or leak) of an imminent Iran deal, which evaporates by Saturday morning. The latest iteration has been said to include a $300 billion investment to help build back Iran, which is even more generous than Obama's Iran deal, which Trump 45 scuttled.<\/p>

And more Americans are behind on their credit cards due to higher interest rates, inflation, and higher numbers of delinquencies. <\/p>

Meanwhile, Trump is sending out almost incoherent messages on Truth Social, which are increasingly bizarre. But he keeps winning primaries with the MAGA candidates for governor of California and mayor of Los Angeles scoring well and heading to runoffs.<\/p>

John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Survey and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies.<\/a> His latest book is Beyond the Horse Race: How to Read Polls and Why We Should<\/a>. His podcast with son, managing partner, and pollster Jeremy Zogby, can be heard here.<\/a> Follow him on X @ZogbyStrategies<\/a>.<\/p>Lunchtime reading

\u2018Like two cats circling\u2019: Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom weigh a 2028 showdown<\/a>: The pair had parallel careers in California politics, and insiders expect a gloves-off brawl if they both decide to run for president.<\/p>

\u2018Unbelievable how accurate\u2019: How paid influencers hype Polymarket\u2019s odds<\/a>: A Polymarket executive used a personal PayPal account to send at least $350,000 to Nick Shirley and other content creators between January 2025 and February 2026, an analysis of the transactions shows.<\/p>

You are reading Washington Secrets, a guide to power and politics in D.C. and beyond. It is written by Rob Crilly, who you can reach at secrets@washingtonexaminer.com<\/a> with your comments, story tips, and suggestions. If a friend sent you this and you\u2019d like to sign up, click here<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155749266681.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596664-1780658420", "title":"US releases video showing interdiction of sanctioned vessel in Indian Ocean", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4596664%2Fus-releases-video-interdiction-sanctioned-vessel-indian-ocean%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"U.S. Indo-Pacific Command released footage of its forces interdicting a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. U.S. Navy helicopters landed U.S. forces on the stateless vessel MT Davina, in an operation described as a “maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding.” The oil supertanker, capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of crude oil, according […]", "description":""

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command released footage of its forces interdicting a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean<\/a>.<\/p>

U.S. Navy<\/a> helicopters landed U.S. forces on the stateless vessel MT Davina, in an operation described as a \"maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding.\" The oil supertanker, capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of crude oil<\/a>, according to the Military Times, was sanctioned in October 2024 for trading Iranian oil.<\/p>

\"We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran<\/a>, wherever they operate,\" INDOPACOM said in a post on X<\/a>. \"International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors.\"<\/p>

An attached video showed armed helicopters circling the vessel, with at least a dozen troops fast-roping onto its huge deck. The troops moved with little apparent urgency.<\/p>

The INDOPACOM statement didn't indicate what was done with the vessel after its interdiction, but the video showed the troops departing its deck.<\/p>

US SEIZES SANCTIONED OIL TANKER IN INDIAN OCEAN WITH TIES TO IRAN<\/a><\/p>

The operation shows the reach of the U.S. Navy and the effort being taken to strangle Iran's oil trade. The U.S. blockade has caused scores of billions of dollars in damage to the embattled nation's economy, which is heavily reliant on oil exports.<\/p>

One of the most significant naval actions of the war with Iran took place in the Indian Ocean, when the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-23-at-10.46.32-AM-e1776955645766.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596560-1780658086", "title":"Macron plans rare dinner for Trump at Palace of Versailles during G7 visit: Report", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4596560%2Fmacron-plans-rare-dinner-trump-versailles-g7-visit%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"French President Emmanuel Macron is floating plans to woo President Donald Trump with a rare dinner at one of history’s most ornate palaces. Macron is already set to indulge the U.S. president at the Alpine spa resort of Evian-les-Bains from June 15 to 17, but two French officials familiar with the matter told Politico that […]", "description":""

French President Emmanuel Macron<\/a> is floating plans to woo President Donald Trump<\/a> with a rare dinner at one of history's most ornate palaces.<\/p>

Macron is already set to indulge the U.S. president at the Alpine spa resort of Evian-les-Bains from June 15 to 17, but two French officials familiar with the matter told<\/a> Politico that he could take things one step further by appealing to Trump's well-known royal tastes. The Palace of Versailles, which became the envy of Europe after its construction by King Louis XIV in the late 17th century, rarely serves as a location for a diplomatic reception. Paris may be betting that an exception is well in order to flatter Trump at a time of strained U.S.-European relations.<\/p>

The dinner will coincide with the final day of the G7 Summit on June 17. Many European leaders are viewing the summit with anxiety over Trump's unpredictability. A French lawmaker from Macron\u2019s party told the outlet that the summit was something European leaders \u201cjust need to get through.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe need to avoid a situation like in Canada last year, when Trump left [the G7] early, or a crisis over Greenland,\u201d they said.<\/p>

Macron has nearly organized the summit around Trump, moving its start date so Trump could attend UFC fights on the White House lawn for his 80th birthday. Despite their ideological differences and recent tensions, the two leaders have been noted for their cordial relationship.<\/p>

This relationship has faced a low point over the past few months as the two publicly clashed over the war with Iran. Trump has accused France and other NATO allies of failing to come to the U.S.'s aid in the conflict.<\/p>

MACRON DOUBTS US ABILITY TO OPEN STRAIT OF HORMUZ BY FORCE<\/a><\/p>

Though it's fallen out of diplomatic use, Versailles has a long history of hosting important diplomatic events after the seat of power moved back to Paris, most notably the proclamation of the German Empire in 1871 and the negotiations to formally conclude World War I.<\/p>

Versailles's primary purpose today is to boost France's tourism industry, serving as one of the country's foremost attractions.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26152618587040.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596603-1780657782", "title":"US and Israel begin talks on new security cooperation agreement", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4596603%2Fus-israel-talks-new-security-cooperation-agreement%2F", "byline":"Mike Brest", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Delegations from the United States and Israel began discussions this week on a new long-term security cooperation agreement as the two countries navigate their evolving relationship. Daniel Holler, counselor to the State Department, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are leading the U.S. delegation, while Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram and Israeli Ambassador to […]", "description":""

Delegations from the United States and Israel<\/a> began discussions this week on a new long-term security cooperation agreement as the two countries navigate their evolving relationship.<\/p>

Daniel Holler, counselor to the State Department, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are leading the U.S. delegation, while Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter are representing the Israelis. They held the inaugural talks this week, and further sessions will occur in the coming weeks.<\/p>

Huckabee said the new deal will \"end direct aid to Israel for a value-added mutually beneficial comprehensive partnership.\" <\/p>

This new agreement will replace the existing memorandum of understanding, which went into effect in 2018 and will expire in 2028.<\/p>

\"The new framework, reflecting the strategic vision of Israel\u2019s Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, is designed to strengthen the IDF\u2019s qualitative military edge through expanded joint investment in research, development, and co-production, deepen the U.S.-Israel partnership demonstrated during Operation Roaring Lion, and gradually transition from aid to a completely reciprocal partnership,\" a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Defense said.<\/p>

The subject of the U.S.-Israel relationship has been highly scrutinized both in light of the wars that Israel fought against Iranian proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen in the aftermath of Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, and more recently in light of their collective war against the Iranian<\/a> regime.<\/p>

While the U.S. is trying to negotiate a long-term agreement with Iran, the Iranians are insisting that the current short-term ceasefire prevents Israel from carrying out attacks against Hezbollah, which was once its most vaunted proxy force, in southern Lebanon. The U.S. is simultaneously working on negotiating a long-term deal between Israel and Lebanon, which includes ending Hezbollah's presence near the Israeli border. Hezbollah has not agreed to the ceasefire. By intertwining the deals, Iran can try to prevent both itself and its top proxy force from sustaining more losses.<\/p>

The Israeli military's war in Gaza<\/a> \u2014 the killing of more than 70,000 people, civilians and terrorists alike, and the destruction of broad swaths of the territory \u2014 raised allegations of war crimes and genocide from leading rights groups, which it disputes. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> and former Defense Minister Yoav\u00a0Gallant, as well as three of Hamas's senior leaders, whom Israeli forces ultimately killed in the war.<\/p>

While Israeli forces have badly destroyed Gaza, the group is still refusing to disarm<\/a> to move the international community into a phase of reconstructing the territory.<\/p>

The Israeli military's conduct in Gaza and the region was unpopular globally, and it has divided lawmakers on Capitol Hill as well.<\/p>

ISRAEL-LEBANON CEASEFIRE COULD UNDERMINE HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN WITH STATE-TO-STATE COOPERATION<\/a><\/p>

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee approved a measure in the National Defense Authorization Act, called Section 224, that calls for further integration within the two militaries. It specifically states the the secretary of defense would be required to designate \"an executive agent responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel, including bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation.\"<\/p>

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a progressive on the committee, issued an amendment to sink the provision, but it failed. The bill itself has not passed both chambers yet.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Netanyahu.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596620-1780657216", "title":"Erika Kirk reposts AI spoof of Democrats targeting her and LA mayoral race", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4596620%2Ferika-kirk-reposts-ai-spoof-la-mayoral-race%2F", "byline":"Britta Miller", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk called out Democrats for their criticisms against her by reposting an AI parody video of Democratic office culture, where they find ways to “harass and bully” her. “And this, our most important floor, is where we come up with new ways to bash, harass, and bully Erika Kirk,” the […]", "description":""

Turning Point USA<\/a> CEO Erika Kirk<\/a> called out Democrats<\/a> for their criticisms against her by reposting an AI<\/a> parody video of Democratic office culture, where they find ways to \u201charass and bully\u201d her.<\/p>

\u201cAnd this, our most important floor, is where we come up with new ways to bash, harass, and bully Erika Kirk,\u201d the video said.  <\/p>

The video, posted on X<\/a>, is a parody that used sarcasm to display a Democratic<\/a> work environment. It showed a woman excited to start a new job, as she began to realize all the ways the company was trying to bash and take down Republicans<\/a>.<\/p>

The video\u2019s caption said, \u201caverage left wing \u2018NGO<\/a>.'\u201d<\/p>

Kirk reposted the video, saying, \u201c\u2026 the accuracy of this.\u201d<\/p>

The video starts on the first floor of the office, \u201cOn this floor, we focus on transgender<\/a>. All things trans. Trans in kids, putting men in women\u2019s sports, trans in kids.\u201d<\/p>

The next floor is for border<\/a> security, \u201cmaking sure we have open borders so anyone can come into the country.\u201d<\/p>

After that is the Erika Kirk floor. Kirk has faced criticism after her husband, former TPUSA CEO Charlie Kirk<\/a>, was shot and killed<\/a> while speaking at a university. She has been attacked for how she\u2019s running TPUSA.<\/p>

\u201cReally let her have it,\u201d the video said.<\/p>

\u201cOn this floor we host sexual harassment<\/a> training. We teach folks how to fabricate #MeToo allegations against people we don't like,\u201d the video said. Then, \u201cthis is legal. Where we defend people we do like from very real allegations.\u201d<\/p>

The #MeToo refers to a movement that gained traction in the late 2010s, dedicated to combating sexual abuse and telling survivor stories.<\/p>

Then, the video again emphasized Kirk, saying, \u201cDid I show you the Erika Kirk floor?\u201d<\/p>

The end of the video showed the Left\u2019s<\/a> \u201cmost important\u201d floor, where they work on arguments against voter ID<\/a>, \u201cfor example, that it\u2019s racist, or that it\u2019s racist, or maybe that it\u2019s racist<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>

Along with voter ID, the video highlighted election fraud<\/a>, and emphasized the Los Angeles <\/a>mayoral election. It showed a backroom where men were finding \u201c40,000 votes in L.A.\u201d<\/p>

Another man replied, \u201c40,000? That should be easy,\u201d pointing to the ongoing vote count in the election and the time it has taken to count ballots. <\/p>

BASS ADVANCES TO RUNOFF IN LOS ANGELES MAYORAL ELECTION, BUT HER OPPONENT REMAINS UNKNOWN<\/a><\/p>

Currently, counted votes show Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass<\/a>, a Democrat, having the majority of votes.<\/a> Her opponent, Spencer Pratt,<\/a> who is running as an independent, is trailing behind her with city council woman Nithya Raman coming in third.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cDemocracy<\/a> is when Democrats win elections.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-lqo3wgis6-1780668610694-e1780669379456.jpg?1780656388&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595410-1780657200", "title":"Why Macky Sall should lead the United Nations", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595410%2Fmacky-sall-should-be-un-secretary-general%2F", "byline":"Jean-Yves Ollivier", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Before the year is out, the United Nations must appoint a new secretary-general. This is an opportunity to be seized, not a misfortune to be endured — precisely because multilateralism is navigating heavy headwinds. The U.N. must rediscover its core mission: guardian of peace and provider of humanitarian relief at the intersection of national sovereignties. […]", "description":""

Before the year is out, the United Nations<\/a> must appoint a new secretary-general. This is an opportunity to be seized, not a misfortune to be endured \u2014 precisely because multilateralism is navigating heavy headwinds.<\/p>

The U.N. must rediscover its core mission: guardian of peace and provider of humanitarian relief at the intersection of national sovereignties. That means keeping its distance from the chimera of a world government lacking any democratic<\/a> legitimacy, and from the dysfunctions of a bloated bureaucratic<\/a> contraption. It is also the only way \u2014 the sole way, I believe \u2014 to open the path toward fairer representation within the U.N. system, and within the Security Council in particular.\u00a0<\/p>

A first step in that direction would be taken with the election of the candidate who, in my view, best embodies such a renewal of the United Nations: Macky Sall<\/a>, former President of Senegal, a seasoned statesman known for his working method rather than strident rhetoric.<\/p>

UNITED STATES SHOULD PULL THE PLUG ON UNRWA<\/a><\/p>

As will be true of 1 in 4 human beings by century's end, he is African. And on the continent \u2014 the cradle of humanity \u2014 it is customary to remember one\u2019s roots.\u00a0<\/p>

The U.N. was born in the aftermath of World War II and its roughly 75 million dead, from the will of the victorious powers, who reserved for themselves a permanent seat on the Security Council and the right of veto.\u00a0<\/p>

It is this system \u2014 imperfect but realistic \u2014 that must be made to work as well as possible, both in the service of its member states and of the latest victims of violence, preventing conflicts wherever possible. <\/p>

I am therefore puzzled by the current defeatism that declares the world \"more polarized than ever\" and the U.N. \"utterly powerless.\" During the Cold War<\/a>, through the crises in the Congo, Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam, was the East-West world somehow not polarised?\u00a0<\/p>

Did the U.N. invariably succeed in keeping the peace?\u00a0<\/p>

And how can one lament the \"return of war\" while forgetting that, although a World War III was mercifully averted, numerous proxy wars were fought across the developing world, several of them in Africa?\u00a0<\/p>

Sall, a discreet mediator for many years \u2014 including in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine \u2014 is acutely aware of this.<\/p>

Is multilateralism in crisis? Undoubtedly \u2014 but certainly not for the first time, nor always for the wrong reasons. \"The nature of imbalance is to generate movement,\" observed the French demographer Alfred Sauvy, who coined the term \"Third World\" in the early 1950s. <\/p>

The Global South, as we say today, might draw from this the quiet assurance that by century's end, a planet where 8 in 10 inhabitants will be, in equal measure, either Asian or African<\/a> could no longer recognize itself in a distorting U.N. mirror \u2014 which, in the long run, is unthinkable.\u00a0<\/p>

Provided, of course, that the international institution is preserved. <\/p>

And it can only be preserved by agreeing to reform itself motu proprio, on its own initiative. Only within a U.N. that takes efficiency seriously across all its missions will a seat at the table prove preferable \u2014 for all concerned \u2014 to the politics of the empty chair and the budget black hole.\u00a0<\/p>

Of this, too, Sall \u2014 accustomed to achieving much with little \u2014 is fully conscious.<\/p>

Of course, it is \"Latin America's<\/a> turn,\" not all African states have rallied behind the candidate endorsed by the African Union, and Sall is not a woman. I speak all the more freely about these downsides because inter-continental rotation within world fora matters to me as a principle, because African unity would have been ideal, and because the representation of the better half of humanity is a vital imperative.\u00a0<\/p>

But I also know that Sall thinks as I do \u2014 and I need not take him at his word, since the actions he has taken throughout his career attest to his earnest commitment to sharing power equitably. <\/p>

ISRAEL CUTS TIES WITH UN SECRETARY-GENERAL AFTER GUTERRES ADDED COUNTRY TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE BLACKLIST<\/a><\/p>

With that conviction firmly held, I support his candidacy as a rallying point for all friends of the U.N.\u00a0<\/p>

Since the times are hard and the trials ahead \u2014 from widening inequality to the challenge of artificial intelligence, by way of a global crisis of representation \u2014 will require a steady and firm hand at the helm of the U.N., I simply wish, in the words of the arena: May the best man win.<\/p>

Jean-Yves Ollivier is the chairman of the Brazzaville Foundation<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/92af83b7da4b348f44830759f3071197-scaled-e1780595933581.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593447-1780657200", "title":"The government took your property without buying it", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593447%2Fgovernment-took-your-property-without-buying-it%2F", "byline":"Jay Rogers", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Fifth Amendment says the government can’t take your property for public use without paying you for it. It doesn’t say the government can’t destroy your property’s value, a very different thing. That distinction has cost property owners billions of dollars they’ll never recover. James Madison wrote that government is instituted to protect property of […]", "description":""

The Fifth Amendment<\/a> says the government can't take your property<\/a> for public use without paying you for it. It doesn't say the government can't destroy your property's value, a very different thing. That distinction has cost property owners billions of dollars they'll never recover.<\/p>

James Madison wrote that government is instituted to protect property of every sort. The Founders<\/a> were precise. The takings clause was a specific protection against a specific abuse: the seizure or destruction of private property without compensation. What they couldn't fully anticipate was the regulatory state, the apparatus of permits, environmental reviews, coastal commissions, and zoning boards that can accomplish through administrative action what a physical taking would require a check to cover.<\/p>

The courts have made the constitutional protection nearly impossible to collect.<\/p>

THE SPEECH AMERICA\u2019S FOUNDERS DIDN\u2019T PROTECT<\/a><\/p>The standard that protects almost nothing

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. drew the first line in Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon (1922): A regulation can go so far that it constitutes a taking requiring compensation. He didn't define how far was too far. Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City (1978) produced the framework the Supreme Court<\/a> has applied ever since, a three-factor balancing test weighing the economic impact on the owner, interference with investment-backed expectations, and the character of the government action. The practical effect: a standard so malleable that the government wins almost every time. I've spent 30 years pricing assets. A balancing test without a clear threshold isn't a constitutional protection. It's a litigation tax.<\/p>

Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council (1992) gave owners one firm rule. Justice Antonin Scalia held that a regulation depriving an owner of all economically beneficial use of his property is a per se taking requiring compensation. The problem: full deprivation is rare. A property worth $2 million before the regulation and $400,000 after doesn't qualify under Lucas. The owner has lost $1.6 million in real asset value with no constitutional remedy. The government wins because it stopped just short of taking everything.<\/p>Kelo and what \u2018public use\u2019 became

Then came Kelo v. City of New London (2005). The city wanted to demolish a working-class neighborhood for private economic development. Susette Kelo, a registered nurse who had lived in her home for years, didn't want to sell. The Supreme Court, 5-4, held that transferring property from one private owner to another constitutes public use if the government believes it will generate economic benefits. Any property owner whose land a developer coveted was constitutionally<\/a> exposed if a city council agreed the development would produce more tax revenue. An efficient rule for developers. A catastrophic one for everyone else.<\/p>

The backlash was immediate. More than 40 states passed protective legislation in response. The economic development project for which New London condemned the neighborhood was never built. The land was vacant for years. That outcome wasn't irony. It was the predictable result of severing public use from any requirement that the public actually benefit.<\/p>

Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid (2021) offered a partial correction. The court held 6-3 that a California regulation granting union organizers access to farm property constituted a per se physical taking. Physical access crosses the line. The regulatory destruction of value still does not.<\/p>California as exhibit

My practice involves advising ultra-high-net-worth families on multigenerational portfolio construction, which means I spend real time on real estate allocation in California<\/a>. The regulatory taking problem isn't theoretical here. It's a recurring feature of the balance sheet.<\/p>

I've seen client situations in which a parcel purchased with a specific development purpose in mind spent years in California's environmental review and Coastal Commission permitting process, complied with every requirement, and emerged in a condition where no buyer would pay acquisition cost. The government hadn't seized the land. It had regulated the development potential out of existence. The Lucas standard, total deprivation of all economically beneficial use, was carefully not met. The loss was real. The constitutional remedy was nonexistent.<\/p>

The California regulatory framework is calibrated to reach exactly that result. By retaining some theoretical residual value, even a fraction of what the property was worth before the permits were denied, the state avoids the per se taking that Lucas would require it to compensate. The property owner is left with an illiquid asset, a carrying cost, and a constitutional protection that was designed for his situation but doesn't reach it.<\/p>What the clause was written to do

THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE NOBODY READS<\/a><\/p>

Madison's view was that government destroying the value of property without compensating the owner is, functionally, taking property. Two centuries of judicial interpretation have made the distinction between physical seizure and regulatory destruction the central dividing line in takings clause jurisprudence, leaving the far more common case entirely outside the amendment's reach.<\/p>

The ordinary American who owns a home, a small business, or an investment property believes the Constitution prevents the government from destroying its value without compensation. That belief is wrong. The amendment is still there. The protection it was designed to provide largely isn't.<\/p>

Jay Rogers is a financial professional with more than 30 years of experience in private equity, private credit, hedge funds, and wealth management. He has a BS from Northeastern University and has completed postgraduate studies at UCLA, UPENN, and Harvard. He writes about issues in finance, constitutional law, national security, human nature, and public policy.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Housing_Economy_Harris_Trump_jj5.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596665-1780656661", "title":"Evacuation orders lifted for astronauts on International Space Station: NASA", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fspace%2F4596665%2Finternational-space-station-astronauts-evacuation-orders-worsening-leak%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"NASA said Friday that astronauts at the International Space Station were briefly ordered to prepare for an evacuation due to a worsening air leak in Russia’s portion of the orbital laboratory, before allowing them to return to planned operations.  Two U.S. astronauts, as well as a French and a Russian astronaut, received orders to shelter in […]", "description":""

NASA <\/a>said Friday that astronauts at the International Space Station were briefly ordered to prepare for an evacuation due to a worsening air leak in Russia's portion of the orbital laboratory, before allowing them to return to planned operations. <\/p>

Two U.S. astronauts, as well as a French and a Russian astronaut, received orders to shelter in place in their spacecraft in case the air leak warranted an emergency evacuation, according to<\/a> the Guardian. <\/p>

NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens said <\/a>that the order was made out of an \u201cabundance of caution\u201d when the Russian space agency decided to conduct an \u201cextensive repair operation\u201d on the country\u2019s service module on Friday. <\/p>

Less than two hours after her initial announcement, the NASA spokeswoman said the agency instructed the crew members inside the docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft \u201cto end the safe haven procedures and return to planned operations aboard the International Space Station.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cWe look forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks,\u201d she wrote in a post to X. <\/p>

The International Space Station is operated by five space agencies from 15 countries that orbit the Earth about every 90 minutes. <\/p>

The air leaks on Russia\u2019s service module, Zvezda, have been relatively minor in recent months but escalated on Monday from one pound of air per day to two pounds, a NASA official told<\/a> Reuters.\u00a0<\/p>

NASA and Russia's space agency Roscosmos, ICC\u2019s two primary operators, had debated for months over the cause and potential fixes of small air leaks aboard Zvezda. <\/p>

\u201cThe cracks have always been a concern that NASA watches very closely,\u201d Stevens said. <\/p>

NASA MAKES MAJOR CHANGES TO SPEED UP ARTEMIS PROGRAM<\/a><\/p>

\u201cNASA and Roscosmos have been working to determine the root cause of the cracks, and Roscosmos manages the issue through operational mitigation measures and periodic partial-repair efforts,\u201d she said. \u201cFollowing new leaks, Roscosmos has elected to proceed with a more extensive repair operation on Friday, June 5. Out of an abundance of caution, NASA has directed all four of the agency's SpaceX Crew-12 members and NASA astronaut Chris Williams to assume an elevated safety posture in the Dragon spacecraft while the repair is underway.\u201d<\/p>

NASA referred the Washington Examiner to Stevens\u2019s statement when reached for comment.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ap22349153454642.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596598-1780655862", "title":"House committee passes War Department renaming in NDAA overnight", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4596598%2Fhouse-armed-services-committee-passes-war-department-renaming-ndaa%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee voted along party lines late Thursday to advance President Donald Trump’s effort to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, approving the change as part of the $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. The committee adopted an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), […]", "description":""

Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee<\/a> voted along party lines late Thursday to advance President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> effort to rename the Department of Defense<\/a> as the Department of War, approving the change as part of the $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.<\/p>

The committee adopted an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson<\/a> (R-TX), a close Trump ally, that would codify the name change. The measure was included in the annual defense policy bill after more than 14 hours of debate and consideration of roughly 900 amendments. The committee ultimately voted 44-12 to advance the legislation shortly before midnight.<\/p>

Trump first pushed for the change last fall through executive action, arguing that the title \u201cDepartment of War\u201d better reflects a military focused on fighting and winning conflicts. War Secretary Pete Hegseth <\/a>has embraced the effort, adopting the title \u201cSecretary of War\u201d even though the department\u2019s legal name remains unchanged pending congressional approval.<\/p>

Opponents have argued the move is largely symbolic and would come with a significant price tag. The Congressional Budget Office estimated a government-wide renaming effort could cost<\/a> as much as $125 million.<\/p>

\u201cRestoring the name Department of War sends an unmistakable signal to the world,\u201d Jackson said during debate. \u201cDeterrence only works when adversaries believe America is willing to fight and win to secure its interests.\u201d<\/p>

The proposal now heads to the full House<\/a>, though its prospects in the Senate<\/a> remain uncertain, where Democratic support would be needed to move the legislation forward.<\/p>

Democrats criticized both the name change and the broader defense package. Rep. Seth Moulton<\/a> (D-MA), who offered an amendment to reduce defense spending, said his proposal stemmed from concerns about how the Trump administration would use the funding.<\/p>

\u201cI just don\u2019t trust the administration to use this historical budget appropriately,\u201d Moulton said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to hand them a blank check to fund reckless, unilateral wars of choice.\u201d<\/p>

Hegseth celebrated the committee vote in a social media post<\/a> early Friday: \u201cThe Department of War will officially be restored soon.\u201d<\/p>

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ADVANCES $1.15 TRILLION NDAA AFTER 14-HOUR DEBATE<\/a><\/p>

Following the vote, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers <\/a>(R-AL) praised the bill\u2019s passage, saying the fiscal 2027 NDAA would strengthen American deterrence and provide service members with the resources needed to defend the country.<\/p>

\u201cThe FY27 NDAA reflects months of oversight, hearings, member engagement, and collaboration to ensure the U.S. military remains the most capable and lethal fighting force in the world,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cI appreciate the bipartisan effort that went into this bill, and I look forward to advancing this legislation so we can give our warfighters the resources they need to strengthen our deterrence and defend our country.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Hegseth.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596583-1780654494", "title":"Qintel puts Pittsburgh on the map for cyber intelligence", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2F4596583%2Fqintel-pittsburgh-cyber-intelligence%2F", "byline":"Salena Zito", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"PITTSBURGH — Western Pennsylvania’s leadership in AI, robotics, and intelligence companies that work with the Department of War was reinforced recently. Qintel was selected for an $84 million contract with the United States Cyber Command to deliver a threat intelligence solution in support of full-spectrum cyber operations. Qintel also just announced it will be part […]", "description":""

PITTSBURGH \u2014 Western Pennsylvania\u2019s leadership in AI, robotics, and intelligence companies that work with the Department of War was reinforced recently. Qintel was selected for an $84 million contract with the United States Cyber Command<\/a> to deliver a threat intelligence solution in support of full-spectrum cyber operations.<\/p>

Qintel also just announced it will be part of the inaugural Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit in the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, which Sen. David McCormick<\/a> (R-PA) is hosting in July. The two-day conference convenes CEOs, investors, and senior military leaders to boost state defense investments, nuclear and natural gas energy, and artificial intelligence, much as the Energy Innovation Summit did at Carnegie Mellon University last summer.<\/p>

Qintel is a private data technology threat intelligence<\/a> company that has quietly been headquartered in Pittsburgh <\/a>for nearly 20 years. It was founded by city native William Schambura, a Woodland Hills graduate. Think of ESPN\u2019s Pat McAfee \u2014 Schambura has the same swagger but without the microphone.<\/p>

Walking into their offices on the north side of Pittsburgh, it\u2019s clear that even if the scores of former military and intelligence professionals weren\u2019t from here, they have all embraced the culture of the city and its working-class ethos, while adding a colorful James Bond homage.<\/p>

In a world where threats move at warp speed and come from all directions, their job is to utilize their military and intelligence expertise, along with data collection, AI-driven analytics, tools, and software development, to provide portions of the government and corporate America with a system that halts attacks.<\/p>

Keith Mularski, a former FBI agent who is now Qintel\u2019s global ambassador, and Damon Matthews, the Senior Director of National Security Operations, sat down with the\u00a0Washington Examiner to explain what they do, why they do it, and why Pittsburgh.<\/p>

Anyone in the region who has seen their neon Qintel sign (located on top of their building between PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium) has often wondered what exactly it is. And that curiosity only deepened when nearly one million people literally descended on its backyard during the NFL Draft this spring.<\/p>

The building is located where the long-gone Exposition Park once stood, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and site of the inaugural World Series. Mularski said that he and Schambura first began working together at a small cyber facility in Pittsburgh that was called the National Cyber Forensic and Training Alliance.<\/p>

\u201cThat started in the early 2000s as a place to bring law enforcement, academia, and industry together to fight cyber crime,\u201d Mularski explained.<\/p>

They worked undercover for a number of years until Schaumbura started up Qintel with the goal of creating a government-grade intelligence company in the commercial sector.<\/p>

SALENA ZITO: CHRIS DELUZIO'S RAILWAY ACT GETS A BIG BOOST FROM TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

For most of its existence, Qintel operated stealthily by design. The vast majority of its portfolio consists of non-forward-facing, highly classified defense and intelligence contracts.<\/p>

However, the company recently crossed a significant milestone by establishing a major unclassified and forward-facing partnership with the U.S. Cyber Command.<\/p>

This contract represents a watershed moment for the firm and is a massive validation of Pittsburgh\u2019s tech landscape. To honor the milestone, Qintel\u2019s leadership has begun opening up to the community and collaborating with organizations like Pittsburgh\u2019s Technology Council, as well as local leadership, to highlight Pennsylvania\u2019s thriving tech corridor.<\/p>

Today, Qintel employs fewer than 100 elite personnel. While their operations are distributed, with remote workers spread across regions like Florida, the firm's cultural heartbeat remains fiercely tethered to Western Pennsylvania.<\/p>

Every quarter, the entire company flies into town to gather, brainstorm new concepts, and catch a Pirates game together. They are proud, self-proclaimed \u201cYinzers\u201d who view their work not just as a business, but as a critical mission to empower the nation\u2019s frontline cyber warriors. Qintel proves that you don\u2019t need a Silicon Valley address to defend the digital frontier \u2014 sometimes all it takes is Pittsburgh grit and a refusal to compromise.<\/p>

From its inception, Qintel departed radically from the traditional Silicon Valley startup playbook. There was no venture capital money, no courting of big-name tech investors, and no constant pressure to satisfy quarterly board meetings. Over its 17-year history, the firm has remained entirely private, homegrown, and self-funded.<\/p>

That independence was a deliberate and tactical choice. By remaining self-reliant, the founders could protect their unique corporate culture, shield their elite methodologies, and focus entirely on making bad things happen to bad folks, ranging from highly organized cybercriminal rings to hostile nation-state entities and global terrorist groups.<\/p>

To achieve this, Qintel built a powerhouse of diverse talent. On one side sits the data technology team \u2014 engineers and software developers lured away from Fortune 10 giants who handle data collection, massive processing, machine learning integration, and advanced AI analytics. On the other side sits the operational leadership, with veterans pulled directly from federal law enforcement, the intelligence community, and the Department of War.<\/p>

The merger of these two worlds solved a fundamental problem plaguing Washington. Historically, the U.S. government has struggled to scale innovation quickly. Bureaucratic acquisition pipelines mean that by the time an agency successfully procures a software application \u2014 a process that can easily take three to five years \u2014 the product is already dangerously obsolete.<\/p>

\u201cThe bad guys move at the speed of the internet,\" Mularski said. \"Government procurement moves at the speed of paperwork.\"<\/p>

Matthews said that they solved this by upending the delivery model.<\/p>

Instead of selling a rigid \u201cwidget,\u201d the firm delivers an evolving subscription to live, continuously updating global threat intelligence. No matter how long a federal partner's internal administrative timeline takes, it is guaranteed to receive the most current, hyperinnovative layer of defense. This development bridges the operational gaps that the founders witnessed firsthand during their undercover days.<\/p>

Matthews says that their new partnership with the USCC underscores Qintel\u2019s numerous patented capabilities in full-spectrum intelligence collection, data integration, and analysts honed through decades of elite military and government experience.<\/p>

Mularksi, who was the supervisory special agent for the FBI Pittsburgh\u2019s cyber squad, said he always likes to remind people that Pittsburgh is the center of the cyber universe.<\/p>

SALENA ZITO: PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY RESULTS UNPACKED<\/a><\/p>

\u201cWe did some very big cyber cases here, like the first indictment of Chinese nation state actors,\u201d he said of a case from several years ago.<\/p>

\u201cHaving us, this cyber threat intelligence company that's empowering our nation's cyber warriors, in Pittsburgh is a point of pride for us,\" Mularski added. \"We're really proud that this is coming from Pittsburgh.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Qintel-e1780668738965.png?w=480" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593635-1780653600", "title":"Bringing the MAHA movement to health insurance", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593635%2Fbringing-maha-movement-to-health-insurance%2F", "byline":"Sam Raus", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The nation’s largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans is urging policymakers to bring the Make America Healthy Again agenda into an unexpected arena: health insurance. Centene, one of the country’s largest managed care organizations, recently called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove regulatory barriers that limit Medicare Advantage plans from covering […]", "description":""

The nation's largest provider of Medicare Advantage <\/a>plans is urging policymakers to bring the Make America Healthy Again<\/a> agenda into an unexpected arena: health insurance<\/a>.<\/p>

Centene, one of the country's largest managed care organizations, recently called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove regulatory barriers that limit Medicare Advantage plans from covering \"food as medicine\" interventions. The proposal would allow insurers greater flexibility to offer nutrition-based treatments and services aimed at preventing and managing chronic disease.<\/p>

For a movement that has largely focused on food ingredients, dietary guidelines, and nutrition policy, the development signals an important evolution. If MAHA's goal is to reduce the burden of chronic illness in America, reforming the incentives within the healthcare system may prove just as important as reforming the food supply itself.<\/p>

RFK JR. OUTLINES PLAN TO PREVENT \u2018SCIENCE FICTION NIGHTMARE\u2019 OF LYME DISEASE<\/a><\/p>

Over the past year, MAHA advocates have scored notable victories by persuading companies and consumers rather than relying solely on government mandates. The push to remove artificial food dyes from popular products has demonstrated the movement's ability to work with the private sector while responding to growing consumer demand for healthier options.<\/p>

This approach stands in contrast to many previous public-health initiatives, which often relied on top-down directives and regulatory mandates. Efforts to improve Americans' eating habits have frequently focused on changing what institutions provide rather than empowering individuals to make healthier choices and encouraging businesses to meet that demand.<\/p>

The MAHA movement's greatest strength has been its ability to build a coalition that includes parents, consumers, health advocates, and, increasingly, private sector partners.<\/p>

Health insurance is a natural next frontier.<\/p>

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease account for the vast majority of healthcare<\/a> spending in the United States. Yet the U.S. healthcare system often spends far more on treating the consequences of poor nutrition than addressing the nutritional causes themselves.<\/p>

That is beginning to change. Programs providing medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and nutrition counseling have shown promising results in helping patients manage chronic conditions and reduce costly hospitalizations. As the evidence supporting these interventions continues to grow, insurers have strong financial incentives to make them available to patients.<\/p>

The challenge is that existing regulations make it difficult for Medicare Advantage plans to offer these benefits broadly. CMS should evaluate whether current restrictions unnecessarily limit innovation and consumer choice. If an insurer believes nutrition-based interventions can improve health outcomes and lower costs, patients should be free to select a plan that offers those benefits.<\/p>

Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all solution on people, these reforms would create greater diversity within the insurance marketplace<\/a> by allowing consumers to choose between traditional coverage models and plans that place a greater emphasis on preventive nutrition-based care.<\/p>

Competition among insurers could then determine which approaches deliver the best results. Plans that successfully improve health outcomes while reducing costs would attract more enrollees, creating market-driven incentives for innovation. Rather than expanding bureaucracy, policymakers would be removing obstacles that prevent consumers and insurers from experimenting with new solutions.<\/p>

CAN CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS CO-OPT MAHA FROM THE MAGA-VERSE?<\/a><\/p>

The MAHA movement has already demonstrated that improving public health does not require treating businesses<\/a> as adversaries. Bringing that same philosophy to health insurance could help reshape the relationship between food and medicine in America.<\/p>

If policymakers are serious about reducing chronic illness, lowering healthcare costs, and giving people more control over their own health decisions, expanding access to food-as-medicine benefits is a logical place to start. It represents a rare opportunity to advance public health, consumer choice, and economic efficiency at the same time \u2014 a combination that could give the MAHA movement lasting influence well beyond nutrition policy alone.<\/p>

Sam Raus is the David Boaz Resident Writing Fellow at Young Voices. Follow him on X: @SamRaus1<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25310617693563-e1780512426891.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596113-1780652050", "title":"Jesse Ridgway aborted his child with Down syndrome. He was lied to", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Fcommunity-family%2F4596113%2Fjesse-ridgway-aborted-child-down-syndrome%2F", "byline":"Mark Bradford", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Jesse Ridgway, a famous YouTuber with almost 2.5 billion views, had a viral post on X recently in which he announced that he and his wife had recently faced a “difficult decision” after learning that his wife was pregnant with a baby with Down syndrome. The decision was whether to abort the child.  After serious […]", "description":""

Jesse Ridgway, a famous YouTuber<\/a> with almost 2.5 billion views, had a viral post on X<\/a> recently in which he announced that he and his wife had recently faced a \u201cdifficult decision\u201d after learning that his wife was pregnant with a baby with Down syndrome<\/a>. The decision was whether to abort<\/a> the child. <\/p>

After serious consideration, they decided in favor of abortion. The decision, he said, left them devastated, and his wife \u201cemotionally drained.\u201d As he explains their reasoning, it becomes clear their tragic choice was made on bad information.<\/p>

First, Ridgway\u2019s statistics are a bit off. He states that the birth incidence of Down syndrome is 1 in 1,000. According to the CDC\u2019s latest statistics<\/a>, the live birth prevalence is less rare at 1 in 640 in the U.S. In parts of Europe where abortion is more prevalent, the live birth incidence drops to around 1 in 990, but Ridgway doesn\u2019t live in Europe. <\/p>

Down syndrome does have real consequences. The extra copy of chromosome 21 causes the body to produce higher levels of many proteins, and those effects ripple throughout the body over the course of a lifetime.<\/p>

Some vision and hearing loss is common, and autoimmune conditions are possible, too. The cognitive challenges of people with Down syndrome are well known, but they typically fall within the mild to moderate range of intellectual disability. <\/p>

Ridgway is correct, Down syndrome is a developmental disability, and he lists some physical and intellectual consequences, but those consequences aren\u2019t as devastating as he implies. Thyroid disease is most common \u2014 Hashimoto's thyroiditis appears in between 13 and 34% of individuals; Alopecia areata in about 27.7%; and celiac disease in 5.8% (see here<\/a>). Anywhere from 27 to 35% of individuals with Down syndrome will develop some autoimmune condition, but these aren\u2019t usually severely life-limiting conditions. Ridgway advisers exaggerate their impact. <\/p>

Ridgway claims that after speaking with doctors, friends, family, and genetic counselors, he learned the abortion rate following prenatal screening is as high as 90%. Researchers who have studied termination rates in depth have concluded that the average termination rate after prenatal screening is 74%<\/a>. The authors of this study are careful to state that this number doesn\u2019t imply that 74 ]% fewer babies were born. They discern a 37% reduction in the number of babies born because of prenatal diagnosis and abortion. <\/p>

Many parents have responded to Ridgway\u2019s post with pictures of their children and positive testimonies of their family\u2019s experience of having a child with Down syndrome. They tell the true story of what it\u2019s like to have a child with an extra 21st chromosome, and their stories are reinforced by data<\/a> that shows 99% of families love their child with Down syndrome, 97% say they are proud of their child with Down syndrome, and 79% reported that their outlook on life was more positive because of their child. <\/p>

Why weren\u2019t Ridgway and his wife introduced to these statistics before making the \u201cdifficult decision to terminate the pregnancy\u201d that has left them \u201cdevastated\u201d? Jesse and his wife were given a bleak picture of their future rather than the true story of joy and hope that parents really experience. <\/p>

In October 2008, Congress passed a bill called the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act, and the purpose of the legislation<\/a> was to require the federal government<\/a> to make up-to-date, evidence-based information available about conditions that could be subject to prenatal or early postnatal diagnosis \u2014 conditions like Down syndrome and others. The bill was never funded, so states began to take up the issue themselves. <\/p>

As of January 2025, 23 states<\/a> had passed legislation requiring parents receiving a prenatal diagnosis of a genetic condition (usually Down syndrome) to receive factual and current information on the disability, including positive outcomes experienced by families who have welcomed children with the same condition into their homes. <\/p>

Research<\/a> on the effectiveness of this legislation has shown little impact. Quoting from the research<\/a>, 42% of parents reported that following a prenatal cell-free DNA screen, their physician encouraged them to abort the pregnancy. The research shows many doctors have a clear bias in favor of abortion.<\/p>

DOBBS GAVE STATES POWER. MIFEPRISTONE TOOK IT BACK<\/a><\/p>

It\u2019s a harsh word to use for the practice of disability selective abortion, but it is undeniably a eugenic practice. As the reproductive healthcare industry continues its quest to sell perfect children by screening embryos during IVF to eliminate \u201cimperfections,\u201d the prenatal testing industry thrives, and physicians use the data acquired by the tests to encourage parents to make \u201cdevastating\u201d choices. <\/p>

I am sorry for the Ridgways. They faced a difficult choice and seemed to have decided with bad information. I pray they find healing from the devastation that their decision has caused their family, and that they use their fame to warn others against similar choices.  <\/p>

Mark Bradford is the Fellow for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the Word on Fire Institute.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/istock-525037767-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596527-1780651907", "title":"United pilot knew plane was too low before hitting light pole: Investigators", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Ftravel%2F4596527%2Funited-pilot-knew-plane-too-low-before-hitting-light-pole%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The captain of the United Airlines flight that struck a light pole while landing at a New Jersey airport last month was warned he was flying too close to the ground, according to federal investigators. The incident involving United Flight 169 occurred on May 3, as it was arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport from […]", "description":""

The captain of the United<\/a> Airlines flight<\/a> that struck a light pole while landing at a New Jersey <\/a>airport last month was warned he was flying too close to the ground, according to federal investigators.<\/p>

The incident involving United Flight 169 occurred on May 3, as it was arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport from Venice, Italy. <\/p>

In a preliminary report <\/a>on the debacle released by the National Transportation Safety Board<\/a> on Thursday, the agency said the first officer warned the captain that the Boeing 767 was \u201ca little low\u201d on approach. The captain was just 19 feet above the center of the New Jersey Turnpike moments before making the final approach for touchdown, according to the latest assessment.<\/p>

When the plane hit 500 feet, the first officer told the captain: \"Hey, you are slow,\" and \"You are still slow and a little low,\u201d according to NTSB. The captain said he realized at the time, \u201cI thought we were low,\u201d but wasn\u2019t able to process the data in time to call for another approach, as it was seconds before touchdown.<\/p>

The plane struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike adjacent to the runway during the incident, but no one on board was injured, and the plane landed normally. There were more than 200 passengers and 11 crew members on the Boeing 767.<\/p>

At the time of the incident, officials said the plane also struck a passing tractor-trailer, leaving the driver with minor injuries. <\/p>

However, the NTSB report said the plane did not strike the truck. Debris from the impacted light pole smashed into the truck, causing the incident, the report stated, adding that no evidence of tire marks was found on the tractor-trailer.<\/p>

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE\u2019S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

The incident sparked uproar, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy<\/a> calling it \u201cunacceptable.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe have really well-trained pilots,\u201d he said during an appearance on Fox Business. \u201cThis should never happen in America. An incident like this, we study and we learn from, and we take action on. That\u2019s why America is the safest place to fly.\u201d <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/newark-aiport-.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596468-1780651746", "title":"Blood in the water: Republicans pour $3 million into Susan Collins campaign as Graham Platner’s support stalls after scandals", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596468%2Frepublicans-pour-3-million-susan-collins-campaign-graham-platner-support-stalls%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Embattled Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner faces further problems after Republicans announced they were pouring $3 million into incumbent Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-ME) reelection campaign. Republican-aligned PAC One Nation announced the new investment after a flurry of negative attention directed against Platner, as more scandals continue to pile up. It also launched a new ad […]", "description":""

Embattled Democratic<\/a> Senate hopeful Graham Platner<\/a> faces further problems after Republicans announced they were pouring $3 million into incumbent Sen. Susan Collins's<\/a> (R-ME) reelection campaign.<\/p>

Republican-aligned PAC One Nation announced the new investment after a flurry of negative attention directed against Platner, as more scandals continue to pile up. It also launched a new ad campaign intended to cast light on Collins's accomplishments, especially vis-\u00e0-vis investments in Maine and help for veterans.<\/p>

\"One Nation thanks Senator Collins for her steady leadership, dependable service, and strong character and encourages Mainers to call Senator Collins to urge her to continue delivering policy wins for the state,\" One Nation Communications Director Chris Gustafson said in a statement.<\/p>

Thursday brought other bad news for Platner: A June 1-3 poll<\/a> from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates for Collins-aligned Pine Tree Results PAC found Platner's public image had plummeted, with respondents expressing an unfavorable view of the candidate nearly doubling.<\/p>

In January, 35% of those polled said they had a favorable view of Platner, a total that increased to 40% in June as the race heated up. As for those who reported an unfavorable view of Platner, that total was 29% in January, but skyrocketed to 49% in June.<\/p>

\"It is clear that the more voters learn about Platner the more they find they don\u2019t like him, making the Senate race HIGHLY competitive. Senator Collins and her allies need to muster the resources to keep the pressure on Platner as the Democrat money machine triesto salvage Platner\u2019s candidacy,\" the memo concluded.<\/p>

PLATNER IS UNFIT FOR DUTY: THE MAINE DEMOCRAT WOULD BE BEYOND THE PALE IN ANY OTHER ERA<\/a><\/p>

On Thursday, a piece from the New York Times detailed allegations of troubling behavior from the Senate hopeful against several ex-girlfriends. Platner has denied<\/a> the accusations, but the repeated scandals have many Democratic strategists questioning his viability as a candidate.<\/p>

\u201cDemocrats in Maine and throughout the country have got to decide what is their priority: Justifying Graham Platner\u2019s behavior or winning the Democratic seat in Maine,\u201d Robert Zimmerman, a New York-based Democratic National Committee member, told Politico<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s very clear that Platner has not been able to credibly justify his conduct and Democrats who defend him sound like Republicans defending Donald Trump after the Access Hollywood tape.\u201d<\/p>

Many of Platner's other recent troubles have come from the exposure of his former Reddit account, showing a deluge of controversial posts ranging from mocking wounded U.S. soldiers to insulting holy figures of Christianity to questioning the Armenian Genocide<\/a>. He's also struggled to explain properly why he got a tattoo of the Totenkopf, the symbol of the SS guards of concentration camps.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-collage-d18lci8qf-1780023351358-e1780023413203.jpg?1780651671&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596501-1780651518", "title":"Kennedy Center still committed to recognizing Trump while adhering to order to remove his name", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4596501%2Fkennedy-center-commit-recognize-trump-removing-name%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Kennedy Center emphasized that it remains committed to recognizing President Donald Trump while facing a court order mandating the institution reverse a name change honoring the president. A federal court handed down a decision in late May, ruling that Trump’s name must be removed from the Kennedy Center within two weeks, after his name […]", "description":""

The Kennedy Center <\/a>emphasized that it remains committed to recognizing President Donald Trump<\/a> while facing a court order mandating the institution reverse a name change honoring the president.<\/p>

A federal court handed down a decision<\/a> in late May, ruling that Trump\u2019s name must be removed from the Kennedy Center within two weeks, after his name was added to the title in December. Kennedy Center leadership responded that it would comply with the court order but still seek to recognize Trump.<\/p>

\u201cWe are complying with the court\u2019s order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump\u2019s leadership,\u201d Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, said.<\/p>

The development comes after U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper<\/a> on May 29 said Kennedy Center\u2019s board exceeded its authority <\/a>when it unanimously voted to add Trump\u2019s name to the center in December. The judge said congressional approval is required to change the institution\u2019s name, meaning the center\u2019s signage bearing Trump\u2019s name must be removed. The judge also blocked the theater\u2019s planned closure for extensive renovations, which Trump had warned were badly needed.<\/p>

The president expressed disappointment after the court decision.<\/p>

\u201cJudge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of,\u201d he posted on Truth Social. \u201cWe are going to be working with Congress to transfer this failing Institution back to them so they can make a determination as to what to do with it.\u201d<\/p>

AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE STATE OF THE KENNEDY CENTER BEFORE TWO-YEAR RENOVATION<\/a><\/p>

The Kennedy Center\u2019s lawyers on Thursday began taking steps to remove Trump\u2019s name from all official signage by June 12, in compliance with the court order, according to<\/a> NBC News and multiple other outlets.<\/p>

Staff were told in an email from the Office of the General Counsel to \u201cRemove any references to the \u2018Trump-Kennedy Center\u2019 or \u2018The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,\u2019 and instead revert to \u2018The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts\u2019 or \u2018the Kennedy Center\u2019 or \u2018the Center.\u2019\u201d The directive also applies to email signatures, letterhead, signage, brochures, and website pages, per the outlet.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Kennedy Center for more details about the name removal. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26149774197726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595474-1780650000", "title":"OPT out: Reduce fraud and preserve American jobs by eliminating one key program", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595474%2Freduce-fraud-preserve-jobs-by-eliminating-opt-program%2F", "byline":"Michael O’Neill", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"For years, the Department of Homeland Security operated a program allowing tens of thousands of foreign students who recently graduated from a college or university to obtain valuable tech-related jobs. Known as post-completion Optional Practical Training, the program permits former students admitted to the United States on F-1 visas to work in STEM-related jobs for […]", "description":""

For years, the Department of Homeland Security<\/a> operated a program allowing tens of thousands of foreign students who recently graduated from a college or university to obtain valuable tech-related jobs. Known as post-completion Optional Practical Training<\/a>, the program permits former students admitted to the United States on F-1 visas to work in STEM-related jobs for up to three years.<\/p>

Tech companies<\/a> love post-completion OPT. They do not have to pay employment taxes on enrollees. They also enjoy significant leverage over these individuals, whose continued residency in the U.S. is conditioned on maintaining their employment status.<\/p>

Clearly, this program hurts recent American college graduates seeking employment in an environment where artificial intelligence is quickly replacing tech workers. As of 2023, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates in the U.S. is reported to be as high as 7.8% for those with certain STEM degrees. And, as of 2024, five of the 10 college majors with the highest unemployment rates \u2014 and two of the top three \u2014 are in STEM-related majors. While recent American college graduates are struggling to find a return on their academic investment, U.S. businesses are using F-1 visas and OPT to replace these American STEM graduates with cheaper foreign labor.<\/p>

However, Congress never provided DHS with clear legal authority to operate post-completion OPT, despite its scope and reach. The law specifies that individuals entering the U.S. under the F-1 visa program are to be admitted \u201csolely\u201d for study. Post-completion OPT participants are no longer students nor are they pursuing a course of study. This program effectively creates a new worker visa category without congressional approval. Post-completion OPT is not just policy overreach \u2014 it raises constitutional concerns by intruding on Congress\u2019s power to regulate immigration and employment. It is also apparently rife with fraud<\/a>.<\/p>

Two weeks ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly identified more than 10,000 possible cases of fraud in the program. In a press conference announcing the findings, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons stated that investigators, while conducting on-site visits to employers, identified cases in which OPT participants were being managed by employees based in India. Lyons also alleged that shell companies were helping recent graduates remain in the country without sponsorship from a U.S. corporation.<\/p>

The good news is that DHS can cancel administrative programs like post-completion OPT without any action from Congress. This can be accomplished through a regulatory process triggered under the Administrative Procedure Act. Landmark Legal Foundation initiated this process when it submitted a recent petition to DHS to rescind post-completion OPT. The petition presents constitutional, legal, and policy reasons for immediate DHS action.<\/p>

For example, the operation of post-completion OPT violates the \u201cmajor questions doctrine,\u201d which requires clear congressional authorization for policies of broad economic significance. Post-completion OPT affects large segments of the labor market and involves substantial fiscal consequences, including tax exemptions tied to foreign student employment. Post-completion OPT also operates outside congressionally set visa caps and therefore functions as an \u201cend run\u201d around the carefully calibrated limits governing programs such as H-1B. The program, in other words, distorts the labor market in ways Congress never intended.<\/p>

TODD BLANCHE ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION FRAUD BUST IN OHIO<\/a><\/p>

Ending post-completion OPT means more valuable tech-related job opportunities for American college graduates. The number of enrollees in post-completion OPT\u2019s STEM component has grown considerably since DHS extended the time college graduates can remain in the country. In 2023, ICE reported that 62,036 nonresident immigrants participated in the program. In 2024, this number increased dramatically to 95,384 individuals \u2014 a 21% increase. Cancellation also better aligns DHS\u2019s regulatory programs involving immigration<\/a> employment with the law. <\/p>

An administrative program that costs taxpayers millions has no place in our government. The Trump administration can continue to build on the important and effective steps it has undertaken to eliminate fraud by rescinding post-completion OPT \u2014 the sooner the better.\u00a0<\/p>

Michael O\u2019Neill is the vice president of legal affairs at Landmark Legal Foundation, a public interest law firm in Leesburg, Virginia and Kansas City.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154528139832.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595342-1780650000", "title":"Fraudsters are getting rich on your tax dollars. Here is what finally stops them", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595342%2Ffraudsters-rich-on-your-tax-dollars-what-finally-stops-them%2F", "byline":"Haywood Talcove", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In a single fraud case, federal agents seized nine luxury vehicles, nine properties, and more than $1 million in sports memorabilia from one man who stole $270 million from California’s Medicaid program in just 11 months. He was billing for prescription drugs that were never prescribed and never delivered to patients who needed them. He […]", "description":""

In a single fraud <\/a>case, federal agents seized nine luxury vehicles, nine properties, and more than $1 million in sports memorabilia from one man who stole $270 million from California's<\/a> Medicaid program in just 11 months. He was billing for prescription drugs<\/a> that were never prescribed and never delivered to patients who needed them. He was caught. Most are not.<\/p>

I know because I have spent decades working alongside federal agencies and more than 9,000 state and local government programs, testified before Congress, and advised on some of the largest fraud investigations in the country. What I have seen would shock most Americans.<\/p>

Over $1 trillion is stolen from government programs every year, which works out to more than $115 million every hour. Roughly 70% flows directly to transnational criminal networks in Russia<\/a>, China, Nigeria, and Romania, organizations that use those funds for child trafficking, drug operations, and direct attacks on our national security. These are not small-time criminals. They are sophisticated, fast-moving operations that know our payment systems better than many of the people running them.<\/p>

TODD BLANCHE ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION FRAUD BUST IN OHIO<\/a><\/p>

The current enforcement crackdown is long overdue, and it is producing results. Blocking reimbursements to suspected fraudulent providers and demanding that states show measurable prosecution results sends the right signal. Prosecuting aggressively works, and more of it is needed. But prosecution cannot keep pace with a trillion-dollar criminal enterprise that moves faster than any investigation can open.<\/p>

Here is how the fraud actually works. A criminal organization incorporates a fake hospice, gets it credentialed, and starts billing within weeks. It runs for 18 months before any detection system flags the pattern. By the time an investigation opens, the money has been converted to cryptocurrency and wired overseas. The man who stole $270 million in California Medicaid<\/a> funds had six prior fraud convictions and still built an eight-bedroom compound before anyone stopped him, because nothing in our payment systems caught the wire before it went out.<\/p>

In just a few months, the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud has exposed billions in stolen benefits, blocked reimbursements to hundreds of suspected fraudulent providers, and held states accountable for results. To actually finish this fight, the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President JD Vance, needs three more things.<\/p>

The first is real-time payment screening at the point of disbursement. Every federal benefit payment should pass through fraud-detection technology before it is approved, not reviewed weeks later when the money is already gone. The same advanced artificial intelligence <\/a>tools the criminal networks are using against us can be turned back on them at the moment of the transaction. It works in financial services and insurance on a massive scale every single day. The federal government has not required it of its own benefit programs.<\/p>

The second is cross-agency data sharing that follows the criminal, not just the claim. Right now, each state and each federal program operates in a separate silo. A fraudster shut down in California simply moves to Nevada. Nevada saw a sevenfold increase in hospice applications after California cracked down. The balloon gets squeezed in one state and inflates in the next because the data never crosses the border. A national shared fraud database that flags bad actors across every program and every state would close that door permanently.<\/p>

The third is independent third-party auditors who report directly to the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, not to the agencies being defrauded. Internal reviews have structural pressures to minimize findings. Outside auditors with no political stake in the outcome and real-time access to payment data will find what internal teams miss. Every federal benefit program should be required to use them.<\/p>

OHIO HAS ITS OWN SOMALI FRAUD PROBLEM, HOUSE OVERSIGHT SAYS<\/a><\/p>

These three changes together would transform the fight. Not because they are complicated, but because they close the gaps criminals have been exploiting for decades. The tools exist. The authority to require them is already there.<\/p>

Our health programs are designed to serve patients, not fund criminal networks. Getting there requires more than enforcement after the fact. It requires building the systems that stop the money before the luxury cars get purchased in the first place. The fraudsters are counting on the government to keep responding after the fact. These three steps get there first. That is what finally stops them.<\/p>

Haywood Talcove is the CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions Government. He has testified before Congress on government fraud and consults with federal agencies and more than 9,000 state and local government programs on fraud detection and prevention.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-Security-9-1.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593704-1780650000", "title":"Don’t let government regulators kill local media", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffairness-justice%2F4593704%2Fdont-let-regulators-kill-nextar-tegna-merger-directv%2F", "byline":"Stephen Moore", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"One of the dumbest antitrust lawsuits in recent memory — and that’s saying a lot — is the blockage of Nexstar Media Group’s $6 billion bid to acquire local news broadcaster TEGNA. The merger was approved three months ago by the antitrust cops at the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission. President Donald Trump […]", "description":""

One of the dumbest antitrust lawsuits in recent memory \u2014 and that\u2019s saying a lot \u2014 is the blockage of Nexstar Media Group\u2019s $6 billion bid<\/a> to acquire local news broadcaster TEGNA. The merger was approved<\/a> three months ago by the antitrust cops at the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission. President Donald Trump has given the deal his blessing.\u00a0<\/p>

But now, a federal judge, along with 13 state attorneys general<\/a>, is doing the bidding of rival broadcasting powerhouse DirecTV and other media giants to stall the deal in court.\u00a0<\/p>

As a business deal, it makes all the sense in the world. Wall Street analysts estimate the economies of scale from these acquisitions will save local broadcasters roughly $300 million and keep them financially in the green.<\/p>

CARR ESCALATES MEDIA CRACKDOWN AMID NEXSTAR-TEGNA BACKLASH<\/a><\/p>

Ironically, a merger<\/a> that should be up and running and already benefiting local broadcasters and the consumers of local news are the big losers while the mega media companies use antitrust laws to solidify their own power. The courts are siding with Goliath to prevent upstart David from competing on a fairer playing field.<\/p>

The state attorneys general and federal judges have this story all backward. Local TV stations are dying. They need scale, capital injections, technology, and negotiating strength to keep their news and community programming on the airwaves. Nexstar\u2019s strategy is to recapitalize and promote these stations instead of allowing them to completely disappear from the media landscape.<\/p>

The legal theory that Nexstar will monopolize local news broadcasting is rooted in mid-20th-century jurisprudence. While it is true that Nexstar Media Group is the largest owner of local stations in the United States, it has a close competitor in Sinclair Broadcast Group and DirecTV.<\/p>

But the real competition today isn\u2019t one local news station<\/a> versus another. It\u2019s local broadcasting versus the modern media behemoths: national cable news networks, the internet, social media platforms, bloggers, TikTok, and the ever-present big three national TV networks.<\/p>

If the courts or attorneys general block this merger, it is likely to diminish access to local news broadcasts.<\/p>

This raises the question of why anyone should care about small-market local news. Among other things, local news outlets in small-town America provide access to tornado warnings, wildfires, public-safety emergencies, election reminders and results, and major local events \u2014 such as whether the hometown high school or the local college won the big football game, or a deranged killer is on the loose.<\/p>

Local broadcasts are the ideal advertising outlets for small businesses<\/a>. These small news outlets allow hometown shops to compete against the superstores like Lowe\u2019s or Home Depot.<\/p>

Today in America, we are bombarded with national news, and anyone with a camera and a cellphone can be a media source. The challenge for legacy local broadcasters is to get a word in edgewise in a fiercely competitive media industry bombarding Americans with choices. These are homegrown local employers trying to compete with the big boys and somehow make money doing it.<\/p>

BIPARTISAN UNEASE SURFACES AT SENATE HEARING ON NEXSTAR-TEGNA MERGER<\/a><\/p>

The Nexstar deal tosses these broadcasters a lifeline. Government lawyers and courts<\/a> are using loopy legal theories to foolishly cut off that rope.<\/p>

How that\u2019s in the national interest or the interest of local communities across the country is anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at America First Policy Institute and a co-founder of Unleash Prosperity.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AP24236671112051-scaled.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596500-1780649339", "title":"The spin-free reality underlying the jobs report for May, with charts", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596500%2Fspin-free-reality-underlying-jobs-report-may-charts%2F", "byline":"Joseph Lawler", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Friday’s jobs report showed the economy adding a strong 172,000 jobs and the unemployment rate holding at a low 4.3%.  The headline numbers were very good overall. Both parties will try to spin the numbers to their advantage.  A look at the details of the Bureau of Labor Statistics data and the trend over recent […]", "description":""

Friday\u2019s jobs report<\/a> showed the economy adding<\/a> a strong 172,000 jobs and the unemployment rate holding at a low 4.3%. <\/p>

The headline numbers were very good overall. Both parties will try to spin the numbers to their advantage. <\/p>

A look at the details of the Bureau of Labor Statistics data and the trend over recent months can reveal the truth about the health of the economy under President Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>The underlying reality

It is helpful to look not just at the most recent month, but at the trend of job growth over the past few months. With upward revisions to the numbers for March and April, the three-month moving average of job gains was 188,000 in May.\u00a0<\/p>

That is more than enough to keep up with population growth and to keep unemployment<\/a> trending down. <\/p>

Only a few thousand jobs each month<\/a> are needed, thanks in large part to Trump\u2019s crackdown on illegal immigration<\/a>. <\/p>

Because fewer migrants are coming into the country looking for work, fewer people need and are taking jobs.<\/p>

Conversely, employment rates are high, showing the underlying strength of the labor market. <\/p>

Prime-age employment, meaning for those between the ages of 25 and 54, has held near all-time highs. It rose in May.<\/p>No signs of a recession

The most reliable warning sign for a recession is a fast rise in the unemployment rate. That is not happening. <\/p>

The unemployment rate, taken from the jobs report's household survey, is still low by historical standards. It has drifted upward in recent years, but only gradually. It held at 4.3% in May.<\/p>

Friday\u2019s data suggests that the U.S. labor market is moving away from triggering one major recession indicator \u2014 namely, when the three-month moving average of the unemployment rate rises half a percentage point relative to its minimum point over the past year. This indicator, known as the Sahm Rule, has signaled the start of all post-war recessions.<\/p>

The indicator was triggered in mid-2024, but is not signaling a recession right now.<\/p>Federal government employment has dropped

The Trump administration\u2019s cuts to the federal workforce have subtracted from overall job growth. But the administration maintains that they help the economy overall.<\/p>

Federal government employment rose by 1,000 in May. It had been declining in recent months. It plunged in October thanks to the end of the \u201cdeferred resignation\u201d promoted by the Trump administration at the end of September. Federal employment is now down about 333,000 since Trump came into office. <\/p>But manufacturing employment is down, too

Employment in manufacturing rose by 7,000 in May, adding to a recovery in recent months. <\/p>

Trump has said that his tariffs will reshore and boost domestic manufacturing. He\u2019s imposed tariffs on China and trading partners around the world, and on steel, aluminum, autos, auto parts, and a number of other goods and services. <\/p>

So far, though, the sector has lost 68,000 jobs during his time in office. <\/p>Leisure and hospitality job growth is off the pre-pandemic trend

The leisure and hospitality sector has, over the past year, exceeded the employment levels it reached in February 2020, right before restaurants and bars were forced to shut down across the country. <\/p>

The sector added 70,000 jobs in May and is now slightly above its pre-pandemic level of employment. It is well off the pre-pandemic pace of hiring.<\/p>Construction job growth has held up

Construction employment rose by 17,000 in May. <\/p>

Construction is a key sector to watch for signs of trouble in housing. The homebuilding industry has been at risk in recent years because of soaring prices and higher mortgage rates, which have kept some buyers on the sidelines. The sector is also under pressure from Trump\u2019s tariffs and his immigration overhauls. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/copy-recession-indicator-april-2026.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595838-1780648349", "title":"Red hot: Economy beat expectations with 172,000 jobs in May despite Iran energy crunch", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4595838%2Feconomy-jobs-may-iran-energy-crunch%2F", "byline":"Joseph Lawler and Zach Halaschak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The economy added 172,000 new payroll jobs in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, as businesses shrugged off the energy supply shock from the war with Iran. The unemployment rate remained at 4.3%. Forecasters had expected payroll job growth to slow to 85,000. Instead, it accelerated, and previous months’ job gains were revised […]", "description":""

The economy added 172,000 new payroll jobs in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, as businesses shrugged off the energy supply shock from the war with Iran.<\/p>

The unemployment rate remained at 4.3%.<\/p>

Forecasters had expected payroll job growth to slow to 85,000. <\/p>

Instead, it accelerated, and previous months' job gains were revised up. <\/p>

Dan North, a senior economist with Allianz Trade Americas, told the Washington Examiner that the report is a \u201cpretty strong\u201d indication that the labor market is a bit healthier than economists had thought. He also pointed out strong reports in the preceding months where job growth was over 100,000.<\/p>

\u201cNot just beat expectations, but rock and roll,\u201d North said. \u201cI mean, three months in a row, it's been really impressive.\u201d<\/p>

Friday's report is likely to provide a shot in the arm for President Donald Trump, who has been weighed down by historically low consumer sentiment.<\/p>

The conflict with Iran and the halt of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> darkened the economic picture over the course of May.<\/p>

The run-up in energy prices from the supply chain disruptions pushed up inflation heading into the month. The price of a gallon of regular gas, for instance, rose from around $3 in February to above $4 by the end of May. <\/p>

The surge in inflation has complicated matters for the Federal Reserve. Investors now see little chance for a cut in the central bank's interest rate target this year. Market odds now see a greater likelihood that the Fed will instead raise rates this year, to tamp down inflation, even though the newly installed chairman, Kevin Warsh<\/a>, was appointed by Trump, who has called repeatedly over the past year for lower rates.<\/p>

Yet other economic indicators suggest underlying strength. <\/p>

Retail sales have been strong despite the low consumer sentiment recorded in surveys. Industrial production, too, has been robust through the spring.<\/p>

MAJORITY WHO CLAIMED NEW TRUMP TAX BREAKS EARN LESS THAN $100,000, TREASURY SAYS<\/a><\/p>

Republicans are hoping that the boost from the tax cut bill signed by Trump in July will help allay voter fears about the economy and buoy the party in the midterm elections. Democrats, meanwhile, are hammering Trump and the GOP on the rising cost of living \u2014 the same factor that doomed President Joe Biden<\/a> in his bid for reelection.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/May-jobs.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596470-1780647840", "title":"Graham Platner accuser says New York Times journalists ‘twisted’ her story to help his campaign", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596470%2Fplatner-accuser-lyndsey-fifield-new-york-times-journalists-twisted-story-help-campaign%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A woman who accused Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner of toxic behavior when he dated her years ago accused the outlet that reported her allegations of manipulating the narrative in his favor.  The New York Times published a story on Thursday containing allegations from Lyndsey Fifield and two other women who dated Platner, expressing concern […]", "description":""

A woman who accused Maine<\/a> Senate candidate Graham Platner<\/a> of toxic behavior when he dated her years ago accused the outlet that reported her allegations of manipulating the narrative in his favor. <\/p>

The New York Times published a story<\/a> on Thursday containing allegations from Lyndsey Fifield and two other women who dated Platner, expressing concern that he was guilty of \u201cunsettling\u201d emotional abuse, consisting of volatile and toxic behavioral patterns. Three others who dated the Democratic Senate<\/a> candidate praised him.\u00a0<\/p>

Fifield, who reportedly dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, this week accused New York Times reporters Katie Glueck and Lisa Lerer of twisting her story into a \u201cgift\u201d to her ex\u2019s campaign. <\/p>

\u201cThis really was a setup all along,\u201d she wrote in a lengthy post<\/a> to X. \u201cThe journalists I trusted who convinced me to share a story I never wanted to tell methodically delayed and twisted this into a gift to the Platner campaign. Violating the trust of his victims. Shattering the trust I placed in them with the most vulnerable story of my life.\u201d <\/p>

Among Fifield\u2019s complaints was an accusation that the journalists failed to include \u201cany mention that I DID confide in multiple friends through the years that Graham had been abusive \u2014 long before he was running for office.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cThose friends confirm they told the Times so,\u201d she wrote. <\/p>

Fifield and other women told the outlet that his actions were intimidating, disturbing, and sometimes aggressive. She said Platner never hit or punched her but did regularly grab her by the shoulders, and forcefully grabbed her by the wrist after an argument. <\/p>

She also said Platner had made comments about using rape as a power against someone else. <\/p>

\u201cHe said this a lot: If anybody ever broke in here, I would rape them,\u201d the 40-year-old woman said, adding he justified it by saying it would not be in \u201ca sexual way, not in a gay way,\u201d she told the outlet.<\/p>

Platner is in one of the tightest campaigns in the country, as he seeks to unseat Sen. Susan Collins <\/a>(R-ME) in November and flip the Senate seat blue. He has repeatedly elaborated on the campaign trail <\/a>about struggles with PTSD for years, following his combat tours in the Marine Corps, which he said induced serious mental health struggles and behavior he is \u201cnot proud of.\u201d The candidate has also expressed concern that the Democratic establishment, which initially favored Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) to challenge Collins, deliberately leaked a series of unflattering parts of his past to derail his campaign. <\/p>

One of the biggest sources of criticism for Platner has been his inability to properly explain why he got a tattoo of the Totenkopf, the symbol of the SS guards of concentration camps. Fifield said she was the one who leaked the information about Platner's tattoo months ago, and further explained her evidence disproving Platner's claimed he didn't know what the symbol represented.<\/p>

Fifield said Platner himself taught her the word for the symbol and called it \u201cmy Totenkopf.\u201d<\/p>

GRAHAM PLATNER ENDS TRIP TO DC AND NYC EARLY AFTER MEDIA SHOWED UP AT FAMILY\u2019S HOUSE<\/a><\/p>

Following the latest controversial report on Thursday, Platner reiterated his past struggles<\/a> with mental health, saying he takes responsibility for being \u201cfar from a perfect boyfriend\u201d over a decade ago. <\/p>

\"Throughout this campaign, I've been open about what was a very dark period of my life where I struggled with undiagnosed PTSD, too often self-medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend. I take responsibility for all of that, and wish I had been better,\" Platner said in a statement. \"Any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated. I'm not proud of who I was then, but I am proud of the work I've done since, and the movement we are building in Maine.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25309659956454-e1780662348168.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596452-1780646964", "title":"Seven Republicans vote against FISA extension after bipartisan plan blows up", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4596452%2Fseven-republicans-vote-against-fisa-extension-bipartisan-plan-blows-up%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Seven Senate Republicans voted to block debate for a bipartisan deal to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for another three years, after Democrats tanked the plan over President Donald Trump’s pick for the director of national intelligence. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Rand Paul (R-KY), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Josh […]", "description":""

Seven Senate Republicans<\/a> voted to block debate for a bipartisan deal to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for another three years, after Democrats tanked the plan over President Donald Trump's<\/a> pick for the director of national intelligence.<\/p>

Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Rand Paul (R-KY), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT), and John Kennedy (R-LA) joined all Democrats, except for Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), in voting against the measure. While Democrats voted against it in protest of Trump's pick of Bill Pulte as acting DNI, the seven Republicans justified their vote by arguing there weren't enough protections for citizens. The vote failed 47 to 52.<\/p>

There was a flurry of Senate action Thursday night into Friday morning, with Republicans passing the $70 billion immigration funding bill<\/a> after an hourslong vote-a-rama, where senators can introduce and vote on various amendments to legislation. The bill passed without the proposed ban on the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, which the Trump administration walked back its support of earlier this week. The FISA 702 vote came after the immigration fund bill passed.<\/p>

\"And the FISA 702 reauthorization vote just failed\u2014because it didn\u2019t contain a warrant to protect Americans from U.S. citizen queries, Lee said in a post on X<\/a>, gloating in an attached video message that the \"intel bros\" lost and \"we won.\"<\/p>

\"I\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ll say it again: any extension of FISA needs significant reforms to protect Americans. I\u2019ve been surveilled by the government multiple times, along with so many other Americans,\" Scott said in his own post<\/a>. \"We can\u2019t give the swamp unchecked power to spy on law-abiding Americans.\"<\/p>

\"I voted against an extension because I want real REFORM and ACCOUNTABILITY, not the status quo,\" he added.<\/p>

Speaking with reporters after the FISA vote, Senate Majority Leader John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) tried to portray himself as unperturbed.<\/p>

\"We'll take another run at it. We're gonna need some help from Democrats, obviously,\" he said, calling the Democratic vote against the bill \"irresponsible.\"<\/p>

THUNE WARNS DEMOCRATS AGAINST TANKING FISA DEAL OVER PULTE: \u2018REALLY RISKY\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Thune, amid rumors of a falling out with Trump, said \"the timing arguably wasn't the best\" to announce Pulte as the DNI pick. The role this played in the vote is \"something the administration will have to consider, Democrats will have to think about. But next week it gets real.\"<\/p>

Democrats pulled out of the vote after voicing fears that Pulte would weaponize the intelligence community to go after Trump's political opponents. Congress has until June 12 to come up with another deal to extend FISA before it expires.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/congress-building.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595429-1780646400", "title":"The most anti-regime community in America is handing Washington to its enemies by not voting", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595429%2Fmost-anti-regime-community-handing-washington-to-enemies%2F", "byline":"Brian Taef", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Iranian Americans despise the Islamic Republic more than almost any group on earth. They fled it. They lost family to it. They protest against it every weekend in cities across America. They showed up to CPAC in numbers I have never seen at any political event, because Reza Pahlavi, the man who represents everything the […]", "description":""

Iranian Americans despise the Islamic Republic more than almost any group on earth. They fled it. They lost family to it. They protest against it<\/a> every weekend in cities across America. They showed up to CPAC<\/a> in numbers I have never seen at any political event, because Reza Pahlavi<\/a>, the man who represents everything the regime is not, was speaking.<\/p>

And then they go home and do not vote.<\/p>

Less than 4% of Iranian Americans cast a ballot in U.S. elections.<\/p>

AYATOLLAH SAYS IRAN HAS \u2018DEFEATED\u2019 US AS TRUMP, RUBIO ACKNOWLEDGE HE\u2019S PLAYING ACTIVE ROLE IN REGIME<\/a><\/p>

Let that land. The community most motivated to see the Islamic Republic dismantled, the community that understands better than anyone what American foreign policy means for the people of Iran, the community that flew flags and filled a CPAC hall for a conservative prince in exile, cannot be moved to participate in the elections<\/a> that determine American foreign policy.<\/p>

The regime's lobbyists are laughing.<\/p>

This is not a small irony. It is a strategic disaster.<\/p>

While Iranian Americans march on weekends and post on social media and rally around symbols of resistance, foreign interest groups with direct ties to factions inside Iran spend millions every year in Washington. They fund think tanks. They hire lobbyists. They cultivate relationships with members of Congress. They understand that the real battlefield for Iran's future is not on the streets of Los Angeles or Houston. It is in the halls of Congress and the Oval Office.<\/p>

Iranian Americans have something those groups will never have. Citizenship. The legal, constitutionally protected right to vote, organize, donate, and elect the people who set American policy toward Iran. No amount of foreign money can buy that. No lobbying firm can replicate it. It is the most powerful political tool in the world, and we are leaving it completely unused.<\/p>

I understand how we got here.<\/p>

I was born in Iran into a Baha'i family, one of the most persecuted religious minorities in the Islamic Republic. My family was forced out because of our faith. I came to America, served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army, and have spent over a decade working in politics and civic advocacy. I know what it costs when freedom disappears. I also know what it takes to protect it.<\/p>

What it takes is showing up. Not just on weekends. On Election Day.<\/p>

The reasons Iranian Americans do not vote are real, and they deserve to be understood, not dismissed.<\/p>

In Iran, political participation was a survival calculation. The wrong opinion could mean imprisonment. The wrong association could destroy a family. Generations were taught, out of genuine necessity, to stay quiet, to build privately, to treat political visibility as a threat. That instinct traveled with us when we came to America. And in the early years of building new lives in a new country, the silence made a certain kind of sense.<\/p>

But the conditions that justified that silence no longer exist. Iranian Americans are not new arrivals trying to survive. We are an established community with deep roots, significant economic power, and the full legal rights of American citizenship<\/a>. What we have not built is political power proportional to any of that.<\/p>

That gap has consequences that go far beyond our community.<\/p>

Consider what is happening in Washington right now. Foreign interest groups and foreign-funded organizations with stakes in Iran policy spend millions of dollars every year lobbying members of Congress, funding think tanks, and shaping the foreign policy conversation. They understand something that too many Iranian Americans have not yet accepted: that the most powerful lever for what happens in Iran runs through American elections.<\/p>

Iranian Americans do not need millions of dollars to compete with that. We have something far more powerful.<\/p>

We have citizenship.<\/p>

The right to vote<\/a> cannot be purchased or lobbied away. It belongs to us by law. And right now, we are leaving it on the table while others use their resources to fill the vacuum we have created.<\/p>

The Iranian Americans who filled that CPAC hall showed up for a man whose values align with theirs, whose vision for Iran's future reflects what they came to America believing. That instinct is exactly right. The problem is that it stopped at the conference hall door.<\/p>

Every senator who sets Iran sanctions policy was elected by someone. Every president who decides whether to engage or confront the regime won because voters showed up. Iranian Americans could be those voters. In key states, in competitive districts, in local races that send people to Washington, our numbers are large enough to matter. But only if we use them.<\/p>

The regime does not fear our protests. It does not fear our social media. It does not fear our rallies.<\/p>

It fears a politically organized Iranian American community that votes, donates, runs for office, and holds American politicians accountable for their posture toward Tehran.<\/p>

IN SYMBOLIC REBUKE OF TRUMP, HOUSE VOTES TO END WAR WITH IRAN<\/a><\/p>

We have been giving them nothing to fear.<\/p>

That ends when we decide it ends. Not with a march. With a ballot.<\/p>

Brian Taef is a U.S. Army veteran, political professional, and Iranian American civic advocate. He is the founder of We Are Cyrus, a nonprofit organization operating in 24 states focused on Iranian American civic engagement. Disclosure: the author has a direct organizational interest in the subject of this piece.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26045758090419.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593960-1780646400", "title":"Trump tries to boost oil and gas drilling in remote Alaska, where locals see opportunity", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4593960%2Ftrump-boost-oil-gas-drilling-alaska%2F", "byline":"Callie Patteson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Interior Department is holding its first lease sale under President Donald Trump’s second term in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, selling off tracts of land for potential drilling in an area that has been virtually untouched by the oil and gas industry. Better known as ANWR, the remote refuge sits more than […]", "description":""

The Interior Department is holding its first lease sale<\/a> under President Donald Trump\u2019s second term in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge<\/a> in Alaska, selling off tracts of land for potential drilling in an area that has been virtually untouched by the oil and gas industry.<\/p>

Better known as ANWR, the remote refuge sits more than 600 miles from Anchorage, Alaska<\/a>, bordering Canada. It is widely considered one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, with undisturbed ecosystems and habitats of caribou, polar bears, and hundreds of species of birds stretching nearly 20 million acres. There are no established roads, trails, or facilities of any type within the refuge, and only two permanent villages whose native communities have survived off the land for thousands of years.<\/p>

Environmentalists, climate activists, and some native groups have for years sought to stop fossil fuel development in the area, for fear of harm to the surrounding wildlife and ecosystems. However, residents of the sole village in the northernmost part of the refuge are welcoming potential drilling projects with open arms to support their own economic growth. <\/p>

On Friday, the Interior Department\u2019s Bureau of Land Management<\/a> was set to hold an oil and gas lease sale bid opening for tracts of land in the Coastal Plain of the wildlife refuge, also known as the 1002 area. The area stretches across 1.56 million acres, and at least 400,000 acres were to be made available.<\/p>

The Trump administration has looked to Alaska as an avenue for achieving Trump\u2019s energy dominance and trade agendas<\/a>, increasing production of oil and gas as well as exports of those petroleum products to Asian allies. And over the last year and a half, the administration has used every tool available<\/a> to expand fossil fuel production in the state.<\/p>

In March, the administration held another lease sale<\/a> on the other side of the North Slope borough for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, better known as NPR-A. The auction drew hundreds of bids and generated nearly $250 billion. <\/p>

While this was widely considered a major signal that the industry is interested in investing in northern Alaska, it has yet to be seen if large oil and gas companies such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, commonly referred to as \"oil majors,\" are willing to step into the untouched wildlife refuge.<\/p>An untouched refuge

Unlike the NPR-A, which first saw drilling and exploration activities in the 1940s, ANWR has only been available to the oil and gas industry for less than 10 years. <\/p>

Congress first authorized drilling in the region in 2017 through the Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, though little action has been taken since. <\/p>

Trump approved nine lease sales in the refuge during his first administration, seven of which were suspended by his successor, former President Joe Biden. The remaining two were later canceled by bidding companies.<\/p>

The Biden administration, which was required under the 2017 law to hold another lease sale, further sought to prevent fossil fuel development by imposing strict leasing requirements and blocking drilling on 1.2 million acres of the Coastal Plain.<\/p>

When Biden\u2019s Bureau of Land Management held a lease sale for the region in January 2025, the auction failed to receive any bids<\/a>. <\/p>

The Democratic administration argued it was evidence of the industry losing interest in drilling in the wildlife refuge, but state officials claimed the auction requirements purposefully restricted oil and gas development.<\/p>

Just before the auction took place, the state filed a lawsuit against the administration, claiming the available acreage was the minimum required under the 2017 law. State officials argued that, combined with existing restrictions on surface use, construction, and occupancy, the available acreage would have been \u201cimpossible or impracticable\u201d to develop on. <\/p>

The Trump administration's deregulatory actions aimed at reversing the Biden protections have been praised by the industry and advocates for increased energy development in the state. Yet they don't guarantee that companies will invest to the extent the Trump team desires. <\/p>

\u201cJust because the lease sale happens doesn't mean any development happens,\u201d Philip Wight, an associate professor and energy and environmental historian at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

Historically, drilling in Alaska has been far more expensive and difficult than in areas in the Lower 48, such as the Permian Basin in West Texas and parts of New Mexico.<\/p>

An ExxonMobil spokesperson told the Washington Examiner the differences primarily lie in Alaska\u2019s remote location, harsher climate, more limited infrastructure, longer timelines, and the need for specialized engineering. In the Permian Basin, on the other hand, there is shorter and more flexible development, the spokesperson said. <\/p>

\u201cIt is tremendously expensive to operate in the Arctic,\u201d Wight said, explaining that everything developers use during their operations needs to be shipped up, and in some cases the whole road.<\/p>

Given the Arctic climate, producers are only able to operate certain times of year, typically during the winter months, when the ground is solid, protecting fragile ecosystems and allowing for easier transportation. And due to rising temperatures brought about by climate change, that window is getting shorter, Wight said. <\/p>

Not only are developers thinking of climate-related challenges, but they also have to consider factors such as polar bears and costs associated with flying workers in and out due to the lack of permanent settlements. <\/p>

Even though many environmental protections have been lifted, producers also face the risk of legal challenges from green organizations, conservation activists, and other native communities in northern Alaska. <\/p>

Rosemary Ahtuangaruk, the former mayor of Nuiqsut in the NPR-A, has long rallied against oil and gas development in the North Slope, saying the ice roads created for such projects separate caribou herds, threatening the survival of young calves. <\/p>

The other established village that lives off ANWR, located just south of its border, the Arctic Village, has also vehemently opposed fossil fuel development. Residents of the village, which is found at the very south of the refuge, have also argued oil and gas projects would threaten the migration patterns of caribou. This community heavily depends on caribou as part of its way of life, as its remote location is lacking in moose or salmon.<\/p>

\u201cNone of these challenges are insurmountable. I think the industry over the past 50 years has demonstrated that,\u201d Wight said.<\/p>

However, he noted it does force developers to consider whether it is worth investing billions to develop new oil fields when there are proven resources available just a few hundred miles away to the west.<\/p>Economic opportunities

Kaktovik is the only village that sits in the Coastal Plain of ANWR, more than 600 miles north of Anchorage and roughly 90 miles west of the Canadian border. <\/p>

There is no main road connecting the remote village to the rest of the state, forcing its less than 300 residents to travel to and from the village by small plane or ship. <\/p>

Given its location, the village could end up seeing new drilling projects less than 50 miles away. And for most living in the outpost, they\u2019re excited. <\/p>

Kaktovik, like other cities and villages located on the North Slope, relies heavily on tax revenue generated by resource development projects such as oil and gas drilling. More than 95% of the North Slope Borough\u2019s budget comes from this revenue. <\/p>

Native leaders have said the revenue has allowed smaller villages to update and maintain modern sewer systems, build schools, and lengthen their average life expectancy. <\/p>

In Kaktovik, there is the hope that increased revenue from new oil and gas projects could help the village reduce its cost of living by using the funds to build a road connecting it to the rest of Alaska. <\/p>

As of last month, a carton of milk was selling for $23.60 a gallon in Kaktovik, according to data compiled by the Voice of the Arctic Inupiat that was obtained by the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

Gasoline, the price of which is set on the North Slope once or twice a year, was also selling for $7.50 a gallon in Kaktovik in May.  <\/p>

\u201cNow we're not trying to get rich off this, we're just trying to have the ability to make sure that we're able to take care of our families and the future of the land and resources that we have been for generations, for millennia,\u201d Charles Lampe, who is Inupiaq and was born and raised in Kaktovik, told the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

Nathan Gordon Jr., the mayor of Kaktovik, said increased tax revenue from oil and gas projects would primarily go toward upgrading the village's existing infrastructure, such as its health clinic and police station.<\/p>

\"Improving the health and safety of our community is the main reason I'm in this position,\" Gordon said. <\/p>

Based on the tracts made available in Friday\u2019s auction, the closest potential exploration and drilling projects could be around 30 miles away. The closest development to the village currently is around Point Thomson along the Beaufort Sea, roughly 50 to 60 miles away. <\/p>

While village leaders expect development to come closer to Kaktovik, it may not be for years if the lease sale is successful. <\/p>

\u201c[One] thing that I think is a misconception also about the amount of land that's up for the lease sale, they think just because the whole area is up for lease \u2014 that the whole area is going to be developed, or there's going to be roads put in anywhere \u2014 that that's going to disturb the wildlife,\u201d Lampe said of critics. \u201cAnd that's not true at all.\u201d <\/p>

Lampe defended the Iupiaq community in Kaktovik\u2019s support for increased development, saying there is nothing they would do to try and endanger their land or animals. <\/p>

The community, however, he said, has to secure resources to provide for future generations. <\/p>

\u201cThere isn't anyone else on this Earth that can tell the Inupiat of Kaktovik or any indigenous community anywhere how to take care of their own lands, because that's what we've been doing for millennia,\u201d he said. <\/p>Furthering Trump's agenda

Increasing oil and gas production in Alaska, whether it be in ANWR or elsewhere, is a crucial pillar of the Trump administration's energy dominance agenda.<\/p>

In addition to simply increasing domestic supply of oil and gas, Trump has sought to expand exports of energy from the U.S. abroad. Given its geographic location and resources, Alaska could be the solution to hit many of these goals.<\/p>

Late last year, the United States and Japan signed a trade and investment agreement that included a pledge from Tokyo to invest $550 billion in U.S. sectors, including energy infrastructure, critical minerals mining, and liquefied natural gas. Private gas and energy firms in Japan have also signed a letter of intent signifying that they will buy millions of tons of LNG from a long-desired pipeline that would stretch from the North Slope to the south of Alaska.<\/p>

The Trump administration is working alongside state officials to accelerate the development of the LNG pipeline, which would be able to transport any gas extracted from regions such as ANWR.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re doing exactly what we\u2019re supposed to do,\u201d Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) previously told the Washington Examiner. \u201cWe are providing energy opportunities for our country, our state, and our Asian allies. \u2026 Our place on the globe is unlike any other. We\u2019re nine hours from every industrialized place in the Northern Hemisphere, on this planet \u2026 so our place on the globe, our resource, just like Seward had intended, is coming to fruition as a result of the Trump administration.\u201d<\/p>Remaining risk 

In the late 1960s, massive oil reserves were found in Prudhoe Bay, just west of the wildlife refuge. The oil field was originally estimated to have around 9.6 billion total recoverable reserves. In large part thanks to technological advancements, the industry has been able to extract more than 13 million barrels worth since it was discovered, making Prudhoe Bay home to the largest oil field in North America. <\/p>

This discovery, combined with the construction of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, sparked rapid interest in whether neighboring ANWR was also rich in oil. In the 1980s, Chevron and BP drilled the one and only exploratory well in the Coastal Plain, in an effort to determine what resources lie beneath the surface. <\/p>

The results of the well were kept secret for decades, though a 2019 investigation by the New York Times revealed<\/a> the companies likely discovered the well was dry, meaning little to no oil. At the time, one BP executive recalled to the outlet that during a deposition about the findings, he said \u201cthere was never any evidence at all, at that stage, that there was anything material within the refuge.\u201d <\/p>

One dry well does not guarantee that a basin is lacking in petroleum resources. In fact, a seismic study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey estimated there could be anywhere between 5.7 billion barrels and 16 billion barrels in the Coastal Plain. <\/p>

The study, however, was conducted in 1998. <\/p>

Lampe has advocated additional seismic studies to be conducted in the region that could give a \u201cclear understanding\u201d of whether or not crude resources are there in reasonable quantities.  <\/p>

\u201cThat would give us so much more data on exactly what is available,\u201d he said. <\/p>

Gordon told the Washington Examiner that, toward the end of the first Trump administration, Kaktovik was a part of an application to conduct more seismic testing. That project, however, was shut down under Biden.<\/p>

Depending on the outcome of Friday's auction, Gordon hopes successful bidders will be able to move forward with seismic testing as soon as the coming winter season.<\/p>

Not knowing how much oil can be recovered from ANWR poses a great challenge for oil majors and other developers looking to put investments in projects with lifespans of 20 to 30 years. <\/p>

In many cases, pursuing leases in an area such as the NPR-A can be a safer bet, as some of these oil fields are already developed, Wight said. <\/p>

\u201cThere are hundreds of billions of barrels on the North Slope,\u201d he said. \u201cThe only question is, which of those barrels are the most economic to produce if you're an oil company?\" <\/p>

Not only do these firms need to consider risks regarding supply, but they also need to think about economic risks associated with limited drilling times, higher production costs, and environmental pushback.<\/p>

It is unlikely the industry will see a repeat of the January 2025 auction that ended up with zero bids. <\/p>

Wight told the Washington Examiner he anticipates the state-owned Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority to be the highest bidder. Wight also said that while he wouldn\u2019t be surprised by increased interest from smaller producers, he would be if that came from majors such as ConocoPhillips. <\/p>

ConocoPhillips declined to comment ahead of the auction. <\/p>

FIRST TRUMP OIL AND GAS LEASE SALE FOR ALASKA'S NORTH SLOPE DRAWS 'HISTORIC' BIDDING<\/a><\/p>

Even if there are a small number of bids, several advocates for increased fossil fuel development within the native community already view the auction as a success. <\/p>

\u201cWe've been fighting for this for the last 40 years to get [ANWR] open,\u201d said Nagruk Harcharek, president and CEO of the Voice of the Arctic Inupiat. \u201cSo as far as I'm concerned, it has already been a success. Anything moving forward is hopefully going to be that cherry on top.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP23249826674305-e1763069865814.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594190-1780644600", "title":"The Octagon on the South Lawn: Trump’s UFC Freedom 250 White House extravaganza", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4594190%2Foctagon-south-lawn-trump-ufc-freedom-25%2F", "byline":"W. James Antle III", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Theodore Roosevelt, the New York-born president who embodied an unapologetic America-first outlook and projected American strength abroad without hesitation, turned the White House basement into his personal training ground. A Harvard boxer who later sparred regularly with military aides and even professional fighters, Roosevelt installed mats for wrestling and practiced judo throws on visiting diplomats. […]", "description":""

<\/p>

Theodore Roosevelt<\/a>, the New York<\/a>-born president who embodied an unapologetic America-first outlook and projected American strength abroad without hesitation, turned the White House<\/a> basement into his personal training ground.<\/p>

A Harvard<\/a> boxer who later sparred regularly with military aides and even professional fighters, Roosevelt installed mats for wrestling and practiced judo throws on visiting diplomats. He once brightened a state luncheon by demonstrating a judo hold on the Swiss minister, to the delight of the assembled guests. Physical vigor, in Roosevelt\u2019s view, was inseparable from national character. He preached the \u201cstrenuous life\u201d in a famous 1899 speech, calling on Americans to embrace toil, effort, hardship, and strife rather than settle for ignoble ease.<\/p>

As president, he lived that creed: He boxed until a sparring partner detached his retina in 1905, after which he took up jiu-jitsu to stay fit. Roosevelt saw no contradiction between prioritizing American interests and wielding muscle when necessary. More than a century later, another New York president, equally blunt and equally dismissive of political correctness, has invited the octagon to the South Lawn in the same spirit.<\/p>

On June 14 \u2014 Flag Day, President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s 80th birthday, and a centerpiece of America\u2019s 250th anniversary celebrations \u2014 UFC <\/a>Freedom 250 will transform the White House grounds into the site of the first professional sporting event ever held there.<\/p>

The main event features lightweight champion Ilia Topuria defending his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje in a unification bout. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. The stacked card also includes Sean O\u2019Malley against Aiemann Zahabi, along with additional bouts featuring rising contenders such as Derrick Lewis, Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal, and others.<\/p>

Construction crews have already begun erecting the temporary octagon, along with risers for roughly 4,000 seated fans and massive screens on the Ellipse to accommodate an overflow crowd. Weigh-ins will take place at the Lincoln Memorial. The event will air live on Paramount+, with select preliminary bouts broadcast on CBS, presented by Crypto.com and Ram Trucks.<\/p>

This gathering represents more than a night of elite mixed martial arts competition. It marks a deliberate alignment of combat sports\u2019 emphasis on merit, resilience, and unfiltered outcomes with the symbolic power of the presidency itself, staged on the historic lawn where American leaders have long welcomed allies and commemorated national milestones.<\/p>First professional fight on presidential grounds

No previous president had ever hosted a full professional combat sports card on White House property. Ceremonial gatherings, Easter egg rolls, and military reviews have long occupied the South Lawn, but never an octagon with title fights, fighter walkouts, and the electric atmosphere of a live pay-per-view event.<\/p>

Trump first floated the idea publicly at a 2025 Iowa rally, declaring that UFC President Dana White<\/a> would make it happen. By October of that year, during a speech at Naval Station Norfolk, he confirmed the Flag Day date, tying the spectacle directly to the nation\u2019s semiquincentennial observances. The timing elevates the evening into an unofficial launch for a summer filled with patriotic reflection and celebration.<\/p>

The physical setup promises to be unforgettable. Floodlights will illuminate the South Lawn in red, white, and blue hues. The octagon will stand prominently framed by the Executive Mansion, its eight-sided geometry a bold symbol of competition set against the backdrop of American presidential power. Priority access goes to service members and their families, a fitting acknowledgment of martial tradition. For the broader public gathered on the Ellipse, the experience expands into a vast open-air arena, where the people\u2019s house becomes a coliseum for the people.<\/p>A president who understands the fight

Donald Trump has maintained a deep appreciation for combat sports throughout his public life. His longstanding engagement with professional wrestling, which I explored in these pages through the story of the late Hulk Hogan\u2019s transformation into a MAGA icon, highlighted a shared taste for spectacle, resilience, and raw drama. Hogan\u2019s memorable 2024 Republican National Convention appearance, in which he tore off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance tank top while roaring a Trumpified version of his signature catchphrase \u2014 \u201clet Trumpamania run wild!\u201d\u2014 captured that same unscripted energy.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s connection to mixed martial arts runs even deeper. Decades ago, when the UFC struggled for legitimacy and major venues refused to host its events, he opened the doors of the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City for early cards such as UFC 30 and UFC 31. He arrived early, remained through the entire evening, and treated the fighters like stars at a time when polite society still dismissed the sport as barbaric.<\/p>

The athletes headlining UFC Freedom 250 embody the same demanding ethos. Topuria, the undefeated Georgian champion, has risen through unrelenting talent and preparation. Gaethje, the American warrior celebrated for his relentless pace and highlight-reel finishes, exemplifies heart and determination. Pereira, the Brazilian kickboxing transplant who has claimed multiple UFC belts, and Gane, the rangy Frenchman known for elite striking, bring international excellence to an unmistakably American stage. These competitors cut weight, endure grueling training camps, and enter the octagon fully aware that only skill, strategy, and will separate victory from defeat.<\/p>

In early May, President Trump hosted several of the headliners in the Oval Office. He unveiled a custom UFC White House championship belt and addressed the fighters directly as champions. The moment underscored a broader conviction: In an era when too many institutions appear to reward grievance over genuine achievement, excellence forged in competition remains a vital standard.<\/p>

UFC Freedom 250 would not have come to fruition without the enduring friendship between Trump and White, a relationship that spans more than 25 years. When White and the Fertitta brothers acquired the struggling UFC in 2001, the sport faced widespread rejection from arenas and broadcasters who viewed it as too violent for mainstream audiences. Trump provided an early platform by welcoming the promotion to his Atlantic City properties. White has often recalled how Trump not only granted access, but showed up personally, from the first preliminary fight until the final bell, offering the kind of support that lent the young organization crucial legitimacy at a vulnerable moment.<\/p>

That loyalty has proven mutual and enduring. White spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention, endorsed Trump, and played a visible role in the 2024 campaign, helping connect with young male voters. Their bond, White has emphasized in interviews, remains fundamentally personal rather than purely transactional. When Trump first suggested staging a fight on the White House grounds while the two men watched a live event together, White embraced the proposal without hesitation. The logistical challenges of an outdoor card on the South Lawn were formidable, yet the partnership moved forward swiftly. In many respects, the collaboration reflects a shared worldview: Both men value toughness, showmanship, and an unfiltered authenticity that defies the preferences of coastal elites. While legacy media and cultural institutions have sometimes recoiled from combat sports, Trump and White have built lasting influence by appealing directly to audiences who prize results over refinement.<\/p>

The visual impact of the event will resonate long after the final bell sounds. The octagon rising on the South Lawn places the raw intensity of mixed martial arts squarely within the heart of presidential pageantry. For years, Washington insiders have tended to regard MMA as entertainment suited primarily for audiences outside the Beltway. President Trump has upended that perspective by situating the cage where formal state dinners and diplomatic receptions have historically taken precedence. The resulting imagery, fighters competing beneath the American flag with the White House illuminated behind them, carries unmistakable populist weight. Service members in attendance will witness their own culture of discipline and sacrifice mirrored in the athletes inside the octagon. The overflow viewing on the Ellipse extends the invitation to tens of thousands more, turning the evening into a shared national experience.<\/p>

Critics have already offered familiar objections, labeling the gathering everything from gaudy to militaristic. Such reactions only highlight the cultural contrast at play. Here stands a president who celebrates the very qualities Roosevelt once insisted were essential: physical fitness, mental fortitude, and an unyielding commitment to national vigor. The South Lawn card speaks in a language readily understood by working-class and male demographics who have felt increasingly distant from elite cultural conversations. UFC events consistently draw precisely those audiences \u2014 young, diverse, and appreciative of displays of courage and competence \u2014 because they deliver genuine stakes and decisive outcomes.<\/p>

Roosevelt\u2019s doctrine of the strenuous life resonates powerfully with the occasion. In his 1899 address, he urged his countrymen to reject the temptations of ease and instead pursue lives defined by labor, endeavor, and willingness to confront hardship. He practiced what he preached, building a frail childhood physique into one capable of leading the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill. Competitive athletics, in his estimation, served as essential preparation for citizenship in a republic that demanded strength from its people. Trump\u2019s choice to host UFC Freedom 250 on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence echoes that philosophy in a distinctly modern register. The founding document, signed by farmers, merchants, and tradesmen who risked everything for self-government, represented an act of profound defiance and courage. Those men understood that liberty required resolve. Staging a combat sports spectacular on the South Lawn honors that founding temperament by presenting living examples of American resilience and competitive spirit. It offers a new generation a vivid reminder that strength \u2014 physical, mental, and national \u2014 continues to serve as a virtue rather than a liability.<\/p>

Combat sports have flourished in recent years precisely because they provide audiences with clarity and catharsis that other forms of mass entertainment increasingly struggle to deliver. Late-night television, once a nightly ritual that united viewers across political lines, now contends with sharply declining audiences and profound shifts in viewing habits, as I detailed in these pages<\/a> regarding Stephen Colbert<\/a>\u2019s final episode. In contrast, UFC events (like NFL games<\/a>, which continue to dominate TV ratings) thrive by offering unscripted drama, genuine risk, and outcomes determined solely by intellectual ingenuity and pure physical grit. UFC Freedom 250 arrives at a cultural moment when many of us are hungering for precisely that kind of authenticity.<\/p>

The event also reinforces Trump\u2019s longstanding alliance with a sport that mirrors key elements of his political approach. Fighters advance through talent, preparation, and determination \u2014 qualities Trump has consistently argued the nation must reward over rhetoric or institutional favoritism. The South Lawn card will generate extensive replays across social media and cable news, extending its influence well beyond those physically present. The message that we\u2019ll be meant to glean from it will be as clear as a KO: This is an America that chooses to celebrate winners who earn their success the hard way.<\/p>After the final bell

When the lights eventually dim on the South Lawn and the final fighter departs the octagon, whether in triumph or defeat, the enduring image will linger: a temporary cage framed by the White House, the American flag waving overhead, and a president who chose to bring the fight directly to the people\u2019s house. Roosevelt, who once sparred in the basement and led men into combat, would have recognized the underlying spirit immediately. He understood that nations, like individuals, must continually embrace the strenuous life or risk gradual decline.<\/p>

TRUMP SUGGESTS UFC ARENA AT WHITE HOUSE COULD BE PERMANENT <\/a><\/p>

America\u2019s 250th anniversary represents far more than a commemoration of historical documents and dates. It constitutes a renewed commitment to the character traits that built the republic in the first place: courage in the face of adversity, competition that sharpens the spirit, and resilience forged through effort. UFC Freedom 250 will convey that message with unmistakable force through every punch, kick, and takedown. As the crowd joins in chants of \u201cU-S-A!\u201d beneath the Flag Day sky, a single truth will emerge clearly. In the arena of nations, just as inside the cage, those who possess strength and the willingness to use it endure.<\/p>

On June 14, Trump will have demonstrated once more that he fully grasps what it means to fight.<\/p>

Daniel Ross Goodman (@DanRossGoodman) is a Washington Examiner contributing writer and teaches theology and religious studies at St. John\u2019s University. His next book, Dante\u2019s Guide to Life: How The Divine Comedy Can Change Our Fortunes, Our World, and Ourselves, will be published this fall by Angelico Press.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2274274887.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596439-1780644184", "title":"Putin claims Russia is winning as Zelensky senses Ukraine’s military gains could bring ceasefire within reach", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4596439%2Fputin-claims-russia-is-winning%2F", "byline":"Jamie McIntyre", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"ZELENSKY: ‘DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE THE PATH OUT OF THIS WAR’: Feeling emboldened by Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russia with its homegrown drones — including striking St. Petersburg during an annual economic conference — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sent an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, both goading him […]", "description":""

ZELENSKY: \u2018DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE THE PATH OUT OF THIS WAR\u2019: Feeling emboldened by Ukraine\u2019s ability to strike deep into Russia with its homegrown drones \u2014 including striking St. Petersburg during an annual economic conference \u2014 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sent an open letter<\/a> to Russian President Vladimir Putin, both goading him and appealing to him to meet in a neutral country to end the war, now in its fifth year.<\/p>

\u201cUkraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us \u2014 and you. I am proposing a meeting,\u201d Zelensky wrote, suggesting Switzerland, Turkey, or an Arab country as a possible venue. \u201cThe choice is yours now. Enough of war.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cUkraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations. This is standard practice,\u201d Zelensky said. \u201cMany did not believe that Ukraine would be able to hold out for so long. You did not believe it. And those who advised you did not believe it either. That was a mistake \u2026 Do not be afraid to take the path out of this war. That is the main thing that is required of you now.\u201d<\/p>

Zelensky argued that Russians are growing weary of war, which resulted in staggering losses of Russian soldiers, and implied that Putin\u2019s grip on power may be slipping. \u201cThe world has not grown tired of Ukraine, as you long hoped it would. But there is growing fatigue with Russia,\u201d Zelensky wrote. \u201cYou cannot fail to notice it. After 26 years in power, age is beginning to take its toll. And with time, the fatigue with you will only grow.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThis is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes.\u201d<\/p>

ZELENSKY PROPOSES \u2018FULL CEASEFIRE\u2019 AND FACE-TO-FACE MEETING WITH PUTIN IN DIRECT OPEN LETTER<\/a><\/p>

PUTIN: \u2018RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE ADVANCING\u2019: Putin is scheduled to speak today at the St. Petersburg economic forum, but yesterday he took questions<\/a> from international news agencies and insisted the war is going well and Russia is winning.<\/p>

\u201cRussian troops are advancing along the entire line of contact. There is not a single place where Russian troops are not advancing,\" Putin said, while claiming Ukrainian forces are facing \u201ca disastrous shortage of personnel.\u201d<\/p>

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin hadn\u2019t seen Zelensky\u2019s letter yet, while Putin himself said any deal would have to include assurances he insisted President Trump gave him at the Alaska summit last August. \u201cRussia agrees to the compromises discussed in Anchorage. It is necessary that Ukraine also agrees to make them. Then, the conflict will be resolved naturally and quickly.\u201d<\/p>

Ukraine was not part of the Alaska summit and said it's not bound by any promises Trump made there. \u201cYou can see for yourself that Ukrainian and European issues are not decided in Anchorage,\u201d Zelensky wrote in his open letter.\u00a0<\/p>

Putin conceded that Russia needs to improve its air defenses after a strike by a long-range Ukrainian drone left a literal cloud over the economic conference on Wednesday. \u201cUnfortunately, some of them do break through,\u201d Putin said of Ukraine\u2019s drones, while downplaying the threat. \"Russia has its own air defense system. We must sure refine it. Yes, we must reinforce it, and we will by all means do it.\u201d<\/p>

But he insisted Russia maintains an overwhelming airpower advantage and cited Zelensky\u2019s public admission that it is out of Patriot interceptor missiles. \u201cThey have Patriots and other types of weapons, but the shortage is catastrophic,\u201d Putin said. \u201cUkraine has no strike systems like those the Russian Federation has. By that I mean hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles \u2013 sea-, air-, and ground-launched.\u201d<\/p>

POLAND ASKS US TO BUILD PERMANENT MILITARY BASE ON ITS TERRITORY<\/a><\/p>

HOUSE APPROVES $8 BILLION FOR UKRAINE: By a 226-195 vote, the House passed a bill that would make another $8 billion available for Ukraine\u2019s military through loans, plus another $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid. The legislation would also toughen sanctions against key segments of the Russian economy.<\/p>

The bipartisan vote, which overcame objections that the support could undermine negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, came after a handful of Republicans joined Democrats to force a vote by signing a discharge petition.<\/p>

\u201cAre we going to stand with good or are we going to stand with evil? That\u2019s what this is about tonight,\u201d Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said in an impassioned speech<\/a> on the House floor before the vote. \u201cThis decision is needed now. Russia is bombing Ukrainian cities every night with ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles, and we better be there to help them, or in the history books it's gonna say, 'United States failed when it's most needed.'\"<\/p>

18 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP AND VOTE TO SEND $1.3 BILLION TO UKRAINE<\/a><\/p>

Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre\u2019s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre<\/a> (@jamiejmcintyre<\/a>) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie<\/a>. Email here<\/a> with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE<\/a><\/p>

HAPPENING THIS MORNING: HOUSE, SENATE PASS MAJOR LEGISLATION: In sessions that went into the early hours of the morning, the House Armed Services Committee passed its version<\/a> of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2027, and the Senate passed a $70 billion immigration enforcement bill that will fund ICE and other DHS agencies for the remainder of President Trump's term.<\/p>

Republicans in the Senate beat back multiple efforts by Democrats and some Republicans to permanently ban Trump\u2019s paused weaponization compensation fund, including an amendment from Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) that would have used the $1.776 billion to compensate law enforcement officers who were injured in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.<\/p>

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ADVANCES $1.15 TRILLION NDAA AFTER 14 HOUR DEBATE<\/a><\/p>

BALLROOM BRAWL: A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is scheduled to hear oral arguments challenging a lower court ruling that construction on President Trump's White House ballroom is illegal.<\/p>

In his March 31 ruling<\/a> granting a preliminary injunction barring any above-ground construction, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected Trump\u2019s claim that existing statutes give him the authority to construct his East Wing ballroom project with private funds.<\/p>

\u201cNo statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,\u201d Leon wrote. \u201cThe President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!\u201d<\/p>

The Justice Department is appealing, arguing that the ballroom is more than an entertainment venue; it's a national security necessity. \u201cThe DronePort, and ALL of the other many Military elements, which are all vital for National Security, that are being built throughout the whole integrated, cohesive Project. It is desperately needed, and will be very special!\u201d Trump posted <\/a>on Truth Social last night.<\/p>

The appeals court issued a stay, allowing the construction to continue pending today\u2019s hearing. \u201cThe Ballroom is coming along fantastically well. It\u2019s on time, and under budget \u2026 and at a much higher quality than I ever promised,\u201d Trump said in his post.\u00a0<\/p>

BALLROOM, BUNKER, OR BOONDOGGLE? WHAT EXACTLY IS TRUMP BUILDING ON THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS?<\/a><\/p>

THE RUNDOWN: <\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Senate sends immigration enforcement bill to the House without \u2018lawfare\u2019 fund ban<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: House Armed Services Committee advances $1.15 trillion NDAA after 14 hour debate<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Ayatollah says Iran has \u2018defeated\u2019 US as Trump, Rubio acknowledge he\u2019s playing active role in regime<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Zelensky proposes \u2018full ceasefire\u2019 and face-to-face meeting with Putin in direct open letter<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Israel-Lebanon ceasefire could undermine Hezbollah and Iran with state-to-state cooperation<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: US sanctions Cuban president as Trump turns up heat on island\u2019s leadership<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Nearly 70% of Americans want Iran war ended now: Poll<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: ICE to stop reporting deaths of detainees released within 30 days: Report<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Poland asks US to build permanent military base on its territory<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Trump\u2019s European nuclear weapons plan risks backfiring<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Trump says Iran war will restart if Tehran kills more US troops<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Senate GOP defeats attempt to block \u2018anti-weaponization\u2019 fund<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: IAEA\u2019s inability to enter Iran blocks oversight of nuclear program<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Ballroom, bunker, or boondoggle? What exactly is Trump building on the White House grounds?<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: John Bolton reaches plea deal in classified documents case: Report<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: The military needs more innovative risk takers<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Opinion: China, or why Pentagon-Israel tech agreement must exclude top US secrets<\/p>

The Hill<\/a>: Senate Democrats block extension of spy powers to protest Trump\u2019s choice of Pulte for DNI<\/p>

AP<\/a>: House Passes Bill to Aid Ukraine and Impose New Sanctions on Russia<\/p>

AP<\/a>: Senate in overnight session as Republicans debate limits on $1.8B Trump settlement<\/p>

AP<\/a>: Hezbollah rejects latest ceasefire agreement<\/p>

Foreign Affairs<\/a>: Ukraine Turns the Tide<\/p>

Politico<\/a>: Pentagon Likely to Cancel Missile Deal with Germany over Fears of Russia<\/p>

The Hill<\/a>: House Panel Adopts Measure on Fired Senior Officers, Putting Pressure on Hegseth, Pentagon<\/p>

Military.com<\/a>: DOD Officially Drops 180 Faiths From Military's Recognized Religion List<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: House Panel Votes to Prohibit F-22 Retirements Through Fiscal 2032<\/p>

Breaking Defense<\/a>: Pentagon\u2019s Cyber Defense Command Drafting Plan to Defend Critical Infrastructure<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: Air Force Vice Chief: Demand for New Airplanes \u2018Outstripping\u2019 Production<\/p>

The War Zone<\/a>: USAF Wants \u2018MQ-9 Next\u2019 Reaper Replacement to Be Modular, Cheap<\/p>

Task & Purpose<\/a>: What Is China\u2019s Government Saying About the F-47?<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: Lawmakers Push Space Force to Seek More Commercial Integration<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: KC-46\u2019s New Remote Vision System Completes Initial \u2018Non-Contact\u2019 Testing<\/p>

DefenseScoop<\/a>: Hegseth Launches \u2018Patriot Pipeline\u2019 Portal<\/p>

Haaretz<\/a>: How the US Air Force Is Turning Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport into Its Own Base<\/p>

THE CALENDAR: <\/p>

FRIDAY | JUNE 5<\/p>

8 a.m. H-140, U.S. Capitol \u2014 House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee markup of the FY2027 Homeland Security bill http:\/\/appropriations.house.gov<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. \u2014 National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: \"Missile Defense: Assessing the Effectiveness and Looking to the Future,\" with former National Nuclear Security Administration Deputy Administrator Frank Rose, president of Chevalier Strategic Advisers https:\/\/thinkdeterrence.com\/events\/missile-defense-assessing-the-effectiveness<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW \u2014 Brookings Institution discussion: \"Russia and Ukraine: Societies transformed by war,\u201d with Anna Colin Lebedev, senior lecturer and researcher for Paris Nanterre University's Institute of Social Sciences of Politics<\/p>

10 a.m. \u2014 Atlantic Council virtual discussion: \"Russia's Illicit Exploitation of Foreign Nationals for its War Against Ukraine,\" with Ilya Nuzov, head of the International Federation for Human Rights' Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk; Rosemary Tollo, co-founder and program director of Journalists for Justice; Maria Tomak, associate researcher at Truth Hounds; and Brig. Gen. Dmytro Usov, secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/event\/russias-illicit-exploitation-of-foreign-nationals<\/a><\/p>

TUESDAY | JUNE 9<\/p>

9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen \u2014 Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027 http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov<\/a><\/p>

2:30 p.m. 232-A Russel \u2014 Senate Armed Services Committee CLOSED markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027 http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov<\/a><\/p>

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 10<\/p>

9 a.m. 232-A Russel \u2014 Senate Armed Services Committee CLOSED markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027 http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. 2359 Rayburn \u2014 House Appropriations Committee markup of the FY2027 Homeland Security bill nhttp:\/\/appropriations.house.gov<\/a><\/p>

THURSDAY | JUNE 11<\/p>

9 a.m. 232-A Russell \u2014 Senate Armed Services Committee CLOSED markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027. http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov<\/a><\/p>

9 a.m. H-140, U.S. Capitol \u2014  House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee CLOSED markup of the FY2027 Defense bill. http:\/\/appropriations.house.gov<\/a>9 a.m. 1001 16th St. NW \u2014 Center for a New American Security 2026 National Security Conference: \u201cNew Rules\u201d https:\/\/events.cnas.org\/cnasconference2026newrules<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Screenshot-2025-08-18-at-7.32.03-AM.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4589190-1780643100", "title":"New Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh is caught between the Trump agenda and a hard place", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4589190%2Fkevin-warsh-trump-agenda-hard-place%2F", "byline":"Ryan M. Payne", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Even a month ago, monetary policy sailing looked smooth for incoming Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh. One possible flare-up for Warsh, who became Fed chairman on May 22, succeeding Jerome Powell after an eight-year tenure, was the threat of the Iran conflict temporarily pushing oil prices higher. Yet in Warsh’s early days heading the nation’s […]", "description":""

<\/p>

Even a month ago, monetary policy sailing looked smooth for incoming Federal Reserve<\/a> Chairman Kevin Warsh<\/a>.<\/p>

One possible flare-up for Warsh, who became Fed chairman on May 22, succeeding Jerome Powell <\/a>after an eight-year tenure, was the threat of the Iran<\/a> conflict temporarily pushing oil prices higher. Yet in Warsh\u2019s early days heading the nation\u2019s central bank, inflation appeared contained. Even when the price of West Texas Intermediate crude spiked to over $112 a barrel in early April, the 10-year Treasury yield, a benchmark measure of future inflation expectations, remained muted, trading as high as 4.4% before cooling off.<\/p>

For people who aren\u2019t avid market watchers, bond prices were signaling that the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed since late February, would reopen, letting 20% of the world's oil supply flow freely again. Oil prices would ease globally, taming inflation, hence the perfect backdrop for interest rates<\/a> to be cut as President Donald Trump<\/a> has long demanded.Here lies the major stumbling block for Warsh, who has telegraphed a willingness to slash the federal funds rate that his predecessor held constant: The seemingly moderate inflation<\/a> of a month ago is no longer moderate. The bond gods can be cruel, and they have spoken.<\/p>

As market expectations often do, they have turned on a dime. In the past two weeks, longer-term bond yields spiked, with the 10-year Treasury hitting 4.69% and the 30-year yield reaching 5.197%, the highest level in nearly 20 years.<\/p>

As Bob Dylan once said, \u201cYou don\u2019t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.\u201d The bond market is now blowing loudly, and it believes that higher inflation is not going away. This deprives Warsh of an easy path to cut the federal funds rate.<\/p>Bond market warnings

If Warsh aggressively pushes for rate cuts to appease political pressure, despite rising inflation signals, he risks being perceived as a political puppet. More importantly, any move to the federal funds rate requires a majority of Federal Open Market Committee voting members, meaning he must persuade at least six of the other 11 members of the Board of Governors, the New York Fed president, and the rotating regional presidents.<\/p>

Even if Warsh decides to slash rates and wins over enough votes, a decrease in the federal funds rate does not directly translate to a decrease in \"interest rates\" more broadly.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s relentless focus on lowering borrowing rates stems from the belief that more dovish monetary policy will bring down interest costs on anything under the sun, whether a family is mortgaging a new home or the federal government needs more cash to finance its $39 trillion national debt. While it\u2019s true that the Federal Reserve can control ultra-short-term rates by setting the federal funds rate, we have a saying at my investment firm, Payne Capital Management, that the bond gods, not the government, control longer-term interest rates.<\/p>

In other words, there are other forces at work that determine what the rate of our 30-year mortgage or car loan is going to be. For example, expectations of higher inflation can cause longer-term borrowing costs to rise, because lenders want to be compensated if future dollars are worth less. This longer end of the yield curve has moved increasingly independently of the central bank's short-term rate machinations.<\/p>

As someone who has invested money on behalf of clients for more than 25 years, I have learned two valuable lessons: (1) You can\u2019t rely on one variable to define a trend; and (2) when it comes to the economy and investing, conventional wisdom is often wrong. Today, the consensus on Wall Street is that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will cause oil prices to drop precipitously, effectively cooling inflation expectations. Of course, it\u2019s more complicated than that.<\/p>

Even if there is a Middle East resolution that increases the supply of commodities, demand has been ramping up since the Strait of Hormuz was brought to a standstill. Industrial activity is picking up globally \u2014 think of the explosive focus on mining rare earth minerals, chip development, and the race for AI.<\/p>

As the world produces more cars, airplanes, and electronics, demand is up not just from the pent-up backlog of oil, but also for industrial metals such as copper, aluminum, and nickel, which are skyrocketing. This is extremely inflationary. And while projected domestic economic growth is an unambiguous good \u2014 the Atlanta Fed projects second-quarter GDP growth of 3.8% \u2014 a hotter economy risks more demand-driven inflation in the absence of surging supply.<\/p>

Furthermore, despite headlines warning that AI will corrode the labor market, April\u2019s job report came in hotter than expected, with 115,000 jobs created as the unemployment rate sits at a historically low 4.3%. Meanwhile, baby boomers are retiring in droves as the share of seniors not in the labor force reached 50% in April.<\/p>

The combination of steady job growth as the labor force ages and shrinks will put upward pressure on wage inflation. The point being, many factors will likely keep the inflation rate higher, not lower, as many Wall Street \u201cexperts\u201d are predicting. This is exactly what the bond market is telling you today.<\/p>

TOUGH NEWS FOR KEVIN WARSH IN FIRST FULL WEEK AS FED CHAIRMAN<\/a><\/p>

It is between this rock and hard place that Warsh has walked into. In this environment, placating Trump and delivering a short-term rate cut in defiance of a bond market driving long-term rates higher could prove a Pyrrhic victory. Even if Warsh were able to convince a majority of voting Fed members to cut rates, ironically, that could push long-term rates higher.<\/p>

That's what happened when Powell prematurely slashed the federal funds rate in fall 2024, and ironically enough, that\u2019s part of the reason Trump inherited the broader mortgage and Treasury environment he rightly reviled. The Fed chairman may have changed, but the bond gods will respond no differently if Warsh doesn\u2019t learn from Powell\u2019s mistakes.<\/p>

Ryan M. Payne (@RyanPaynePCM) is the president of New York-based Payne Capital Management.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WB.Economics.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595979-1780642800", "title":"Rahm Emanuel kicks tires on White House bid with bike tour of New Hampshire", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2F4595979%2Frahm-emanuel-bike-tour-new-hampshire-2028%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rahm Emanuel is trying to carve a lane for himself in what is expected to be a crowded 2028 Democratic presidential primary field by starting to campaign early and announcing policy positions. But he’s taking it further on Friday by taking the bicycle lane around New Hampshire as part of a three-day tour of the […]", "description":""

Rahm Emanuel<\/a> is trying to carve a lane for himself in what is expected to be a crowded 2028<\/a> Democratic presidential primary field by starting to campaign early and announcing policy positions.<\/p>

But he\u2019s taking it further on Friday by taking the bicycle lane around New Hampshire<\/a> as part of a three-day tour of the early voting state.<\/p>

Emanuel is raising money for a New Hampshire nonprofit organization that provides bicycles to underprivileged children, in addition to raising his profile. He's also attending a Democratic Party event in North Hampton before mounting his bike for the tour. <\/p>

Emanuel\u2019s shadow campaign is calling the Portsmouth to Hanover trip the \"Spin-Free Tour,\u201d with the former Clinton White House<\/a> aide, Illinois<\/a> congressman, Obama<\/a> White House chief of staff, Chicago<\/a> mayor, and U.S. ambassador to Japan<\/a> holding \u201ccommunity meetings\u201d along the way.<\/p>

But spin aside, the tour comes as Emanuel tries to differentiate himself from other Democrats considering a run for their party\u2019s presidential nomination. Part of that is an attempt to brand himself as the candidate of policy positions, including last week\u2019s announcement of \u201cgrand bargain\u201d on education reform. <\/p>

Emanuel has also written a plethora of opinion pieces, including one in March explaining his national security policy platform<\/a> and another in May calling for military reform<\/a>.<\/p>

A source familiar with Emanuel told the Washington Examiner the former mayor \u201cfeels very strongly that we have an education emergency, and no one is talking about how to solve it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\"The national conversation is so badly warped by Trump and Beltway politics,\u201d the source said. \u201cSo from a policy perspective, everything flows from that, and he wants to focus on policies and ideas.\u201d<\/p>

Although a policy-driven campaign did not help Sen. Elizabeth Warren<\/a> (D-MA) in her 2020 Democratic primary campaign, Emanuel\u2019s approach has been welcomed by some Democrats wanting the party's message to be more than just anti-Trump rhetoric.<\/p>

\u201cAmericans are pessimistic about the future and are hungry for real solutions,\u201d said Colin Seeberger, a senior adviser at the Center for American Progress.<\/p>

New Hampshire Institute of Politics Director Neil Levesque told the Washington Examiner that Emanuel's bike trip comes as the former Chicago mayor has the 2028 stage mostly to himself. <\/p>

\u201cThe bike trip is another opportunity to be placing himself in front of voters in a way that creates connection and attention without a typical podium speech,\u201d Levesque said.<\/p>

Emanuel is not the first presidential candidate to take a different mode of transport around New Hampshire, with University of New Hampshire politics professor Dante Scala remembering how former Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander once hiked around the Granite State in 1996.<\/p>

But for Scala, Emanuel is embarking on his trip far too early for New Hampshire voters to care. <\/p>

\u201cYou would be hard pressed to find activists who care much at this point,\u201d Scala told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThey\u2019re focused more on the midterms.\u201d<\/p>

To that end, despite his best attempts, Emanuel is not putting a dent in early hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary polls.<\/p>

According to polling aggregator RealClearPolitics<\/a>, former Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a> has an early, likely name identification-driven edge, leading what is anticipated to be a large group of Democratic presidential candidates with an average of 27% support.<\/p>

HOW BILL PULTE TURNED BEING AN ATTACK DOG INTO A CHARM OFFENSIVE WITH TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) has an average of 18% support, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg<\/a> has 13%, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) has 12%. <\/p>

Other potential candidates are only polling in single digits a good 18 months before the first votes will be cast.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26093439053531.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595739-1780642800", "title":"When propaganda creates violence: A Georgian Orthodox warning to American Jews", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595739%2Fantisemitism-propaganda-georgia-warning-to-american-jews%2F", "byline":"Emzari Gelashvili", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Emergency exits are not built after smoke fills a building. They are built while the hallways are still clear, the doors remain open, and the choice to leave is still a matter of free will — not panic. That lesson has stayed with me throughout my life. And today, watching the United States from the […]", "description":""

Emergency exits<\/a> are not built after smoke fills a building. They are built while the hallways are still clear, the doors remain open, and the choice to leave is still a matter of free will \u2014 not panic.<\/p>

That lesson has stayed with me throughout my life. And today, watching the United States from the outside, I feel compelled to share it.<\/p>

I was born and raised in Soviet Georgia<\/a> \u2014 in a family that experienced political repression under the Soviet system. I later served in Georgia's national security structures, working against Soviet-era intelligence networks and their successors. I know from the inside how systems of power manufacture hatred. I know the grammar of propaganda<\/a> \u2014 not from textbooks, but from childhood.<\/p>

THE PARTY OF NAZI ACCUSERS IS AWFULLY SILENT ABOUT JEW HATRED AFTER NYC SYNAGOGUE TERRORIZED<\/a><\/p>

Today I live in the U.S. And what I see here, I have seen before.<\/p>The one exception in the Soviet empire

Of the 15 republics of the Soviet Union, Georgia was an anomaly. For more than 27 centuries \u2014 since the Babylonian exile \u2014 Jews and Georgians have lived side by side. Long before the tragedies that scarred Europe in the 20th century, Jewish communities<\/a> had already become inseparable from Georgia's social fabric.<\/p>

I grew up in that tradition. My parents had Jewish friends. I had Jewish friends. We studied together, celebrated together, grew up together. As a child, I rarely thought about who was Jewish and who was Georgian \u2014 because the distinction seemed irrelevant. The people around me were simply people.<\/p>

Yet the Soviet propaganda machine worked regardless.<\/p>

Through newspapers<\/a>, television, radio, KGB-concocted jokes, and countless small cultural signals, citizens were exposed to relentless narratives: Jews are cowards. Jews are swindlers who will cheat you at every transaction. Jews are misers who would sell their own mothers for money. Jews are untrustworthy \u2014 their friendship is always conditional, always for sale. Jews control the world from the shadows, and every catastrophe can be traced back to their planning. And then the oldest, most savage lie of all: that Jews mix the blood of Christian children into their ritual bread.<\/p>

These were not fringe whispers. They were state policy \u2014 delivered through official channels and, just as effectively, through \"harmless\" anecdotes and KGB-seeded jokes that gave ancient hatred a casual, domestic face. The goal was not to make every Soviet citizen a violent antisemite. The goal was to make antisemitic ideas feel normal \u2014 unremarkable, even amusing.<\/p>

In Georgia, this poison did not take. Twenty-seven centuries of genuine brotherhood proved stronger than Soviet engineering. But elsewhere, it did take. And the consequences, we know.<\/p>

What makes this especially relevant today: these narratives did not die with the Soviet Union<\/a>. They persist \u2014 with particular tenacity in Russia and Ukraine, and across much of the former Soviet space. The infrastructure of hatred outlived the system that built it. That is worth remembering as we watch similar narratives gain traction in the West.<\/p>

That bleak experience taught me a fundamental truth: when a system begins to vent smoke, the most dangerous moment is not when the fire becomes obvious. It is the long, quiet period before anyone calls it a fire.<\/p>The prophet they silenced

Over half a century ago, Alexander Galich \u2014 one of the great dissident poets of the Soviet era, later assassinated by the KGB in his Paris<\/a> apartment \u2014 wrote lines that his contemporaries read as a lament about Moscow and the fate of Jews inside the Soviet empire. Today, with unsettling precision, those same lines read as commentary on Washington:<\/p>

\"Oh, do not sew liveries, you Jews, Do not march as chamberlains \u2014 You will not sit in the Synod, nor in the Senate.\"<\/p>

Galich was not a prophet by choice. He was a man who watched from the outside \u2014 and that distance gave him a clarity that those living inside could not possess. Vladimir Jabotinsky had that same clarity in the 1930s.<\/p>

Jabotinsky traveled across Europe<\/a>, i.e., Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw, knocking on the doors of affluent, educated Jewish families and repeating the same message: Leave. While the gates are still open, leave.<\/p>

The response was laughter. Respected Jewish newspapers called him a hysteric. Assimilated German Jews explained, patiently and condescendingly: \"This is the 20th century. This is Germany \u2014 the land of Goethe, Beethoven, and Kant. The economy cannot function without us.\"<\/p>

Each argument, taken alone, sounded perfectly reasonable. Together, they formed a soothing lullaby \u2014 under the comfort of which a historic catastrophe matured.<\/p>

There is an old observation: a fish does not know what water is, because it lives inside it. A German Jew in 1933 saw only his familiar street, his shop, his neighbors of 20 years. He could not imagine how quickly familiar neighbors could become silent witnesses to persecution.<\/p>

Jabotinsky saw it because he looked from the outside. I am looking from the outside today. And what I see concerns me deeply.<\/p>Sparks across two decades: A pattern, not incidents

What follows is not a list of isolated events. Viewed separately, each episode invites dismissal. Viewed together, they reveal what students of history \u2014 and of propaganda \u2014 recognize as a systemic pattern.<\/p>

2010: Helen Thomas \u2014 the dean of the White House press corps, who covered eight presidents \u2014 tells a camera that Israeli Jews should \"go home<\/a>\" to Poland and Germany. Filed and forgotten.<\/p>

2017: Charlottesville. Americans march with torches, chanting, \"Jews will not replace us<\/a>!\" The consensus: fringe marginals. The marchers return to their lives. The chant does not.<\/p>

2018: Pittsburgh. A gunman enters the Tree of Life synagogue<\/a> during Shabbat services and murders 11 worshippers \u2014 the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The memorial candles go out. The pattern continues.<\/p>

2019: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) explains American support for Israel as being \"all about the Benjamins<\/a>\" \u2014 Jews, money, hidden power \u2014 drawn from the same propaganda playbook I heard as a child in Soviet Georgia. Many Democratic leaders criticized the remark, but the political consequences proved limited. She remains in Congress.<\/p>

2022: Kanye West publicly declares admiration for Adolf Hitler<\/a> and denies the Holocaust before tens of millions of devoted followers. He is called mentally ill. But those tens of millions heard every word.<\/p>

2023: In the aftermath of Oct. 7, 2023, Jewish students at elite universities hide Stars of David<\/a> under their clothing to enter lecture halls. At Columbia, a protest leader declares: \"Zionists don't deserve to live<\/a>.\" Congress debates whether \"From the river to the sea<\/a>\" \u2014 which many Jewish communities interpret as a call for Israel's elimination \u2014 qualifies as antisemitic. Forty-four members vote: No.<\/p>

2025: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's (D-PA) residence is set on fire<\/a> while his family is inside. Tucker Carlson hosts Holocaust revisionist<\/a> Nick Fuentes for a warm two-hour conversation before 20 million viewers. Candace Owens recommends<\/a> The Protocols of the Elders of Zion to millions of listeners as essential reading on who the \"real enemy\" of black Americans is.<\/p>

And in that same year, two young Israeli embassy staffers \u2014 Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrim \u2014 are murdered<\/a> outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Yaron had been planning to propose to Sarah.<\/p>

2026: Physical attacks on Jews<\/a> in the United States reach their highest recorded level in fifteen years.<\/p>

Now look at this timeline as a whole.<\/p>

From the Right: Jews control everything. From the Left: Zionists \u2014 a transparent euphemism \u2014 have no right to exist. On campus: Jews do not deserve to live. The word \"antisemitism\" has grown unfashionable because it evokes gas chambers. So the hatred rebranded itself: anti-Zionism, anti-colonialism, \"criticism of Israel.\" Three different suits. One anatomy.<\/p>

Whether it arrives from the Left or the Right, the fist always hits the same face.<\/p>

This is no longer whispered in basements. This is the country's most-listened-to podcasts. This is the floor of the U.S. Capitol. These are America's most prestigious universities. From top to bottom. From Left to Right.<\/p>The mechanism: How normalization precedes violence

I want to be precise about what I am and am not arguing.<\/p>

I am not saying Americans are antisemites. I am not saying most people wish Jews harm. The majority of people in any society are ordinary \u2014 not evil, not cruel. They want to be left in peace. They want their children fed. They want tomorrow to be no worse than today.<\/p>

I am describing a mechanism that history documents with painful consistency.<\/p>

The Soviet system understood this mechanism well. It did not need every citizen to become an antisemite<\/a>. It only needed enough citizens to become comfortable hearing antisemitic ideas without objecting. Once that threshold was crossed, the rest followed.<\/p>

The process is predictable: stereotypes become jokes. Jokes become explanations. Explanations become political narratives. Political narratives create permission structures. What was unthinkable yesterday becomes acceptable today.<\/p>

What concerns me is not merely the existence of antisemitic incidents \u2014 antisemitism has existed for centuries. What concerns me is a growing pattern of selective condemnation: prejudice denounced when it comes from political opponents, rationalized when it comes from political allies. The practical result, regardless of intent, is the same: normalization.<\/p>

In the U.S. today, antisemitism does not reliably end careers. It does not end congressional<\/a> terms. At most, it produces a symbolic censure \u2014 a piece of paper. History suggests that when prejudice stops carrying consequences, it does not remain static.<\/p>Build the backup exit

I am not calling for panic. I am not suggesting abandoning lives, burning bridges, or departing tomorrow morning.<\/p>

I am calling for prudence \u2014 and I am calling for it now, while the doors are still open.<\/p>

Every commercial aircraft has emergency exits. Passengers almost never use them. Most flights end safely. Yet nobody argues that emergency exits are unnecessary. Their value lies precisely in the fact that they exist before they are needed.<\/p>

For Jews around the world, the modern State of Israel <\/a>represents something historically unprecedented. For nearly 2,000 years, Jewish communities had no such option \u2014 no place on earth that would take them in unconditionally. Today that place exists.<\/p>

To American Jewry \u2014 and to Jews everywhere \u2014 I say this:<\/p>

Claim your citizenship under the Law of Return. It is your birthright \u2014 a right earned through the immense suffering of your ancestors. Do not allow it to remain theoretical.<\/p>

Secure a foothold. Open a bank account. Rent or purchase a small apartment, even if you never live there full-time.<\/p>

Send your children for a year of study. Let them learn Hebrew. Let them know the land that will always receive them without conditions.<\/p>

Build professional and social connections. Make Israel real in your life \u2014 not a symbol, not a political position, but a physical place where you have roots.<\/p>

This is not cowardice. This is sovereignty. The difference between a refugee who runs and a person who walks with dignity is exactly this: preparation.<\/p>

For 2,000 years, your ancestors ended every Passover Seder<\/a> with the same words: \"Next year in Jerusalem.\" They had nothing but hope. You have a passport and an airline ticket. Do not treat that historic privilege as theoretical.<\/p>

The person who has an emergency exit sleeps peacefully. History records what happened to those who did \u2014 and to those who did not \u2014 prepare while there was still time.<\/p>A note from Georgia

Georgia demonstrated that genuine, centurieslong brotherhood between Christians<\/a> and Jews is possible \u2014 even under totalitarian pressure, even when a hostile state machine worked to destroy it. I write these words out of that spirit: not fear, not politics, but the bond between two peoples who have walked together through history's most difficult corridors.<\/p>

I sincerely hope that these concerns prove unnecessary. I would be grateful to be proven wrong. The patterns I have described may not lead where historical patterns have often led. Institutions may hold. Societies may self-correct.<\/p>

But history also teaches that the time to act is while acting remains a choice \u2014 not after it becomes a necessity.<\/p>

The forest is dry. The sparks are flying. Build the exit while the doors are still open \u2014 while this is a choice, not a flight.<\/p>

BOYCOTTING ISRAEL MEANS CUTTING YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE<\/a><\/p>

Care for your children<\/a>.<\/p>

Because if history is any guide, the time to prepare is now \u2014 while the choice is still yours to make freely.<\/p>

Emzari Gelashvili is a former Member of the Georgian Parliament (2008\u20132012); former senior official in Georgia's Ministry of State Security, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Internal Affairs. He is based in San Francisco.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Antisemitism_Protesters_DNC_Chicago_Israel_Palestine_m1.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595714-1780642800", "title":"Lock Congress in Independence Hall and don’t let them out until they reach permitting reform deal", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595714%2Fcongress-independence-hall-permitting-reform-deal%2F", "byline":"Fred H. Hutchison", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"From May to July 1776, delegates from 13 disparate colonies sat in a stuffy room in Philadelphia, windows sealed against eavesdroppers, sweating through coarse wool coats in the summer heat. They disagreed about nearly everything. Thomas Jefferson’s elegant and inspired draft was sliced by a quarter in debate. Delegates from the South threatened to walk […]", "description":""

From May to July 1776<\/a>, delegates from 13 disparate colonies sat in a stuffy room in Philadelphia<\/a>, windows sealed against eavesdroppers, sweating through coarse wool coats in the summer heat.<\/p>

They disagreed about nearly everything. Thomas Jefferson's elegant and inspired draft was sliced by a quarter in debate. Delegates from the South threatened to walk unless an anti-slavery<\/a> passage was removed. The 56 men (yes, all men) argued incessantly but did not leave until they had produced the most consequential political document in human history.<\/p>

Eleven years later, after a brutal war of independence and through the collapse of the \"loose confederation of states,\" the delegates returned to Philadelphia. \u2026 The same building in the same summer heat. They argued again. Disagreed again. Sweated together (again). Then, they produced the Constitution by the same method: conflict followed, eventually, by compromise.<\/p>

COLORADO SHOWS WHY WE NEED PERMITTING REFORM<\/a><\/p>

This is the founding tradition we have abandoned. And America's 250th anniversary is the moment for Congress to reclaim it because conflict without compromise is chaos.<\/p>

The evidence is not hard to find. Consider what has happened (or rather not happened) with a single issue: federal permitting reform<\/a>.<\/p>

The failure<\/a> of permitting reform is one of the most clarifying examples of bipartisan dysfunction in modern American history \u2014 clarifying because it cannot be blamed on ideology.<\/p>

Republicans need permitting reform<\/a> to accelerate gas pipeline construction, LNG terminals, and other infrastructure. Democrats need it because without it, the \"clean energy transition\" is just a planning exercise. Geothermal plants are approved but unable to reach the grid. Transmission lines stalled for a decade in endless review and litigation. Utility-scale solar projects that exist only on paper.<\/p>

Everyone agrees that the existing system (if you can call it a \"system\") is broken. Projects routinely wait seven to 10 years for final federal decisions. Seven to 10 years. The transcontinental railroad was built in six.<\/p>

Congress has repeatedly gotten close \u2014 bills advancing through committee, bipartisan support coalescing \u2014 and then the delegates retreat to their separate taverns before the final work is done.<\/p>

The result is an electric grid straining under rising demand, reliability eroding, costs climbing, and the U.S.'s global leadership threatened. Not because anyone decided this was acceptable, but because conflict without compromise has become the de facto operating standard of our time.<\/p>

Word is starting to trickle out that 2026 may be different. A broad consensus seems to be emerging in the Senate on a relatively narrow (but critical) list of permitting-related items \u2014 such as the need to protect valid federal licenses from being revoked by either administrative fiat or judicial vacatur.<\/p>

Unfortunately, with this being an election year, the time to reach a deal is relatively short. What may be needed is a \"forcing mechanism,\" and I have a modest idea.<\/p>

Both the House and the Senate are expected to break for the July 4 recess on or about June 26, just three weeks from now. If the key permitting reform negotiators haven't reached an agreement by then, we should put them in an Uber XL and send them up to Independence Hall in Philadelphia. No staff. No phones. No air conditioning. Close the windows. Lock the doors \u2026 and don't let them out until they have a meaningful permitting reform deal<\/a>.<\/p>

The Founders didn't have air conditioning. They had urgency. They had the summer heat pressing down on them from every direction. They argued. Disagreed. Sweated together. And they did not leave until the work was done.<\/p>

That is the forcing mechanism. That is what Philadelphia provides that Washington never will.<\/p>

Washington is a city organized around perpetuating the status quo \u2014 every committee room, every K Street office, every Thursday afternoon flight back home is designed to make doing very little feel as if they're doing something quite substantial.<\/p>

Philadelphia has a different memory. Philadelphia remembers what it felt like when survival required resolution \u2014 when the work had to get done because the alternative was dissolution.<\/p>

The negotiators are close. The raw material exists. The bipartisan will, however tentative, exists. What has been missing is the condition that makes departure without resolution unthinkable.<\/p>

SMALL OIL PRODUCERS NEED RELIEF FROM WASHINGTON\u2019S ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL REGULATIONS<\/a><\/p>

At 250, America<\/a> doesn't need just grand ceremonies and spectacular fireworks (although those will be great). We need a real, substantive accomplishment. Pass permitting reform and we prove that the most representative of our key institutions still works. Fail again \u2014 retreat to the separate taverns one more time \u2014 and we have our answer about that too.<\/p>

If Congress can't get permitting reform done in Washington, maybe a change of venue is in order.<\/p>

Fred H. Hutchison is the founder, president & CEO of LNG Allies, an organization dedicated to USLNG advocacy and international energy partnerships.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ap-17109670652578-e1780601894912.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595555-1780642800", "title":"The plot to overthrow Armenia’s prime minister as US draws closer to key ally", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595555%2Farmenia-prime-minister-nikol-pashinyan%2F", "byline":"Duggan Flanakin", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stopped in Armenia on May 26 (on his way back from an official visit to India) to meet with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to sign the “Charter on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Armenia and the United States.” Rubio’s visit — the first by a U.S. […]", "description":""

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stopped in Armenia<\/a> on May 26 (on his way back from an official visit to India<\/a>) to meet with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to sign the \u201cCharter on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Armenia and the United States.\u201d<\/p>

Rubio\u2019s visit \u2014 the first by a U.S. Secretary of State since 2014 \u2014 came on the heels of the February visit by Vice President JD Vance that included meetings with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan<\/a>, President Vahagn Khachaturyan, and other top officials. Vance signed a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement and announced a $11 million purchase by Armenia of U.S.-made V-BAT surveillance drones.<\/p>

The Charter reaffirms the two nations\u2019 commitment to shared democratic values and mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity; advancing political and religious liberty, economic freedom, the rule of law, and unalienable rights; and supporting innovation, technological advancement, and energy security.<\/p>

GRAHAM PLATNER QUESTIONED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN NOW-DELETED REDDIT COMMENTS: REPORT<\/a><\/p>

Rubio emphasized that the agreement marks \u201cthe biggest step taken to date toward making this historic route a reality, advancing peace, and increasing prosperity in Armenia and throughout the region.\u201d Mirzoyan added, \u201cWe have elevated our strategic partnership to a new level by renaming it a comprehensive strategic partnership.\u201d<\/p>

Rubio and Mirzoyan also signed a framework agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project \u2014 a 43-kilometer transit corridor that would link Azerbaijan\u2019s<\/a> Nakhchivan exclave to Turkey via southern Armenia, bypassing Russia and Iran.<\/p>

Under yet another memorandum of understanding, a U.S.-backed TRIPP Development Company (with a 74% U.S. stake) would oversee rail, road, energy, and digital infrastructure for 49 years, with Armenia retaining sovereignty. The two nations also agreed on a framework for securing supply in mining and processing of critical and rare-earth minerals.<\/p>

But not everyone is happy about Armenia<\/a> moving closer to the U.S. and the European Union. Russia in particular (as well as the now-weakened Iranian regime) has threatened economic retaliation over Armenia\u2019s pro-Western shift. Moscow has already imposed import restrictions on a number of Armenian products.<\/p>

As Pashinyan moves his nation closer to the West (and further from Moscow and Tehran), the June 7 Armenian parliamentary elections loom large on the horizon as a test of his leadership.<\/p>

Perhaps the most curious evidence of foreign interference comes from video footage that shows former International Criminal Court<\/a> prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo and his son Tom\u00e1s discussing pressure campaigns aimed at removing Pashinyan from office \u2013 and thereby disrupting the growing U.S.-Armenia relationship.<\/p>

Ocampo, an Argentine lawyer who served as the ICC\u2019s founding chief prosecutor from 2003 to 2012, is a prominent name in international justice circles and has appeared on high-level legal and governance platforms, including in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).<\/p>

In one recorded conversation, Ocampo claims to be running an AI-powered influence and advocacy campaign in the Caucasus region. In another, Tom\u00e1s is heard admitting that Armenian pressure groups had briefed them with an instruction: \u201cWhat we need to achieve is to remove Pashinyan, the Prime Minister.\u201d<\/p>

Only days before signing major agreements with the United States, Armenia hosted a landmark EU summit in Yerevan, with Brussels promising deeper economic and security cooperation. The EU has also been sending experts to help Armenia counter Russian<\/a> propaganda, cyber-attacks, and election interference.<\/p>

Moscow had already sounded the alarm. Russia's foreign ministry has accused Armenia of being dragged into the EU's \u201canti-Russian orbit\u201d and warned of \u201cnegative political and economic consequences\u201d if Yerevan continues its nation\u2019s westward path.<\/p>

Back on May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued what amounted to a barely veiled threat.<\/p>

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Putin drew a direct parallel between Armenia's European ambitions and the chain of events that preceded Russia's war against Ukraine. \u201cWe are now living through everything that is happening on the Ukrainian track,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd where did it begin? With Ukraine joining or attempting to join the EU.\u201d<\/p>

For the Gulf, the issue is not merely an Armenian domestic dispute. The South Caucasus has become a strategic corridor contest linking Europe, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Central Asia, and energy markets, with Iran and Russia both wary of Western-backed routes that could weaken their influence.<\/p>

The TRIPP project, which could give the U.S. exclusive development rights to the 43-km corridor, is the major bone of contention for both Russia and Iran<\/a>.<\/p>

Iran has threatened to block the project. Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iran\u2019s supreme leader, warned that the corridor would become a \u201cgraveyard\u201d for Trump\u2019s \u201cmercenaries,\u201d while Russia said Western powers should avoid imposing solutions in the region and instead leave the process to regional players, including Russia, Iran, and Turkey.\u00a0<\/p>

That makes Ocampo\u2019s \u201cremove Pashinyan\u201d remarks politically explosive.<\/p>

Carnegie Endowment analyst Mikayel Zolyan wrote that Pashinyan\u2019s main rivals come from Armenia\u2019s pro-Russia opposition. A June victory for those forces would mean Yerevan turning toward Moscow and halting the peace process with Azerbaijan and Turkey. <\/p>

Ocampo has a history of interference in international affairs. His Middle East record also includes a controversial Libya consultancy that raised questions about the role of former international prosecutors in private conflict work.<\/p>

EVERY US ALLY IS UNDER ATTACK \u2014 FROM THE VERY INSTITUTIONS AMERICAN TAXPAYERS FUND<\/a><\/p>

In 2017, Mediapart and European<\/a> Investigative Collaborations reported that a contract was drawn up in Abu Dhabi in April 2015 between El Hurra and Ocampo\u2019s company Transparent Markets SA. The report said the promised fees were $1 million a year for three years, and that Ocampo confirmed receiving $750,000 before the contract ended.<\/p>

As June 7 approaches, there are signs that the Armenian electorate is not being swayed by Russian and Iranian threats. A new American Election Study report of projected voter behavior suggests that Pashinyan\u2019s Civil Contract party is dominating the electoral field (though not as a single-party government). Pashinyan had a 47.8% approval rate against only 35.8% disapproval.<\/p>

Duggan Flanakin is a policy analyst at the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP25356498958539.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595526-1780642800", "title":"Can ‘Low-T’ Talarico attacks work? Ask Tim Walz", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4595526%2Fcan-low-t-talarico-attacks-work-ask-tim-walz%2F", "byline":"W. James Antle III", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Democrats got the Texas Senate race they wanted with James Talarico facing Attorney General Ken Paxton, but Republicans want to remind them of the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” The GOP has immediately and almost joyfully gone negative against Talarico, in an attempt to define him as […]", "description":""

Democrats<\/a> got the Texas<\/a> Senate race they wanted with James Talarico<\/a> facing Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a>, but Republicans want to remind them of the old saying, \u201cBe careful what you wish for, you just might get it.\u201d<\/p>

The GOP has immediately and almost joyfully gone negative against Talarico, in an attempt to define him as someone culturally out of step with \u2014 and maybe a little too weird for<\/a> \u2014 Texas.<\/p>

A lot of this groundwork was laid before Paxton defeated four-term Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) in the runoff election last month, as Talarico secured the Democratic nomination in the first round of voting back in March.<\/p>

Talarico, 37, is being portrayed as an effeminate, meat-skeptical progressive with radical, even bizarre, views on gender, race, and religion.<\/p>

\"He goes by a few names that you all may have heard of. Some people know him as tofu Talarico. Some people call him six-gender Jimmy. I've even heard some people call him James Talafreako,\" Paxton told a cheering crowd. \"And others refer to him simply as Low-T Talarico.\"<\/p>

\"He's clearly transitioning into a female,\" deputy White House<\/a> chief of staff Stephen Miller<\/a>, a longtime top adviser to President Donald Trump<\/a>, said of Talarico. \"When Talarico goes in for a blood test, when he gets a physical, blood doesn't come out. Soy milk comes out.\"<\/p>

Democrats have pushed back<\/a> with an awkward photograph of Talarico chomping on a turkey leg, pointing out that he eats meat even if his girlfriend \u2014 yes, he has a girlfriend \u2014\u00a0doesn\u2019t. The picture defied communications strategists\u2019 advice<\/a> that candidates should always use utensils on camera, but it got the point across.<\/p>

The reason for these attacks is that a big part of Talarico\u2019s appeal compared to a generic Democrat was that he didn\u2019t seem like a wild-eyed liberal. He speaks in measured tones, he is a Presbyterian seminarian who goes to church and practices religion, and he is clean-cut.<\/p>

Even New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a socialist with a well-established left-wing resume, always wore a suit and tie on the campaign trail and tried to be relatable.<\/p>

But Democrats have presented candidates who \u201ccode\u201d centrist or conservative before, while taking uniformly liberal policy positions. Thus, Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN) was supposed to help former Vice President Kamala Harris appeal to men and working-class whites during the 2024 campaign because he liked football, the outdoors, and cars.<\/p>

Walz is the precedent for what Republicans are attempting to do with their aggressive rebranding of Talarico: neither his policy platform nor his overall persona were as rugged, masculine, or culturally conservative as Democratic consultants initially imagined.<\/p>

The Minnesota governor simply didn\u2019t resonate with the types of voters to whom he was supposed to appeal and, by most accounts, lost the vice presidential debate to someone who did<\/a>, despite a concerted Democratic campaign to brand that person<\/a> as \u201cweird.\u201d <\/p>

Talarico\u2019s mainline Protestantism is quite different from the evangelical variety of many Texas voters. He is especially liberal on social issues.<\/p>

There\u2019s always the risk that this will backfire. The political climate is different in the midterm elections than it was two years ago. At the moment, overall conditions favor the Democrats more, and it is Republicans who control Congress and the White House who are on the hook for voters\u2019 cost-of-living concerns.<\/p>

What was funny in 2024 might not play as well in 2026.<\/p>

Texas is a conservative state where Democrats have dumped a ton of money into races, sometimes coming tantalizingly close but almost always on the losing end. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) managed to be reelected during the last blue wave in 2018, in addition to 2024.<\/p>

But Democrats think Paxton\u2019s baggage<\/a> and the ugly Republican primary<\/a> (Cornyn compared<\/a> the eventual nominee\u2019s morals to those of a strip club owner) may give them an opening beyond the national environment. Leftward movement among Texas whites, plus a collapse in Hispanic support for Republicans relative to 2024, could make for a competitive race.<\/p>

Talarico leads by 1.5 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average<\/a>, but a lot of the polls are old, and a single survey by the University of Texas could skew the sample. Paxton is coming off three statewide wins as attorney general.<\/p>

THE DEMOCRATIC MESS IN MAINE<\/a><\/p>

Republicans are defending a bigger majority in the Senate than the House, but Democrats like the candidates they have in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, and yes, Texas, all states Trump won, some of them by double digits.<\/p>

It remains to be seen whether the Democrats\u2019 faith in Talarico will pay off come November. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26049014277675-e1779833976471.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595496-1780642800", "title":"Nightmare scenario: Washington is paying for Hezbollah’s shield", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595496%2Fwashington-paying-for-hezbollah-shield-unifil%2F", "byline":"Jose Lev Alvarez", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was created in March 1978 by Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426 after Israel’s Operation Litani. Its mandate required confirming Israeli withdrawal, restoring peace and security, and helping Beirut reassert sovereignty in the south. What began 47 years ago as a temporary buffer has mutated into an institutional […]", "description":""

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon<\/a> was created in March 1978 by Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426 after Israel\u2019s<\/a> Operation Litani. Its mandate required confirming Israeli withdrawal, restoring peace and security, and helping Beirut reassert sovereignty in the south. What began 47 years ago as a temporary buffer has mutated into an institutional obstacle to confronting Iranian<\/a>-backed Hezbollah. Unlike robust Chapter VII missions, UNIFIL operates under limited rules of engagement that preclude meaningful enforcement against nonstate actors such as Hezbollah.<\/p>

After the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, Resolution 1701 expanded UNIFIL to more than 10,000 troops with a broader mandate to prevent hostile acts and support Lebanese Armed Forces redeployment to the area. Yet Hezbollah transformed southern Lebanon into a forward base. Their arsenal grew from 15,000 rockets in 2006 to more than 150,000 precision-guided munitions and short-range systems by 2023 despite thousands of international peacekeepers. It built hundreds of tunnels and launch sites and embedded command infrastructure within meters of UNIFIL observation posts and bases. UNIFIL patrols documented violations but produced no disarmament. Subsequent Lebanese governments evaded their obligations while the force\u2019s presence lent international cover to inaction.<\/p>

However, recent evidence reveals the worst nightmare possible. In October 2024, Hezbollah terrorists captured by Israeli forces confessed to bribing UNIFIL personnel. The payments allowed Hezbollah to exploit UNIFIL positions, cameras, and equipment for surveillance and attacks on Israel. These accounts align with Israeli discoveries of Hezbollah<\/a> infrastructure constructed in direct proximity to UNIFIL strategic areas. Throughout the subsequent conflict, UNIFIL largely suspended operations. It acted as a de facto human shield that complicated Israeli maneuvers without impeding Hezbollah. Recent reports show UNIFIL discovering 225 caches only after LAF pressure intensified, while facing routine obstruction from Hezbollah supporters. Its triannual reports consistently emphasized Israeli movements over the systematic Hezbollah buildup that preceded the war, masking its full scale.<\/p>

Geostrategically, UNIFIL has served Tehran\u2019s interests by raising the political and operational costs for Israel to neutralize threats on its northern border. This dynamic preserved Hezbollah\u2019s deterrent value within the Iranian axis of resistance and sustained pressure advancing Iran\u2019s position without direct confrontation. <\/p>

For the United States, which contributes nearly 27% of UNIFIL\u2019s<\/a> roughly $550 million annual budget \u2014 about $140 million a year \u2014 this amounts to subsidizing a mechanism that helps preserve an adversary\u2019s proxy capabilities. Since 2006, American contributions have surpassed $2.5 billion with negligible return on core mandate objectives until unilateral Israeli action and subsequent LAF operations shifted facts on the ground. This arrangement erodes deterrence credibility while adversaries observe that multilateral forces, largely funded by Washington, create safe havens rather than accountability. It also imposes opportunity costs, locking resources into a failed framework instead of flexible instruments aligned with U.S. priorities.<\/p>

Ergo, the U.S. should terminate its contributions to UNIFIL immediately. Equivalent funds should flow through bilateral channels to the LAF, subject to measurable benchmarks: complete removal of unauthorized weapons and infrastructure south of the Litani River, verified by independent technical means, and sustained prevention of re-infiltration.\u00a0<\/p>

ISRAEL AND LEBANON ANNOUNCE A NEW CEASEFIRE, BUT HEZBOLLAH SIGNALED IT WON\u2019T COOPERATE<\/a><\/p>

At the same time, Washington must accelerate the mission\u2019s drawdown in the Security Council, building on the more effective Israel-Lebanon ceasefire oversight committee already coordinating LAF operations. To fulfill the monitoring requirements without institutional bias or multilateral capture, the U.S. could support deployment of advanced sensor networks and drone surveillance<\/a> under bilateral or trilateral arrangements that exclude veto-prone multilateral structures. <\/p>

Any successor force must enforce, not observe. Ending U.S. support for UNIFIL would deny Iran a subsidized shield, restore leverage over Beirut, and end Washington\u2019s habit of funding failure in Lebanon.<\/p>

Jose Lev Alvarez is an American\u2013Israeli scholar specializing in international security policy. A multilingual veteran of the IDF special forces and the U.S. Army, he holds three master\u2019s degrees, a medical degree, and is completing a Ph.D. in Intelligence and Global Security in the Washington, D.C., area.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP19037701731124.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593778-1780641900", "title":"Abdul Carter’s intolerant tantrum over having Republican teammates", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fmagazine-your-land%2F4593778%2Fabdul-carter-tantrum-republican-teammates%2F", "byline":"Zachary Faria", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Keeping an NFL locker room cohesive and having players ready to battle for each other on Sundays in the fall and winter are crucial to NFL success. The New York Giants have decided to sabotage that because their quarterback has mainstream Republican political views. Jaxson Dart is supposed to be the team’s new franchise quarterback, […]", "description":""

Keeping an NFL<\/a> locker room cohesive and having players ready to battle for each other on Sundays in the fall and winter are crucial to NFL success. The New York<\/a> Giants have decided to sabotage that because their quarterback has mainstream Republican<\/a> political views.<\/p>

Jaxson Dart is supposed to be the team\u2019s new franchise quarterback, but he committed the great sin of introducing President Donald Trump<\/a> at a rally. This angered fellow second-year player Abdul Carter, who took to social media to sow division<\/a> in the locker room and then claimed that the media was to blame by noticing. Carter was unable to talk about a political disagreement with a teammate, \u201cas men,\u201d in Carter\u2019s words<\/a>, without trying to shame him on social media first.<\/p>

GIANTS QUARTERBACK JAXSON DART SLAMMED FOR INTRODUCING TRUMP \u2014 IF ONLY HE HAD BEATEN HIS GIRLFRIEND<\/a><\/p>

This is something that will now hang over the Giants for the duration of the season, given that the rabid left-wingers in sports media, particularly in New York, will happily dredge it up every time Dart makes a mistake. And it will all be because Carter could not handle the idea that his teammate supports the leader of a mainstream political party that Carter does not. Carter ensured that he, Dart, and the rest of the Giants organization would have this dispute hanging over their head because of his tantrum.<\/p>

It is a jarring example of left-wing selfishness and intolerance, given Carter\u2019s profession. The NFL locker room is itself an incredibly diverse place, full of people with far more despicable views or personal records than Dart. And yet Carter could not fathom the idea of one of his teammates holding a political view held by some 77 million people, instead deciding to leverage favorable left-wing media to criticize his teammate and put him in his place.<\/p>

FOR SUPPORTING TRUMP, JAXSON DART GETS THE TOM BRADY TREATMENT<\/a><\/p>

Carter has now created divisions in the locker room in an offseason in which his team is coming off a pathetic four-win season. He did so based on the toxic left-wing ideas that politics rules all and that you cannot have meaningful<\/a> personal relationships with friends, or, in this case, teammates, who have different political opinions than you. This is not limited to Dart, either \u2014 do you really think there is not a single player on the roster aside from the quarterback who voted for or supports Trump?<\/p>

Most of all, this is nothing more than a pathetic tantrum by a man who cannot fathom living among people who don\u2019t share his politics. Carter created a controversy out of nothing and has sabotaged the team\u2019s chemistry three months before the season even starts by acting like a toxic left-winger and a petulant child, though I repeat myself.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/YL.AbdulCarter.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593091-1780641900", "title":"Chinese immigrant Jing Dong ditches English test after causing deadly bus crash", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4593091%2Fchinese-jing-dong-english-test-virginia-bus-crash%2F", "byline":"Peter Cordi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Bus driver Jing Dong allegedly killed five people last week, including two children, when he plowed into other vehicles on I-95 in Virginia. Not only was the naturalized U.S. citizen from China unable to speak English, but he also refused an English proficiency test after the crash. So, what was he doing on our roads? […]", "description":""

Bus driver Jing Dong allegedly killed five people<\/a> last week, including two children, when he plowed into other vehicles<\/a> on I-95 in Virginia. Not only was the naturalized U.S. citizen from China unable to speak English, but he also refused an English proficiency test after the crash. So, what was he doing on our roads?<\/p>

Two more questions: How did Dong gain American citizenship without being able to speak the language, and how did he get a commercial driver's license? While neither should have been possible, the latter is being investigated by the Department of Transportation, which has subpoenaed<\/a> the state of New York for information on his CDL, training, and driving school.<\/p>

Dong\u2019s crash is just the latest in a string of deadly incidents allegedly caused by immigrants given CDLs without being able to speak English. Just last year, three major incidents generated headlines and caused the Trump administration to crack down on such licenses being given to non-English speakers. Indian illegal immigrant Harjinder Singh allegedly killed three<\/a> while making an unauthorized U-turn in his semi-truck; Indian illegal immigrant Jashanpreet Singh allegedly killed another three<\/a> when he slammed his semi-truck into stopped traffic; and Chinese illegal immigrant Yisong Huang allegedly rear-ended a tractor-trailer with his bus while distracted by a phone video, killing one.<\/p>

In the wake of those incidents, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that roughly 17,000 commercial truck drivers were taken off the roads<\/a> for failing English proficiency tests. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) tried not to comply with the federal government, while his likely successor, Tom Steyer, called the crackdown \u201cracial profiling.\u201d Looks like the Trump administration should have cracked down even harder.<\/p>

Being able to read and speak the English language is incredibly important if you\u2019re trying to operate a 20-ton vehicle capable of mass destruction and carnage. You need to be able to read road signs and cooperate with law enforcement, but also, one would expect the formal training to have been in the English language since federal law requires CDL recipients to be proficient in English. Without speaking the language of the country, how well-prepared could Dong have been? Obviously not well enough.<\/p>

Some have pushed back on those criticizing New York and bus company E&P Travel Inc for allowing a non-English speaker to operate a commercial vehicle, suggesting that the crash may not have been a direct result of Dong\u2019s lack of proficiency but rather general carelessness. To that, my response is twofold: First, Dong would certainly have been better prepared if he spoke the language, and second, five people could still be alive today if New York<\/a> simply followed federal law.<\/p>

DUFFY ANNOUNCES ALL COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE TESTS WILL ONLY BE GIVEN IN ENGLISH<\/a><\/p>

Moving off CDLs for a moment, it\u2019s just as ridiculous that Dong was able to gain U.S. citizenship without knowing the English language. There are federal English requirements for citizenship as well, with some exceptions for applicants 50 years of age or older, but Dong is 48. So what gives? What\u2019s the point of having English proficiency laws if nobody will enforce them? A nation is only as strong as its rule of law.<\/p>

In a span of under 12 months, four immigrants given CDLs without speaking English have allegedly taken 12 innocent lives. Would it be so horrible to follow the law and require commercial driver's license recipients to pass an English proficiency test? The lives saved would certainly be worth the liberal tears.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/YL.Chinese.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4589225-1780641000", "title":"Trump’s personal legal team aims to clear hush money conviction", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4589225%2Ftrump-legal-team-aim-clear-hush-money-conviction%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Nearly two years after a Manhattan jury found President Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts in a hush money case, the legal battle to erase the president’s lone criminal conviction remains alive across multiple courts, even as the political moment that surrounded the historic verdict has largely faded into history. When the verdict came down on May 30, […]", "description":""

Nearly two years after a Manhattan<\/a> jury found President Donald Trump<\/a> guilty on 34 felony counts in a hush money case, the legal battle to erase the president\u2019s lone criminal conviction remains alive across multiple courts, even as the political moment that surrounded the historic verdict has largely faded into history.<\/p>

When the verdict came down on May 30, 2024, then-President Joe Biden<\/a> was still seeking reelection, and Democrats openly hoped the conviction would cripple then-candidate Trump\u2019s bid to return to the White House<\/a>.<\/p>

Instead, Biden\u2019s disastrous debate performance less than a month later upended the race, and within weeks, he dropped out altogether. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a> became the Democratic nominee, and Trump ultimately won the presidency for a second, nonconsecutive term, despite becoming the first former president ever convicted of a crime.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s then-legal team included Todd Blanche<\/a> and Emil Bove, who, in the second administration, were rewarded for their loyalty by being named acting attorney general and a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, respectively.<\/p>

And yet, the conviction itself remains unresolved, and the record still stands that Trump is the first convicted felon to serve as president.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s new legal team is pursuing multiple avenues to overturn the verdict, including a pending appeal in New York state court and a separate effort to move the case into federal court on presidential immunity grounds. Both tracks remain active, and either could ultimately wipe away the conviction that briefly appeared poised to reshape the 2024 election<\/a>.<\/p>

If anything, though, the conviction helped Trump politically in his successful quest to reclaim the presidency. Rather than hurting his campaign, the conviction strengthened Trump's narrative that he was the victim of a politically motivated, corrupt establishment. This grievance galvanized his supporters and helped unify the Republican Party<\/a> behind him.<\/p>

Trump also successfully leveraged the trial and eventual verdict to raise tens of millions of dollars from both established donors and grassroots supporters who viewed the prosecution as an act of \"lawfare<\/a>.\"<\/p>The flaws in the hush money trial

The appeals come as prominent constitutional and legal experts have said the case should never have resulted in a conviction.<\/p>

\u201cAfter 63 years of practicing criminal law, I have never seen a weaker case than this one,\u201d Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThis was the worst example of lawfare and targeting that I\u2019ve ever seen. They just made up a crime.\u201d<\/p>

The Manhattan prosecution stemmed from allegations that Trump falsified business records related to reimbursements paid to former attorney Michael Cohen<\/a> after a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels<\/a> ahead of the 2016 election. Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg<\/a> ultimately secured convictions on all 34 counts.<\/p>

The case quickly became a flashpoint in the broader debate over whether prosecutors were selectively targeting Trump, given the two federal criminal indictments he faced from the Biden administration<\/a> and a separate racketeering case brought by Fulton County<\/a> District Attorney Fani Willis<\/a>, all of which were ultimately dismissed. Critics pointed to Bragg\u2019s campaign rhetoric about pursuing Trump and to the role of Matthew Colangelo<\/a>, a former senior Justice Department official who left the Biden administration to join Bragg\u2019s office and help lead the prosecution.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s supporters also attacked a series of decisions made by New York Justice Juan Merchan throughout the proceedings, including the gag order that restricted many of Trump\u2019s public comments about witnesses and participants connected to the case. Further scrutiny was raised as to whether Merchan should have recused himself because of small-dollar political donations he made before the trial and because his daughter, Loren Merchan<\/a>, worked as a Democratic political consultant whose firm had ties to prominent Democratic candidates and causes.<\/p>

The state court appeal now underway revisits many of those issues, but it also focuses on several broader constitutional arguments that Trump\u2019s lawyers believe could unravel the conviction.<\/p>Trump\u2019s lawyers say federal law should have barred prosecution altogether

One of the most significant arguments centers on whether Bragg improperly relied on an alleged federal campaign finance violation to transform what otherwise would have been misdemeanor business records charges into felony offenses.<\/p>

Kellen Dwyer, a constitutional and criminal law attorney at Holtzman Vogel, said that the issue appears prominently in Trump\u2019s 96-page<\/a> appellate briefing filed last October and could prove consequential.<\/p>

\u201cThis is actually his lead argument, the first one in his brief, which gives you a sense that his lawyers think this is their best argument, and they\u2019re probably right about that,\u201d Dwyer told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

According to Dwyer, federal law broadly preempts state officials from enforcing federal campaign finance laws, raising questions about whether a local district attorney can use an alleged federal election-law violation as the foundation for a state felony prosecution.<\/p>

\u201cThe feds are supposed to enforce federal campaign finance laws,\u201d Dwyer said. \u201cYou don\u2019t want local elected officials trying to enforce federal campaign finance law because their incentives are very different.\u201d<\/p>Trump\u2019s immunity argument

Trump\u2019s lawyers are also arguing that the conviction cannot stand on the basis that Bragg\u2019s team introduced evidence that the Supreme Court<\/a> later determined falls within the scope of presidential immunity.<\/p>

Less than five weeks after Trump was convicted in Manhattan, the Supreme Court issued its landmark July 2024 presidential immunity ruling<\/a>, a decision that immediately became central to his effort to overturn the verdict. The court held that presidents enjoy broad protection from criminal prosecution for official acts and that evidence related to those acts generally cannot be used in criminal proceedings.<\/p>

Dwyer said the issue could present problems for the prosecution because jurors heard evidence involving Trump\u2019s interactions with White House aides and conduct that occurred while he was serving as president.<\/p>

\u201cThe prosecutor used a lot of evidence of what under Trump v. United States would be considered official presidential acts,\u201d Dwyer said of the Supreme Court\u2019s decision, which split 6-3. \u201cTrump v. U.S. is pretty clear that evidence of official acts can\u2019t be used as part of a criminal trial, so that\u2019s definitely going to be a major issue in the appeal.\u201d<\/p>

Trump\u2019s state court appeal additionally argues that Merchan should have recused himself from the case and challenges several of the judge\u2019s rulings throughout the proceedings. The case has also been marred by criticism<\/a> over its convoluted jury instructions, which allowed jurors to convict without unanimously agreeing on the same underlying unlawful means supporting the felony charges.<\/p>

Separate from the state appeal, Trump is also pursuing a federal court strategy that could eventually place the conviction on a path toward Supreme Court review.<\/p>

Last year, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, to take another look at Trump\u2019s effort to move the case from state court into federal court. The appellate panel concluded that Hellerstein failed to consider the full implications of the Supreme Court\u2019s immunity ruling when he previously rejected Trump\u2019s request.<\/p>

Hellerstein heard arguments over the matter again in February but has not yet issued a ruling.<\/p>Waiting game ensues

Dershowitz suggested the delays in outcomes from either court may reflect the unusual procedural posture of the criminal case against Trump.<\/p>

\u201cI think it\u2019s possible that each court is waiting for the other, because a decision by one might moot the other,\u201d he said, referring to the parallel proceedings in state and federal court.<\/p>

Dershowitz argued that the most straightforward outcome would be for an appellate court to reverse the conviction altogether.<\/p>

\u201cThe cleanest track is to say this is a made-up crime, and we reverse and dismiss with prejudice,\u201d he said.<\/p>

While acknowledging that no one outside the courts knows exactly what is happening behind the scenes, Dwyer said he could understand why judges might be reluctant to be the first to issue a ruling in a case involving a former president, unresolved immunity questions, and competing state and federal proceedings.<\/p>

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t expect it to go that long,\u201d he said when asked whether the litigation could extend beyond Trump\u2019s presidency. \u201cThat would be pretty extraordinary for an appeal that\u2019s been fully briefed for close to a year now.\u201d<\/p>

DEMOCRATS EYE BLANCHE AND PATEL SUBPOENAS AFTER BONDI DEFLECTS EPSTEIN QUESTIONS<\/a><\/p>

Former federal prosecutor David Gelman said neither Hellerstein nor the state\u2019s highest appeals court appears to be operating with any sense of urgency.<\/p>

\u201cNobody\u2019s rushing anything,\u201d Gelman told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThe only reason they brought these charges was to stop him from becoming president of the United States. Well, that failed tremendously.\u201d<\/p>

Kaelan Deese (@KaelanDC<\/a>) is a Justice Department reporter for the Washington Examiner. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WB.WhiteHouse.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595355-1780640100", "title":"Henry Nowak and fatal anti-racism", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4595355%2Fhenry-nowak-fatal-antiracism%2F", "byline":"Hugo Gurdon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Our psychosis about racism after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis policeman in 2020 has led to the reciprocal murder of a clean-cut young white man 4,000 miles away in England. On a city street last December, Vikrum Digwa, 23, murdered Henry Nowak, 18, with the kirpan dagger he carries as a […]", "description":""

Our psychosis about racism<\/a> after George Floyd<\/a> died under the knee of a Minneapolis<\/a> policeman in 2020 has led to the reciprocal murder of a clean-cut young white man 4,000 miles away in England<\/a>.<\/p>

On a city street last December, Vikrum Digwa, 23, murdered Henry Nowak, 18, with the kirpan dagger he carries as a Sikh. Digwa stabbed Nowak five times, once fatally in his chest, and also in his face and legs.<\/p>

Police officers extraordinarily failed to notice this when they arrived at the scene, despite Nowak bleeding out in front of them, drowning in his own blood, and gasping, \u201cI can\u2019t breathe.\u201d<\/p>

These were also the last words of Floyd, a crazed black drug abuser<\/a>, in Minneapolis. But Nowak was white and his killer, found guilty of murder this week, was not. So police officers, indoctrinated with multicultural nonsense, allowed their racist anti-racism to obliterate common sense and the evidence of their eyes.<\/p>

Digwa accused Nowak of racism, so police handcuffed the victim and dickered around while he died. The killer denied stabbing Nowak, to which a female officer replied, \u201cI know, but we have to check, don\u2019t we?\u201d This sickening response captures two appalling yet unsurprising facts: First, anti-racism supersedes the police duty to respond to a life-threatening emergency and to investigate the truth; second, their modus operandi is to proceed to a forgone conclusion while checking a few bureaucratic boxes on the way.<\/p>

When Floyd died, Britain <\/a>imported America\u2019s mad response. London<\/a> crowds protested police brutality and systemic racism by taking a knee outside Parliament and, like their American counterparts, chanting, \u201cHands up \u2014 don\u2019t shoot.\u201d None of them seemed to remember that British police do not carry firearms.<\/p>

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer<\/a>, who was then leader of the opposition, ostentatiously took a knee for a photo op. But there was no knee for Nowak. In the House of Commons, Starmer condemned Nigel Farage<\/a>, leader of the Reform Party, who spoke for many when he raised concerns that Britain was suffering under \u201ctwo-tier\u201d racially biased policing.<\/p>

MPs barracked Farage, accusing him of inciting nativist white violence in the wake of the Nowak jury\u2019s verdict and the release of police bodycam footage. Farage had earlier said the public response to the murder and the ideologically driven incompetence of the police should be one of \u201cpure cold rage.\u201d That would seem an appropriate response to such a ghastly incident, massively compounded by doctrinaire official bungling.<\/p>

BIDEN JUST WON\u2019T GO AWAY <\/a><\/p>

The charge of incitement flowed from suggestions to that effect by left-wing media. The BBC misquoted Farage, saying he called for \u201cwhite cold rage,\u201d which is much more easily construed as racial provocation. The Beeb apologized, but even if we give it and its reporter the benefit of the doubt and accept that the falsehood was unintentional, it was clearly the product of bias against a politician who committed the unforgivable sin of speaking up for the English and for the England they are losing.<\/p>

The Nowak incident is the result of viral and obsessive anti-racism. It demonstrated its corrosive effect (which is deliberate) on the institutions and practices of liberal society under the rule of law. And it exposed the fatally weak indulgence of Western societies, which do not merely accept their doom, but nurture the violent tribalism of aliens who are bringing it about.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2278763569.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596386-1780639800", "title":"Gas prices: Drop 17 cents per gallon in one week as decreases at the pumps continue", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596386%2Fgas-prices-drop-17-cents-per-gallon-in-one-week%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The national average price for regular gas fell on Friday, dropping 17 cents in one week to $4.22 per gallon, according to AAA.  Gas prices have declined for two consecutive weeks, amid a decrease in hostilities between the United States and Iran. On Thursday, the national average price for regular gas was $4.24 per gallon, […]", "description":""

The national average price for regular gas fell on Friday, dropping 17 cents in one week to $4.22 per gallon, according to AAA. <\/p>

Gas prices<\/a> have declined for two consecutive weeks, amid a decrease in hostilities between the United States and Iran<\/a>. On Thursday, the national average price for regular gas was $4.24 per gallon, down from $4.39 a week ago. Fuel costs have dropped 27 cents since May 26 and 34 cents per gallon since setting a 2026 record high on May 21, when gas cost $4.564 per gallon<\/a>. Gas prices started to fall on Memorial Day weekend, traditionally the start of the summer driving season and, with it, typically an increase in pump prices.<\/p>

Friday's price of $4.22 per gallon is still much higher than earlier in the year. However, it is lower than a month ago, when regular gas was $4.48 per gallon. On Jan. 12, 2026, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas dropped to $2.79, the lowest price in over five years. Prices began to increase in January and early February, primarily due to winter weather that hampered much of the country at the time. Prices began to soar as Operation Epic Fury commenced on Feb. 28.<\/p>

After the surge in gas prices in early spring, a dip in prices at the pumps is a welcome sight. Relief at the pumps has also spread nationwide, with 18 states now reporting gas price averages below $4 per gallon, according to AAA<\/a>. This is in stark contrast to 16 days ago, when, on May 20, every state in the nation had an average price of $4 per gallon or higher<\/a>. <\/p>

Gas pricing trends correlated with geopolitical news surrounding the military conflict with Iran. Rumors began circulating that a peace deal between Iran and the United States was in the works on Memorial Day weekend. Experts theorized that this speculation has contributed to the recent drop in fuel costs. It represents a stark contrast from the middle of May, when geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran continued to rise, as did gas prices. Furthermore, uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz blockade led to fuel costs rising for much of May before declining recently.<\/p>

NEARLY 70% OF AMERICANS WANT IRAN WAR ENDED NOW: POLL<\/a><\/p>

Whether it is winter storms or military conflicts, fluctuations in gas prices have been a recurring trend in 2026. Yet despite these frequent, drastic pricing changes, the one thing that remains constant about gas prices in the U.S. is that costs vary by region. The states with the lowest gas prices, with one exception, are in the South \u2014 many along the Gulf Coast. The states with the highest gas prices in the country are located in the western U.S.<\/p>

Indiana remains the state with the lowest prices in the country at $3.517 per gallon. This is over 18 cents per gallon lower than the next state, Texas, at $3.699 per gallon. Oklahoma is next at $3.725 per gallon. This is followed by Louisiana at $3.774 per gallon. Next is South Carolina, a newcomer to the list of the most affordable states for gas, at $3.782 per gallon.<\/p>

Meanwhile, California remains the state with the highest gas prices in the country, though the statewide average has dropped below the $ 6-per-gallon threshold to $5.948 per gallon. Next is Washington state at $5.65 per gallon, followed by Hawaii at a statewide average of $5.614 per gallon. Alaska is next, with an average price of $5.203 per gallon, and then Oregon at $5.146 per gallon.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/gas-prices-oil-22.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4591385-1780639500", "title":"Ballroom, bunker, or boondoggle? What exactly is Trump building on the White House grounds?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4591385%2Fwhat-exactly-trump-building-on-white-house-grounds%2F", "byline":"Jamie McIntyre", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"On a warm, sunny Tuesday in May, President Donald Trump invited White House reporters to tour the work site of the crown jewel in his one-man effort to transform the nation’s capital to fit his vision of architectural beauty. Known in planning documents as the White House State Ballroom. But in donor pledge agreements, as “The […]", "description":""

On a warm, sunny Tuesday in May, President Donald Trump<\/a> invited White House reporters to tour the work site of the crown jewel in his one-man effort to transform the nation\u2019s capital to fit his vision of architectural beauty. Known in planning documents as the White House State Ballroom<\/a>. But in donor pledge agreements, as \u201cThe Donald J. Trump Ballroom at the White House.\u201d<\/p>

Speaking over a cacophony of construction workers and their heavy machinery, Trump extolled the virtues of the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom<\/a>. Which, he said, with its neoclassical Greco-Roman design, will be \u201cone of the most beautiful buildings that's ever been built in the country.\u201d<\/p>

Trump insists that not a dime of taxpayer money has been spent on the ballroom, that he and donors have covered the $400 million price tag: \u201cIt's a gift from me, and from great patriots. \u2026 It's going to cost the country nothing.\u201d<\/p>

Though known for what back in his New York developer days called \u201ctruthful hyperbole,\u201d Trump is not exaggerating when he boasts that \u201cthere will never be anything like this built again.\u201d<\/p>

Billed as a ballroom, the ornate structure is designed to be a bomb shelter with a heavy-duty steel roof Trump claims is \u201cdrone-proof,\u201d (\u201cIf a drone hits it, it bounces off\u201d), steel walls and missile-roof columns, (\u201cThe side walls are steel, impenetrable steel\u201d) reinforced concrete floors, (\u201cLook at the amount of rebar \u2026  It's very powerful concrete. It's 9,000-pound concrete\u201d) and bullet-and-blast proof windows, (\u201cThe glass is approximately four inches thick, and yet, it's amazing. You can see through it as though it didn't exist\u201d).<\/p>

When Trump first announced plans for the ballroom, he said the impetus was the need for a bigger entertainment venue for state dinners and to dispense with the practice of hosting events outside under tents on the White House lawn.<\/p>

\u201cThe water goes over everybody's shoes \u2026 and they've had a lot of catastrophes with the tent,\u201d Trump said. \u201cPresidents have been asking for this literally from the time the White House has been built.\u201d<\/p>Security bunker argument

After a federal judge barred construction of the above-ground ballroom but allowed below-ground construction to continue for national security reasons, Trump and his Department of Justice shifted their arguments to emphasize that the ballroom is an integral part of the new underground bunker. One that is replacing the World War II-era bomb shelter that was demolished along with the rest of the East Wing last year.<\/p>

Trump now touts the ballroom as a highly fortified military bastion. That will serve as the last line of defense for Washington, D.C., complete with sniper ports and a drone port on the roof<\/a>, which are depicted in AI-generated images posted on Truth Social.<\/p>

\u201cBut the entire roof is developed for military. They're very high. They're higher than just about anything else. They have a 360-degree vision of Washington, D.C. They have a massive drone capacity,\u201d Trump said, adding in a Truth Social post<\/a>, \u201cWith the advent of highly sophisticated, and powerful, modern-day weaponry, we can no longer defend Washington, D.C., with rifles and pistols, alone.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe DronePort at the White House Ballroom will be, perhaps, the most sophisticated anywhere in the World! It will safeguard our Nation\u2019s Capital, Washington, D.C., long into the future.\u201d<\/p>

But the ballroom, for all its bells and whistles, is just the icing on a multilayer cake that lies beneath it and descends six stories underground.<\/p>

In March, speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump referred to the ballroom as a \u201cshed\u201d over the massive military facility that\u2019s being built underneath. <\/p>

More recently, he\u2019s called the ballroom a \u201cshield\u201d for what he describes as a massive military complex. Details of which were supposed to remain top secret but were revealed as a result of what Trump complains is a \u201cstupid lawsuit<\/a>,\u201d filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.<\/p>

\u201cThey couldn't build the lower floors without that shield over the top of it. It's a shield that will totally protect what's downstairs,\u201d Trump explained to reporters. \u201cThey have a lot of things going on downstairs, and some of it you see. This goes down six stories \u2026 They're building a military hospital. They're building all sorts of research facilities, also meeting rooms, and rooms that go hand-in-hand for the military using the ballroom.\u201d<\/p>

In their court filings<\/a>, the Justice Department lawyers argued the \u201cabove-ground ballroom is necessary to accommodate and effectuate the below-ground additions,\u201d including by \u201cproviding adequate, reinforced cover.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe security features of the ballroom itself \u2026 also carry design consequences and are also necessary to protect the safety of the president, his family, his staff, and his home.\u201d<\/p>

Hence, the $1 billion request to Congress to pay, not for the ballroom, but for the subterranean Doomsday fortress that it sits atop.<\/p>

Congress, which, like the public, was told the ballroom would be built with private funds, including from Trump\u2019s own pocket, was blindsided.<\/p>

\u201cThere's no architectural plans. There is no environmentals. There's no engineering. There's no sense of \u2014 when we ask, how did it happen to cost exactly a billion?,\u201d said Sen. Bill Cassidy<\/a> (R-LA). \u201cIn my mind, that is, it could cost a lot less. It could cost a lot more. I just don't get it.\u201d<\/p>Bipartisan concerns

The elaborate plans and the fact that taxpayers would be footing roughly two-thirds of the bill were not disclosed until Trump requested that the money be included in a reconciliation funding bill that can be passed by a simple Senate majority, if Republicans are united.<\/p>

\u201cNo, of course it doesn't belong in there,\u201d said Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA).<\/p>

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) said, \u201cHalf the country's living paycheck-to-paycheck. We shouldn't be talking about ballrooms.\"<\/p>

In his March 31 ruling granting a preliminary injunction barring any above-ground construction, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected Trump's claim that existing statutes give him the authority to construct his East Wing ballroom project with private funds.<\/p>

\u201cNo statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,\u201d Leon wrote. \u201cThe President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!\u201d<\/p>

Judge Leon\u2019s ruling has been stayed pending a hearing of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit set for this month, so for the moment, construction is proceeding apace.<\/p>

Trump is banking on the fact that the construction has already progressed into building some above-ground structures, such as the massive pillars, so that it will be too late to modify the design as a practical matter.<\/p>

And Trump seems to sincerely believe that even the naysayers, once they see the completed ballroom\/bunker, will come to agree it\u2019s a monumental addition to the White House.<\/p>

\u201cThis is really for other presidents. This is not for me. This is my gift to the United States of America,\u201d Trump says, noting the ballroom is projected to be completed by mid-2028; he hopes to hold the 2029 presidential inauguration there.<\/p>

\u201cThe funny thing is that from the standpoint of usage, other presidents will have it for 200 years. I'll have it for about six months,\u201d Trump told his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as he gave the Fox News host a tour<\/a> in April. <\/p>

SENATE REPUBLICANS WANT ASSURANCE ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND IS DEAD FOR GOOD<\/a><\/p>

\u201cIt'll be used for hopefully hundreds of years for other presidents, and there will never be anything like this built again,\u201d Trump said. <\/p>

Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre<\/a>) is the Washington Examiner's senior writer on national security.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WB.Defense.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596038-1780639200", "title":"Jill Biden memoir revives questions about Biden baggage for 2028 Democrats", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4596038%2Fbiden-baggage-harris-buttigieg-2028%2F", "byline":"Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Jill Biden‘s new memoir is reopening a political wound for Democrats potentially eyeing a 2028 presidential bid. The conversation surrounding former President Joe Biden’s legacy intensified last week after excerpts from Jill Biden’s memoir, View From the East Wing, surfaced online ahead of its release. In one passage, the former first lady recalled watching Biden’s […]", "description":""

Jill Biden<\/a>'s new memoir is reopening a political wound for Democrats<\/a> potentially eyeing a 2028<\/a> presidential bid.<\/p>

The conversation surrounding former President Joe Biden\u2019s legacy intensified last week after excerpts from Jill Biden\u2019s memoir, View From the East Wing, surfaced online ahead of its release. In one passage, the former first lady recalled watching Biden\u2019s disastrous June 2024 debate performance and wondering whether \u201cwe were watching an AI hologram of the man we knew, and the hologram was glitching.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIs he short-circuiting?\u201d she wrote. \u201cIs this a stroke? \u2026 Has he been drugged? \u2026 Oh God will people watching assume this is how he is all the time?\u201d<\/p>

The renewed spotlight on Biden's final months in office has reignited questions about whether top figures tied to his administration, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, could carry political baggage into the next Democratic primary.<\/p>

At the National Action Network conference earlier this year, Harris acknowledged she is considering another White House bid. \u201cI might,\u201d Harris told Rev. Al Sharpton when asked directly about 2028. \u201cI\u2019m thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>

Buttigieg appeared to leave the door open during his own exchange with Sharpton. When Sharpton asked whether he should \u201cbe reserving a table at Sylvia\u2019s\u201d for another campaign stop, Buttigieg replied: \u201cYou save me a seat, I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>

Recent polling suggests Buttigieg has gained momentum in the early Democratic field. An Emerson College poll<\/a> released last week found Buttigieg leading with 18% support, while Harris drew 10% as her numbers slipped slightly.<\/p>

Democrats themselves remain divided over whether close ties to Biden will ultimately help or hurt candidates in 2028. One Democratic operative, speaking on the condition of anonymity, argued \u201canyone connected to the Biden administration has sort of a black eye going into 2028.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI think we\u2019d be much better served with a fresh face, so we can move forward and not have to keep constantly reflecting on the mistakes of last cycle,\u201d the operative said.<\/p>

Doug Wilson, a longtime Democratic strategist, similarly said many Democratic voters appear torn between appreciating Biden\u2019s presidency in hindsight while also wanting to move on from the drama surrounding his final campaign.<\/p>

\u201cI think two things can be true at the same time here,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cAt the same time, voters and the party base wants to look forward and not at the past. So I think former Biden administration officials may have a hard time in a Democratic primary, especially if it contains new faces.\u201d<\/p>

Still, Wilson argued Republicans could struggle to make 2028 a referendum on Biden if economic frustrations under President Donald Trump continue to mount.<\/p>

\u201cThe main reason why voters gave Trump another term was to bring down cost,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cInstead, everyday goods have become extremely unaffordable.\u201d<\/p>

Brad Bannon, a Democratic strategist and pollster, said the renewed focus on Biden may ultimately help former administration officials more than hurt them.<\/p>

\u201cIf you had asked me this question a year ago, I would have said any mention of Joe Biden was problematic for Democrats,\u201d Bannon said. \u201cBut Donald Trump has made so many enemies with the American public that by comparison Joe Biden looks like a savior now.\u201d<\/p>

Bannon pointed to recent polling showing voters increasingly view the economy under Biden more favorably than under Trump.<\/p>

\u201cJoe Biden is starting to look better to the public, and largely it's because now they've seen Donald Trump,\u201d Bannon said. \u201cBy 2028 the Democratic candidates may be rushing to get close to Joe Biden's legacy.\u201d<\/p>

Other Democratic strategists argued the debate is driven more by political insiders and social media than by rank-and-file voters.<\/p>

Randy Jones, a Democratic strategist, said he does not believe ties to Biden will become a major liability for Harris, Buttigieg, or other former administration officials.<\/p>

\u201cI don't see it as a major liability,\u201d Jones said, arguing many voters now believe the Biden White House\u2019s agenda \u201cwas much more beneficial for them and their families than the message and the mission from this Trump administration.\u201d<\/p>

Jones acknowledged lingering frustration among Democrats over how Biden\u2019s reelection bid was handled, particularly the lack of a competitive Democratic primary in 2024.<\/p>

\u201cI think that's where you'll find the root of a lot of criticism and a lot of hard feelings,\u201d Jones said. \u201cHad we had a primary process ... I think the outcome of the past presidential election could have been different.\u201d<\/p>

Jennifer Holdsworth, a Democratic strategist, similarly argued that voters are largely focused on other issues.<\/p>

\u201cI think this is a very online conversation,\u201d Holdsworth said. \u201cThe voters that I'm talking to day to day are focused on other things.\u201d<\/p>

Holdsworth added that many Democratic voters, particularly black voters, still feel strong loyalty toward Biden and could react negatively to candidates who aggressively distance themselves from his presidency.<\/p>

\u201cThere is a large majority of both Democratic Party operatives ... but also more importantly, voters who still feel great affection and loyalty to Joe Biden,\u201d she said. \u201cAnybody who attempts to tear down that presidency while they're seeking the Democratic nomination has entirely screwed up priorities.\u201d<\/p>

Other Democrats have openly signaled frustration with the party\u2019s continued fixation on Biden-era postmortems altogether.<\/p>

Speaking on the sidelines of a Democratic National Committee meeting last week, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) dismissed the attention surrounding Jill Biden\u2019s memoir and the party\u2019s \u201cautopsy\u201d conversations.<\/p>

\u201cI don\u2019t think the average Democratic voter, honestly, particularly in New Mexico, gives a damn about that book or the debate anymore,\u201d Lujan Grisham said.<\/p>

Republicans, meanwhile, argue renewed scrutiny of Biden\u2019s presidency will inevitably spill over onto the Democrats who served alongside him.<\/p>

JILL BIDEN BLASTS FORMER ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMAN OVER MEMOIR CRITICISM: \u2018SAY IT TO MY FACE\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Greg Manz, a Michigan-based GOP strategist with Direct Edge Campaigns, argued renewed questions surrounding Biden\u2019s final years in office raise broader concerns about the judgment of those in his orbit.<\/p>

\u201cThe key issue isn't Joe Biden as an individual. Rather, it's the failed, flawed, and feckless Biden administration officials who were actually pulling the strings,\u201d Manz said. \u201cThat's where figures from the Biden administration, like Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg, could face unique challenges in 2028.\u201d<\/p>

Manz pointed to inflation, border security, and the Afghanistan withdrawal as issues Republicans are likely to revisit during the next presidential cycle.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26128028924843.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596017-1780639200", "title":"Fed and Warsh under increasing pressure to keep rates higher, thanks to labor market strength", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596017%2Ffed-kevin-warsh-pressure-rates-higher-labor-market-strength%2F", "byline":"Zach Halaschak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Federal Reserve is under more pressure to hold interest rates steady, or even raise rates, given recent indications that the labor market is strong. The Fed last cut rates in 2025 and, given the recent uptick in inflation, appears unlikely to revise them down again this year. And while inflation has been trending up, […]", "description":""

The Federal Reserve<\/a> is under more pressure to hold interest rates<\/a> steady, or even raise rates, given recent indications that the labor market<\/a> is strong.<\/p>

The Fed last cut rates in 2025 and, given the recent uptick in inflation<\/a>, appears unlikely to revise them down again this year. And while inflation has been trending up, the labor market appears quite stable. That means that new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh<\/a> and the Fed board can focus more on curbing inflation than on worrying about unemployment rising.<\/p>

INFLATION, TRUMP IMMUNITY, AND BILL PULTE: TAKEAWAYS FROM SCOTT BESSENT\u2019S TESTIMONY<\/a><\/p>

\u201cTheir primary concern is no longer the health of the job market,\u201d Mark Hamrick, a senior economic analyst at Bankrate, told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

The latest news that the labor market is remaining resilient came this week in the form of the Bureau of Labor Statistics\u2019 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.<\/p>

The April JOLTS report showed that job openings increased from 6.9 million in March to 7.6 million in April \u2014 the highest level since May 2024. The reading was much higher than anticipated. Most economists were expecting job openings to remain static, not rise by 731,000.<\/p>

\u201cThis report tells us that openings remain ample in a time of full employment,\u201d Carl Weinberg, chief economist for High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note on the report. \u201cThat suggests that labor availability is throttling employment.\u201d<\/p>

Also, recent employment reports have shown the labor market has remained stable.<\/p>

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 115,000 jobs were added<\/a> in April, well above what forecasters were expecting. The unemployment rate also held steady at a relatively low 4.3%.<\/p>

The Fed has what is referred to as a dual mandate \u2014 price stability and maximum employment. When inflation is rising, the major tool it has to fix that is to raise interest rates. In general, Fed officials hope that higher rates will lead to less borrowing and spending, thereby lowering inflationary pressures. <\/p>

The problem is that when the Fed keeps rates high or raises rates, it risks hurting the job market, which is why the labor market\u2019s relative strength right now is such an asset for Warsh and the central bank.<\/p>

Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told the Washington Examiner that right now, the Fed would rather focus on the price stability side of its dual mandate.<\/p>

\u201cSince they contradict each other, they really have to prioritize one or the other, because you can't have both,\u201d Young said. \u201cSo, right now, it seems like they're in the price control side of things, and the fact that the labor market is holding steady is fantastic news for that.\u201d<\/p>

And the inflation numbers have been a bit concerning.<\/p>

Inflation tracked by the most closely watched consumer price index ticked up to 3.8% in April.<\/p>

Inflation in the personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed\u2019s preferred gauge, rose to 3.8% in April, well above the Fed\u2019s 2% target and much higher than just a few months ago before the war with Iran sent energy prices spiking.<\/p>

CPI inflation had dropped to as low as 2.4% in January before the war began, meaning that headline inflation has trended up more than a full percentage point.<\/p>

And investors are signaling they think there is a very low likelihood of a rate cut this year.<\/p>

As of Thursday, the implied odds of a rate cut by the end of the year are just under 2%, according to CME Group\u2019s FedWatch tool, which calculates the probability of rate changes using futures contract prices for rates in the short-term market targeted by the Fed.<\/p>

Meanwhile, investors are pegging the odds that rates remain static by year\u2019s end at just over 48% and the odds of a rate increase at just under 50%, with some investors betting on two rate increases.<\/p>

And with the conflict in the Middle East still not resolved, inflation could have some more room to run.<\/p>

INFLATION STILL HAS ROOM TO RUN, EXPERTS FEAR<\/a><\/p>

Another inflation gauge, the producer price index, showed wholesale inflation shot up to a blistering 6%, the biggest increase since 2022. It increased an astonishing 1.4% in April alone.<\/p>

\u201cYou know, there's already enough in the pipeline where we saw that surge in the PPI to indicate that there are going to be some price increases still to come on the consumer side,\u201d Hamrick said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26111629806675.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595653-1780639200", "title":"My city says I need a license to pray with friends in my home. The Constitution says otherwise", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4595653%2Funiversity-heights-ohio-license-to-pray-grand-lawsuit%2F", "byline":"Daniel Grand", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In America, no one should need a governmental permit to pray. The Creator has already given us that right, and the First Amendment protects it. I learned this lesson through a fight I never expected — a fight that has resulted in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. I am an Orthodox Jew. My […]", "description":""

In America, no one should need a governmental permit to pray. The Creator has already given us that right, and the First Amendment protects it. I learned this lesson through a fight I never expected<\/a> \u2014 a fight that has resulted in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court<\/a>.<\/p>

I am an Orthodox Jew<\/a>. My faith requires me to pray three times a day with a minyan, a quorum of 10 Jewish men. Orthodox Jews don\u2019t drive on the Sabbath or on holidays such as Yom Kippur and Passover. Jewish law also limits ordinary travel on those days, so prayer must be close to where you live.<\/p>

So, I did what Americans of faith have done since the founding of this country: I sent a simple e-mail to a few of my friends inviting them to pray at my residence.<\/p>

A JEWISH MAN IN OHIO TRIED TO PRAY AT HOME. HIS MAYOR SAID NO<\/a><\/p>

Before the prayer group had even met one time, the city of University Heights, Ohio, sent me a cease-and-desist order. It told me I could not proceed to gather without pursuing a commercial special-use permit, a zoning process meant for institutional buildings, not a few people gathering in a private home to worship God. The city also threatened me with criminal prosecution if I failed to adhere to their order.<\/p>

This began as a prayer issue, but it is not only a prayer issue. It is an American issue. This is not just one man\u2019s fight with one small city. It is part of a growing pattern in which local governments use zoning codes, permit requirements, public-hearing processes, and neighborhood opposition to burden free speech and all brands of religious<\/a> exercise while calling it ordinary land-use regulation.<\/p>

Similar conflicts are being litigated all over the country involving people of different faiths. The details change a bit from city to city, but the story is familiar: religious people try to gather, pray, build, worship, or mark sacred space; neighbors object; officials reach for zoning tools; and faith is treated as a problem to be managed instead of a freedom to be protected.<\/p>

The First Amendment does not belong to one faith, one denomination, one political party, or one neighborhood. It belongs to all of us. It protects speech. It protects peaceful assembly. It protects religious exercise. And it protects the right of ordinary citizens to gather with family, friends, and neighbors, and turn their hearts toward God without first seeking permission from the government.<\/p>

If a family can host a birthday party, friends can watch football, neighbors can play cards, and book clubs can meet in living rooms, then Americans can gather to pray. People gathered in faith should not be treated like a public nuisance.<\/p>

America isn\u2019t strong because government is powerful. America is strong because the people are.<\/p>

When the city ordered me to cancel the prayer gathering, that Sabbath was gone forever. No later permit could restore it. No future hearing could give it back. When government chills religious exercise, the injury doesn\u2019t wait for the final stamp of a bureaucrat<\/a>.<\/p>

Of course, every constitutional right has limits. The First Amendment protects speech, but it does not protect every possible abuse of speech. It protects assembly, but not violence. It protects religion, but not lawlessness. But peaceful citizens gathering in a private home to pray is not lawlessness. It is exactly the kind of liberty the First Amendment was written to protect.<\/p>

WHAT RELIGION DO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ESTABLISH?<\/a><\/p>

To me, the principle is simple: So long as a person\u2019s religion is not being used to undermine the Constitution<\/a>, replace the legal system, or overthrow the American way of life, the government should leave peaceful worship alone. We need to remember that the home is the first place where faith is lived, taught, spoken, sung, and shared.<\/p>

Through my attorneys with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Alliance Defending Freedom, I am asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear my case so this matter can be decided once and for all, because, to me, no American should need to obtain an in-home prayer permit, and no family should need city approval to open its home to worship. No zoning code formed against us should prosper.<\/p>

Daniel Grand resides in University Heights, Ohio.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP19175720079904.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595171-1780639200", "title":"Congolese government is to blame for Ebola crisis", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4595171%2Fcongolese-government-to-blame-for-ebola-crisis%2F", "byline":"Michael Rubin", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Ebola outbreak that erupted in the eastern Congo should be a wake-up call for the State Department. Partisans might lay blame on the Trump administration’s dissolution of the U.S. Agency for International Development, but this navel-gazing is arrogant. Not everything revolves around the United States. Ebola outbreaks occur periodically, and USAID has always been […]", "description":""

The Ebola <\/a>outbreak that erupted in the eastern Congo should be a wake-up call for the State Department<\/a>. Partisans might lay blame on the Trump administration\u2019s dissolution of the U.S. Agency for International Development, but this navel-gazing is arrogant. Not everything revolves around the United States. Ebola outbreaks occur periodically, and USAID has always been poorly equipped to handle them. In 2014, it was the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and not USAID that built field hospitals and took charge of the counter-Ebola fight in Liberia.<\/p>

Regional officials say the reason the eastern Congo outbreak is so severe is that Congolese officials neither recognized it nor sought to counter it initially. Corruption and lack of capacity carry a high cost.<\/p>

This is a bad look for a country on which President Donald Trump<\/a> and Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> have gambled so much. The Congo has an estimated $24 trillion in rare earths and other commodities \u2014 if it could get its act together, it could be to the 21st-century economy what Saudi Arabia and its vast oil reserves were to the 20th-century economy. With Trump prioritizing deals over democracy, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi hints at constitutional revisions to allow himself a third term. Tshisekedi wants to remain in office to be the deal-maker, especially as Trump is less likely to ask questions about where the money goes than his predecessors.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s tilt toward Tshisekedi and his transactional desire to win deals have turned Central African diplomacy on its head. Rubio has repeatedly sanctioned Rwanda, accusing it of fueling insurgency in the Congo and looting its resources.<\/p>

This was always lazy. The M23 insurgency erupted to force Kinshasa to abide by earlier agreements and make good on reforms. For all the talk of M23 being a Rwandan movement, the Congolese government has not been able to produce a single Rwandan soldier dead or alive. In 2024, I spent time in M23 territory after having visited areas under the Congolese government, and the juxtaposition was sharp: In M23 areas, there was security. People drove cars and motorcycles through rural areas without escorts or weapons. There was a surplus of food because M23 neither forcibly conscripted farmers nor taxed them into oblivion. Just a mile away across the front line, Congolese people scrambled to feed themselves.<\/p>

The notion that Rwanda or Uganda loots the eastern Congo is equally lazy. As a businessman, Trump should understand that traders go where their expenses are least. Over glasses of banana beer, traders explained that it was far cheaper to trade with Rwanda and Uganda because the internal checkpoints, embezzlement, and lack of infrastructure in the Congo proper made it impossible to work productively with Kinshasa.<\/p>

Order and competence matter. Today, as Ebola claims more than 1,000 lives in the eastern Congo, with fear that the epidemic could grow even more, Rwanda has exactly zero cases. This should not surprise. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rwanda was perhaps Africa\u2019s safest country because it took a no-nonsense approach to public health.<\/p>

Rwanda is tiny, roughly the size of Maryland. The Congo, meanwhile, is equivalent in size to the entire U.S. east of the Mississippi River. Size is not important, nor does mineral wealth matter when governments lack the capacity to develop and export it. While Rwanda is equivalent to Singapore in terms of making a booming economy out of almost nothing, the Congo is akin to Afghanistan.<\/p>

For the State Department to sanction Rwanda repeatedly, then, is bizarre. It punishes success and embraces the demonstrably incompetent.<\/p>

TRUMP EXPECTED TO NOMINATE TODD BLANCHE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL<\/a><\/p>

Nor is the Ebola crisis the only time a medical or climate disaster showed competence versus incompetence unequivocally. While drought struck the Horn of Africa in 2011, Somalia fell into famine and Somaliland weathered the crisis with few deaths. The only difference between the two was government capacity. This did not stop the Obama administration from doubling down on Mogadishu\u2019s corrupt leaders.<\/p>

Resources matter, but competence matters more in allies. Rather than allow the State Department bureaucracy to lead, Rubio should step back and consider what Washington can learn from Africa\u2019s Ebola response.<\/p>

Michael Rubin is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential. He is director of analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Health-Care-Workers-meal-to-Ebola-Patients-e1780499467757.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595155-1780639200", "title":"Will Marco Rubio help this Afghan warrior rescue his family?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F4595155%2Fwill-marco-rubio-help-afghan-warrior-rescue-family%2F", "byline":"Beth Bailey", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In May, Afghan Special Mission Wing pilot and U.S. asylee Wahidullah Wahdat learned that his wife was killed in a gunfight outside a money exchange in Kabul. The tragedy has now left Wahdat’s children, all under the age of 13, without parents inside Afghanistan. News of his wife’s death and Wahdat’s ties to the former […]", "description":""

In May, Afghan Special Mission Wing pilot and U.S. asylee Wahidullah Wahdat learned that his wife was killed in a gunfight outside a money exchange in Kabul. The tragedy has now left Wahdat\u2019s children, all under the age of 13, without parents inside Afghanistan. News of his wife\u2019s death and Wahdat\u2019s ties to the former Afghan military have run rampant on social media. American benefactors from the Afghan American Development Group are attempting to keep Wahdat\u2019s children safe. Without action from the State Department, however, the children have no chance of being reunited with their father.<\/p>

Wahdat's voice breaking with sadness, he told me that his children are \u201cnot in a good situation, especially emotionally.\"<\/p>

Two years after Wahdat graduated from Afghanistan\u2019s National Military Academy, he began his aviation career as a copilot in the Cessna 208, used to transport Afghan National Army personnel around the country. One year later, he leaped at the chance to join the Special Mission Wing, an elite group of pilots trained to support Afghan and American special operations forces units operating throughout Afghanistan. Wahdat racked up 2,000 combat hours as a pilot. \"We loved our job, we tried to keep our people safe and serve our country, and that was our big goal, to bring stability and peace.\"<\/p>

In Aug. 2021, however, the Taliban took control of Kabul amid the\u00a0disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan<\/a>. Wahdat then spent three months in Tajikistan before American authorities arrived to do an initial screening of him and other pilots. They were then moved to a camp in Abu Dhabi for seven months for further screenings, interviews, and background checks, before being brought to Leesburg, Virginia, to await resettlement. At no point in those movements did authorities make an effort to help reunify Wahdat with his wife and children.<\/p>

Like many U.S. allies left behind, Wahdat\u2019s family changed houses for safety to avoid coming onto the Taliban\u2019s radar. Wahdat said it was \u201creally hard for the woman to take care of everything\u201d under Taliban rule. His only way to assist his family was to support them financially while hoping for reunification. To make money to send to his wife and children, Wahdat has held full-time positions in quality control while simultaneously pursuing coursework to become a fiber-optic and telecommunications technician and driving for Lyft.<\/p>

Although he arrived on humanitarian parole in June 2022, it took nearly two years for Wahdat to receive asylum. Only after Wahdat received asylum could his lawyer petition for his family members\u2019 asylum cases, which were approved about nine months later in mid-2025. When President Donald Trump issued\u00a0Presidential Proclamation 10998<\/a>\u00a0on Dec. 23, 2025, it halted most travel for Afghan nationals, effectively stranding Wahdat\u2019s family inside the country.<\/p>

TRUMP EXPECTED TO NOMINATE TODD BLANCHE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL<\/a><\/p>

Today, the only method to reunite Wahdat with his children is through a National Interest Exemption, which #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver says must be issued by an approving or consular authority. There are no consular services inside Afghanistan. VanDiver says he knows of only two NIEs that have been granted, both to infants.<\/p>

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment about whether it would issue National Interest Exemptions to U.S. allies and their families who remain stranded overseas.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Feat.Afghan1.060425.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593507-1780639200", "title":"Iran, India, and China, the ‘Axis of Evil’ seeking to destroy millions of US manufacturing jobs ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Fcourage-strength-optimism%2F4593507%2Faxis-of-evil-destroy-us-manufacturing-jobs%2F", "byline":"Jeff Duncan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The simple reality is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and foreign countries like China and India must not buy Iranian oil. The most important lesson from the prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure is that an overreliance on foreign countries for critical products supporting U.S. economic and national security harms America.   Having served in the […]", "description":""

The simple reality is Iran<\/a> cannot have a nuclear weapon, and foreign countries like China<\/a> and India<\/a> must not buy Iranian oil. The most important lesson from the prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure is that an overreliance on foreign countries for critical products supporting U.S. economic and national security<\/a> harms America.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Having served in the U.S. Congress for 14 years and as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security, I have a vested interest in the strength of our critical minerals and materials that form the bedrock of our national security. Weak Democratic leadership for years favored \u201cglobalist\u201d trade policies that offshored millions of American manufacturing<\/a> jobs and did not favor energy independence. <\/p>

The No. 1 culprit in years past has consistently been China, followed by India and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Chinese Communist Party strategically subsidizes the manufacturing of affiliated Chinese companies, pushing prices down to unsustainable levels for competitors who operate in the free market. Meanwhile, American manufacturers are the first to pay the price when these products are dumped into America. In recent years, India has become the new China, as they flood the U.S. with cheap, inferior materials, often originating from socialist countries.\u00a0<\/p>

Fortunately, Trump is on a mission to hold foreign countries that cheat accountable. Historic antidumping and countervailing cases, such as the petitions brought forward by the cabinet, countertop and steel industries, demonstrated that U.S. manufacturers are eager to continue investing in America and willing to fight for their survival. <\/p>

While Trump\u2019s strong 50% tariff is working to rebuild certain domestic industries like steel and aluminum, others remain in limbo as import surges continue to decimate manufacturing towns across America\u2019s heartland. For example, while consumer demand for housing products such as quartz countertops has risen by 62% in the past five years, imports have flooded into the country, increasing by 78%, while U.S. manufacturing is down nearly 20% with plants laying off hundreds of workers. As foreign companies subsidized by their own governments get rich, thousands of American families feel the pain. <\/p>

Trump recognizes what is happening and is targeting countries complicit in China\u2019s cheating with a broad range of national security tariffs. Once again, major American industries are also stepping up to the plate, with a coalition of quartz countertop manufacturers bringing forward a historic Global Safeguard case to restore free and fair trade. Already, the bipartisan U.S. International Trade Commission has recommended strong relief in recognition of the severe injury inflicted by India, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and foreign countries destroying 100,000 American jobs. <\/a><\/p>

Multi-billion-dollar \u201cglobalist\u201d importers like MSI with major operations in India<\/a> are clearly suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, bankrolling Trump-hating Democrats<\/a>, and seeking to destroy manufacturing towns all across America. The truth is that Trump will never stop fighting for the millions of forgotten men and women of America who stood with him in 2024. These American manufacturing workers in small towns will stand with Trump again in the midterm elections if he keeps fighting for them and their families from Georgia to Minnesota and across America\u2019s heartland.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

TO END THE IRAN THREAT, AMERICA MUST DISMANTLE THE REGIME'S FOUNDATIONS<\/a><\/p>

As Trump fights to bring back millions of domestic manufacturing jobs, from steel to semiconductors to household items such as quartz countertops and cabinetry, we must not cave to globalist special interests. To protect our economic and national security, we must hold India, China, and all foreign countries that cheat accountable.\u00a0<\/p>

As the Iranian leadership chants \u201cdeath to America\u201d and seeks support from rogue regimes, now is the time to stand strong and rally around Trump, who is laser-focused on bringing back critical domestic industries and keeping America safe. With the midterm elections approaching, let\u2019s remember that Trump is following the Reagan doctrine of \"Peace Through Strength<\/a>\" and know that under his strong leadership, the best is yet to come.\u00a0<\/p>

Congressman Jeff Duncan served as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on energy and grid security. The congressman served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2025.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DSC_5260-rotated.jpg?w=428" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593464-1780639200", "title":"Democrats sell their souls to defeat Susan Collins, of all people", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4593464%2Fdemocrats-sell-souls-defeat-susan-collins%2F", "byline":"Brady Leonard", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Insomuch as it ever did, character matters less now in American politics than ever. Our history is littered with deeply flawed men. Andrew Jackson was wildly corrupt, and JFK had his many thinly veiled issues with women. Heck, Grover Cleveland married a woman 28 years his junior, whom he had known since birth. Scandals are […]", "description":""

Insomuch as it ever did, character matters less now in American politics than ever. Our history is littered with deeply flawed men. Andrew Jackson was wildly corrupt, and JFK had his many thinly veiled issues with women. Heck, Grover Cleveland married a woman 28 years his junior, whom he had known since birth. Scandals are nothing new.<\/p>

By any metric, Maine<\/a> Democratic Senate<\/a> candidate Graham Platner<\/a> is uniquely unfit for office. Aside from the infidelity, use of a hookup app known for child sex trafficking, and fabricating much of his biography, Platner<\/a> is a true-red Marxist who despises America\u2019s founding principles and seeks to upend the capitalist system that allowed him to attend a $75,000-a-year prep school<\/a> in Connecticut growing up. He mocked fallen U.S. soldiers on Reddit, blamed rape victims, and, of course, there is the Totenkopf tattoo.<\/p>

Yet, Democrats<\/a> are still almost uniformly supporting<\/a> him. Not that there would be any excuse for this behavior by the Left and the press, regardless, but you could understand it if Platner were running against anyone besides Sen. Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME). We are not talking about a constitutional conservative such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) or a principled fiscal hawk like Rand Paul (R-KY). Collins is a centrist Republican and has been one of the most moderate voices in American politics for three decades.<\/p>

The senior senator from Maine has been outspokenly pro-choice throughout her career and has repeatedly stated that abortion should remain legal. She spent years defending Roe v. Wade, supported legislation to codify abortion rights into federal law, and continued that support after the Supreme Court\u2019s Dobbs<\/a> decision.<\/p>

The pro-abortion group Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL) gives Collins a 75% grade, the highest of any Republican senator, alongside Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Collins favors the same irresponsible, pork-ridden spending packages that Democrats champion and some conservatives oppose. She routinely votes for massive omnibus bills, including President Biden\u2019s $1.7 trillion<\/a> 2022 omnibus, where she joined 17 other Senate Republicans in support.<\/p>

Collins joined Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and other GOP turncoats in support of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the worst new gun control<\/a> law in decades. She voted against the eminently qualified now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett\u2019s confirmation and against current Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Collins was one of only seven Republican senators to vote to impeach<\/a> President Trump in 2021, citing Jan. 6.\u00a0<\/p>

THE NO-WIN TEXAS SENATE RACE<\/a><\/p>

\u201cOn January 6, this Congress gathered in the Capitol to count the votes of the Electoral College pursuant to the process set forth in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution,\" she said on the Senate floor. \"At the same time, a mob stormed the Capitol determined to stop Congress from carrying out our constitutional duty.\u00a0 That attack was not a spontaneous outbreak of violence.\u00a0 Rather, it was the culmination of a steady stream of provocations by President Trump that were aimed at overturning the results of the presidential election.\u201d<\/p>

Democrats used to erroneously claim that Susan Collins was the type of Republican that they wanted holding public office, and their ends-justify-the-means support of Platner exposes their true motives.<\/p>

Brady Leonard (@bradyleonard<\/a>) is a writer, musician, and host of The No Gimmicks Podcast.<\/a><\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26076552010540-e1780424254777.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593237-1780639200", "title":"Why Warren Buffett just bet big on the housing market", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F4593237%2Fwhy-warren-buffett-bet-big-housing-market%2F", "byline":"James Rogan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Stocks in the United States are trading near all-time highs as investors rush to take advantage of the artificial intelligence revolution. The AI revolution offers transformative technology that promises to increase the country’s long-term growth rate through sustained productivity improvements. But these aren’t the only stocks making news. Berkshire Hathaway announced a few days ago that it […]", "description":""

Stocks in the United States are trading near\u00a0all-time highs\u00a0<\/a>as investors rush to take advantage of the artificial intelligence<\/a> revolution. The AI revolution offers transformative technology that promises to increase the country\u2019s long-term growth rate through sustained productivity improvements. But these aren't the only stocks making news.<\/p>

Berkshire Hathaway announced a few days ago that it was buying, of all things, a homebuilder,\u00a0Taylor Morrison<\/a>. Berkshire Hathaway is controlled by perhaps the world\u2019s greatest investor, Warren Buffett<\/a>, who started with very little and became one of the wealthiest people on the planet. Buffett is famous for a simple investment philosophy: buy quality assets at reasonable prices and hold them for a very long time, decades rather than days. Berkshire Hathaway\u2019s purchase of Taylor Morrison is a perfect example of that approach.<\/p>

Buying a homebuilder is a bet on long-term structural demand for housing. Every American needs a place to live, and the country suffers from a chronic housing shortage. Berkshire Hathaway\u2019s management understands that although housing stocks may be out of favor today, they will eventually return to favor when the current obsession with technology stocks fades. Buffett understands that over long periods of time,\u00a0disciplined value investing often delivers superior returns<\/a>.<\/p>

The broader market frequently views housing as a volatile, interest rate-sensitive sector. Berkshire, however, sees housing as an essential asset class protected by substantial barriers to entry. Because of extensive local regulatory hurdles across much of the country, successful homebuilders that understand how to navigate local markets possess a durable competitive advantage.<\/p>

Berkshire\u2019s aggressive positioning in housing rests on several core pillars. Foremost among them is Buffett\u2019s famous principle of buying when others are fearful. Mortgage rates remain elevated, and new home construction is experiencing a cyclical slowdown. Many stand-alone builders are facing margin pressure. Berkshire, however, views the current environment as a classic buying opportunity. With a cash pile approaching\u00a0$400 billion<\/a>, the company can comfortably absorb short-term cyclical headwinds while positioning itself to benefit from the enormous pent-up demand for housing. Estimates suggest there is a shortage of around\u00a010 million\u00a0<\/a>housing units nationwide, with many potential buyers waiting for affordability conditions to improve.<\/p>

Following the acquisition, Berkshire will become the country\u2019s fourth-largest homebuilder. The company already owns\u00a0Clayton Properties<\/a>, the nation\u2019s twelfth-largest builder. Massive scale provides Berkshire with significant advantages, including stronger bargaining power when purchasing land and raw materials. The combined company will also have the financial strength to offer attractive mortgage rates and buyer incentives that smaller independent builders cannot match. In addition, Berkshire plans to integrate its housing operations into a streamlined platform capable of achieving economies of scale that will strengthen its long-term competitive position.<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

Despite paying a 24% premium over Taylor Morrison\u2019s market price, the acquisition closely mirrors Buffett\u2019s historic investment discipline. Analysts estimate the purchase price is\u00a0roughly 0.9 times<\/a>\u00a0the company\u2019s tangible book value. In plain English, Berkshire acquired a highly profitable national homebuilder for less than the estimated value of its hard assets minus liabilities while also paying a low single-digit price to earnings multiple, a substantial discount to the broader market.<\/p>

Ultimately, Berkshire likes housing because people will always need a place to live, the nation continues to face a structural undersupply of single-family homes, and Berkshire\u2019s virtually unlimited investment horizon is uniquely suited to outlast any temporary downturn in the real estate market.<\/p>

James Rogan is a former U.S. diplomat who later worked in law and finance for over 30 years. He writes a daily email note on markets, economics, politics, and social issues.\u00a0He can be reached at roganjames8202@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/buffett-big-bet-housing.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4592948-1780639200", "title":"Beshear tests appeal beyond Kentucky as 2028 speculation grows", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4592948%2Fandy-beshear-tests-appeal-2028-candidate%2F", "byline":"Mabinty Quarshie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"As Democrats search for a path back to the White House after their 2024 defeat, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is making an argument few potential 2028 contenders can: A Democrat can still win and govern successfully in Trump country. Beshear has frequently taken aim at Vice President JD Vance, considered the GOP front-runner in 2028, […]", "description":""

As Democrats search for a path back to the White House after their 2024 defeat, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear<\/a> is making an argument few potential 2028<\/a> contenders can: A Democrat can still win and govern successfully in Trump country.<\/p>

Beshear has frequently taken aim<\/a> at Vice President JD Vance, considered the GOP front-runner in 2028, stoking speculation the Kentucky governor is preparing to run for president. His increased travel schedule since the start of 2025 has also raised eyebrows.<\/p>

On Friday, Beshear is set to headline the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's 14th annual Humphrey-Mondale Dinner. On Saturday, he will jet over to Colorado to deliver the keynote address at the state Democratic Party\u2019s annual fundraising dinner. And last weekend, Beshear and Rep. Ro Khanna<\/a> (D-CA), another potential 2028 candidate,\u00a0attended the South Carolina Democratic Party's convention and Rep. Jim Clyburn's (D-SC) annual fish fry fundraiser.<\/p>

\"I haven\u2019t ruled it out,\" Beshear told NBC News's Meet the Press of a potential 2028 run. \"But I haven\u2019t sat down and had that conversation with my family. I\u2019m trying to fire up Democrats to be a voice of reason in the chaos. It is so important that we win right now.\"<\/p>

Beshear's emergence comes as Democrats remain divided over how to respond to President Donald Trump's political dominance and the party's disappointing 2024 performance. Some Democrats have embraced a more confrontational style embodied by figures such as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), while others argue the party must rebuild support among working-class and rural voters who have drifted toward Republicans.<\/p>

Beshear's success in Kentucky has made him one of the most prominent advocates of the latter approach.<\/p>

\"Now, there's also the perception that he's too nice,\" said Dallas Jones, a political strategist based in Texas. \"And Democrats want a fighter ... and that's the playbook that Newsom's doing.\"<\/p>

Beshear has tried to change that perception. He's posted videos<\/a> explicitly saying, \"I wouldn't mistake kindness for weakness. I have gone up against a Republican incumbent governor in Kentucky who was Donald Trump before Donald Trump. And I am the one still standing.\"<\/p>

Beshear is a twice-elected Democratic governor in Kentucky, a state Trump carried by more than 25 points in each of his three presidential campaigns. His ability to win statewide and maintain strong approval ratings in one of the country's reddest states has become the centerpiece of his argument that Democrats can regain ground with voters who have increasingly abandoned the party.<\/p>

The Democratic Party has hemorrhaged rural support over the last 25 years. Republicans held a 25-point voter registration advantage in rural counties as of 2024, according to<\/a> data from Pew Research Center. The issue reached a head during the 2024 election, when Trump won<\/a> rural areas by 30 points.<\/p>

For many Democrats, that decline has become one of the party's most pressing political problems. Republicans have steadily expanded their margins in small towns and rural communities over the last two decades, helping transform once-competitive states into reliable GOP territory and complicating Democrats' path to an Electoral College majority.<\/p>

People who have seen Beshear up close say he's got the charm and authenticity to resonate with those voters.<\/p>

\"I call it the Friday Night Lights charm that he has,\" Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso said of Beshear. \"He has this sort of like 'aw-shucks' kindness to him combined with an intelligence that I can see the electorate really enjoying.\"<\/p>

Kate deGruyter, senior director of communications at Third Way, said Beshear could very easily dominate the \"moderate lane in a Democratic primary.\"<\/p>

\"The thing that the Democratic voters are going to care most about is who can win and who can win in purple and red states that are going to shape this race. And he's got a very strong case to make about that,\" deGruyter said.<\/p>

A recent Emerson College poll<\/a> showed Beshear pulling in 9% support among likely Democratic primary voters behind former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 18%, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) at 16%, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at 11%, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) at 10%, and former Vice President Kamala Harris at 10%.<\/p>

History might be on Beshear's side, however, even if polling is not. Democrats point to former President Jimmy Carter's 1976 campaign, which defeated incumbent President Gerald Ford, as well as former President Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign, which defeated incumbent President George H.W. Bush, as examples of southern governors rescuing the party. <\/p>

\"He doesn't have the baggage that's weighing down most of the Democratic bench, heading into 2028,\" said Jones. \"Look, we broke losing streaks in the past by nominating southern governors.\"<\/p>

BESHEAR TOUTS SOUTHERN DEMOCRATIC REVIVAL AS PARTY SEARCHES FOR 2028 MESSAGE<\/a><\/p>

The South could take on more importance for Democrats in 2028 given the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais ruling, which weakened the Voting Rights Act and opened the door for the redrawing of majority-minority congressional seats.<\/p>

\"The South is doing away with minority-majority districts that will compel some Democratic voters in the primary to say, 'Hey, if we can get a southern Democrat in, that will help us at least get a foothold in these southern states,' and to try to build from that,\" said Douglas Wilson, a Democratic strategist based in Charlotte, North Carolina.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Beshear-DNC-comments.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4589532-1780638300", "title":"Congressional Republicans may be losing patience with Trump", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4589532%2Fcongressional-republicans-losing-patience-with-trump%2F", "byline":"Kevin R. Kosar", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz recently declared, “There is zero doubt tonight that Donald Trump is in complete and total control of the Republican Party.” His statement came after the president’s preferred candidate, Ken Paxton, primaried Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in late May. Luntz was not alone in seeing a political colossus. “Trump’s grip on […]", "description":""

Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz recently declared<\/a>, \u201cThere is zero doubt tonight that Donald Trump<\/a> is in complete and total control of the Republican Party.\u201d His statement came after the president\u2019s preferred candidate, Ken Paxton<\/a>, primaried Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) in late May.<\/p>

Luntz was not alone in seeing a political colossus. \u201cTrump\u2019s grip on the Republican party has never been tighter,\u201d the Guardian reported<\/a> after the primary win by Paxton, the Texas<\/a> attorney general. \u201cThe GOP is 'Donald Trump\u2019s party,\u2019\u201d Kentucky\u2019s WUKY radio station stated<\/a>. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) expressed<\/a> the same sentiment on NBC\u2019s Meet the Press: \u201cThis is the party of Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>

These sentiments are not inaccurate. Cornyn was the third sitting congressional legislator toppled that month. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) also lost to well-financed primary opponents backed by Trump and the MAGA money machine. And that is to say nothing of the Indiana state GOP legislators he helped defeat because they refused to gerrymander their state\u2019s congressional districts.<\/p>

Yet, primarying fellow partisans is one thing, and marshaling majorities in two chambers to enact policies into law is another. And congressional Republicans have been resisting or outright pushing back on Trump lately.<\/p>

The Committee on House Administration unanimously reported the Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act a few weeks ago. This blandly titled bill would remove the president's power to appoint the Librarian of Congress and the Registrar of Copyrights. Instead, these positions would be filled by a bipartisan congressional commission and removable only by Congress. Readers of this magazine may recall that Trump, a year ago, fired<\/a> the heads of these offices and attempted to install members of his administration. Congress and the agencies resisted, and now the legislature appears poised to make its authority over these agencies indisputable.<\/p>

In late May, the president\u2019s desire to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through the budget reconciliation process was derailed<\/a>. First, Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, ruled that the $1 billion in proposed ballroom funding violated a chamber budget process rule. Trump demanded<\/a> that GOP senators fire her, which they refused to do.<\/p>

Senate Republicans then balked at the Trump administration\u2019s creation of a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund that could give money to people who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The president sent Todd Blanche, his acting attorney general, to meet with GOP senators. It went badly. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) told<\/a> listeners to his podcast that 20 senators berated Blanche.<\/p>

\u201cThere were fireworks at an epic level, and I got to say it\u2019s one of the roughest meetings that I\u2019ve seen in my entire time in the Senate,\u201d said Cruz, first elected to the Senate in 2012.<\/p>

Legislators have also clashed with the president over defense matters. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who chair the House and Senate Armed Services committees, respectively, criticized Trump\u2019s withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. troops<\/a> from Germany in early May.<\/p>

\u201cWe are very concerned by the decision to withdraw a U.S. brigade from Germany,\u201d the pair stated in a press release<\/a>. \u201cRather than withdrawing forces from the continent altogether, it is in America's interest to maintain a strong deterrent in Europe by moving these 5,000 U.S. forces to the east,\u201d and closer to Russia.<\/p>

Soon thereafter, Rogers and his committee showed they meant business in their draft National Defense Authorization Act<\/a>, which sets defense policy and authorizes spending for it. The bill would continue the requirement that the United States have 76,000 troops in Europe, and it would curb the Pentagon\u2019s power to move personnel out of Eastern Europe. It also would authorize $175 million in spending for the Baltic Security Initiative \u2014 money the Trump administration did not request<\/a>.<\/p>

The bill also pushed back against the Pentagon\u2019s delay in rotating a second Armored Brigade Combat Team into Poland. The legislation also demanded that it provide a risk assessment of this delay and a plan to permanently station these troops to defend against Russian aggression.<\/p>

The differences between the GOP-led House Armed Services Committee and Trump do not end there. The draft NDAA would authorize $1.15 trillion in defense spending rather than the $1.5 trillion Trump demanded. Rogers has said additional defense funding might be provided through a reconciliation bill, but that could be very difficult to get through the Senate. Republicans only hold 53 seats, and Trump\u2019s meddling in GOP primaries has alienated Cassidy, Cornyn, and some number of their colleagues.<\/p>

The House\u2019s NDAA is loaded with other provisions<\/a> that would circumscribe the administration\u2019s discretion to spend the funds. Prominent among them is a provision<\/a> to delay the Navy from spending funds to start the construction of the so-called \u201cTrump-class\u201d battleship requested by the president. Notably, the legislation would also refuse to rename the Defense Department as the War Department, which Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth desire.<\/p>

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE'S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

GOP legislators\u2019 growing comfort with resisting Trump may be growing due to his plunging poll numbers. Voters generally are souring<\/a> on the president\u2019s handling of nearly every issue aside from immigration. And Republican voters\u2019 confidence in the president\u2019s ability to tame inflation and grow the economy has plummeted<\/a> since the start of his administration. The party of unpopular presidents almost always loses seats in midterm elections, so a YOLO<\/a> \u2014 you only live once \u2014 logic may be taking hold among some GOP senators and representatives.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s power to use party primaries to punish insufficiently loyal Republicans is indisputable. Yet, power in these low-turnout elections is not the same as executive power. Presidents, scholar Richard Neustadt noted<\/a>, get things done by persuading lawmakers and appointees that the public backs their agenda. On that count, Trump seems something less than a colossus.<\/p>

Kevin R. Kosar (@kevinrkosar<\/a>) is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and edits UnderstandingCongress.org<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WB.Congress.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4591998-1780637710", "title":"Soaring stock market defies broader US economic doldrums", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4591998%2Fsoaring-stock-market-defies-economic-doldrums%2F", "byline":"Zach Halaschak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The stock market keeps breaking records, which might seem confusing for consumers who feel the economy is worse than even the depths of the Great Recession. That seeming mismatch is a glaring one, particularly for those who aren’t invested in the markets and are missing seeing their personal wealth or retirement savings increase. But the […]", "description":""

The stock market<\/a> keeps breaking records, which might seem confusing for consumers who feel the economy<\/a> is worse than even the depths of the Great Recession.<\/p>

That seeming mismatch is a glaring one, particularly for those who aren\u2019t invested in the markets<\/a> and are missing seeing their personal wealth or retirement savings increase. But the stock market\u2019s recent gains are being driven largely by investment in artificial intelligence<\/a>, according to experts.<\/p>

TOUGH NEWS FOR KEVIN WARSH IN FIRST FULL WEEK AS FED CHAIRMAN<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThe stock market is driven by corporate profits more than it's driven by the economy,\u201d Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial, told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\u201cSo we have an environment now where all of this investment in AI by tech companies is driving huge gains in corporate profits, even while the economy grows at a fairly modest pace, and still, of course, has some headwinds,\u201d Buchbinder added.<\/p>

And investors are having a pretty good year so far.<\/p>

The benchmark S&P 500 has risen nearly 11% since the start of 2026 \u2014 despite the war in Iran, the departure of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, the threat of possibly higher interest rates, and rising inflation. Over the past year, the index has risen more than 28%.<\/p>

The tech-heavy Nasdaq has been even more of a cash cow. It has risen more than 16% since January alone and posted very solid 40% gains over the past year.<\/p>

Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group, told the Washington Examiner that he gets asked questions about why the stock market is performing so well despite weaker spots in the macro economy.<\/p>

Cox said people assume these things happen in a vacuum \u2014 but insisted that the stock market can still boom despite other economic conditions, such as higher inflation.<\/p>

\u201cThe two can coexist, right? You can have both a massive productivity-enhancing technology wave happening at the same time that there is a temporary rise in inflation,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>

He also predicted that the AI boom is about 80% responsible for recent gains in the market.<\/p>

And inflation has been on the rise.<\/p>

Inflation in the personal consumption expenditures price index, the most closely tracked gauge, rose to 3.8% in April, well above the Fed\u2019s 2% target and much higher than just a few months ago before the war with Iran sent energy prices spiking.<\/p>

CPI inflation had fallen to as low as 2.4% in January before the war began, so headline inflation has vaulted more than a full percentage point \u2014 something that comes at a time when consumers were already complaining about cost-of-living concerns.<\/p>Discontent with economy is broad and deep

And on top of the higher inflation, consumers are more generally reporting dissatisfaction with the state of the economy.<\/p>

Consumer sentiment fell to 44.8, down from 49.8 in April, according to a preliminary reading of the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for May, dropping lower than it did during the worst of the Great Recession and when the entire country was locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>

Consumer sentiment is now down 10% from a month ago and more than 14% from a year ago. That marked the third straight month of falling consumer sentiment.<\/p>

\u201cThe cost of living continues to be a first-order concern, with 57% of consumers spontaneously mentioning that high prices were eroding their personal finances, up from 50% last month,\u201d said Joanne Hsu, the survey director.<\/p>

The sentiment readings show that optimism about AI and bullishness on Wall Street are not showing up in how people are feeling on Main Street.<\/p>

\u201cThe stock market record highs are having no effect whatsoever on cheering consumers up, which means most Americans have the money locked up in 401(k) retirement accounts that cannot be drawn on to make life easier now,\u201d said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at FWDBONDS.<\/p>

Ryan Young, a senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said consumer sentiment is pessimistically biased and not necessarily always tied to economic stagnation.<\/p>

\u201cAnd I think the fact that it's cratered to record lows is more an indicator of how people feel about politics rather than about their personal financial conditions,\u201d he told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

And despite the gains in the stock market, Young said the U.S. equities market underperformed foreign markets last year.<\/p>

\u201cSo the U.S. did well, but in relative terms, we're actually falling behind international markets,\u201d Young said. \u201cWe had a 16% return; international markets had a 29% return, so the U.S. could and should have had an even better year.\u201d<\/p>

Many say, though, that the AI boom in the markets has some more room to run. Cox emphasized just how much investment has flowed through the space recently, noting that spending is twice that of the Manhattan Project.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s such a big deal, and people can comprehend it kind of, but the numbers are so big that it's really easy to overlook it or not believe it,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>

And while the stock market continues to gain, there are political implications at play.<\/p>

JOB OPENINGS RISE TO HIGHEST LEVEL IN NEARLY TWO YEARS<\/a><\/p>

It\u2019s an election year, and Republicans are fighting to retain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. And the positives for incumbents resulting from a booming stock market might be outstripped by the negatives of too-high inflation \u2014 something that hurt 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris\u2019s campaign.<\/p>

\u201cI think people are going to be more focused on inflation, on their budgetary constraints, the level of stress that they may have financially,\u201d Kates said, although he added that some cohorts, such as older people who are more heavily invested, could be feeling wealthier from the stock gains.<\/p>

Zach Halaschak (@zhalaschak) is the economics reporter for the\u00a0Washington Examiner.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Biz.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4592977-1780637400", "title":"Platner is unfit for duty: The Maine Democrat would be beyond the pale in any other era", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4592977%2Fgraham-platner-unfit-duty%2F", "byline":"Hugo Gurdon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Let’s start simply by listing some of what’s made Graham Platner one of the most stomach-turning political candidates in memory. Democrats seem set to choose the Maine “oyster farmer” and former Marine to try ousting five-term Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November’s midterm elections. If they do pick him, however, it will be despite knowing […]", "description":""

<\/p>

Let\u2019s start simply by listing some of what\u2019s made Graham Platner<\/a> one of the most stomach-turning political candidates in memory. Democrats seem set to choose the Maine<\/a> \u201coyster farmer\u201d and former Marine to try ousting five-term Sen. Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) in November\u2019s midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>

If they do pick him, however, it will be despite knowing that:<\/p>Platner had a tattoo on his chest<\/a> depicting the skull and crossbones insignia of the SS, the black-uniformed Nazi military force that ran Hitler\u2019s extermination camps. This Totenkopf was inked onto Platner\u2019s right pectoral muscle in 2007 when he was 23. He covered it up last year when it became a political liability, and he claims he didn\u2019t understand what it connoted when he had the work done. There are acres of room for doubt about the truth of this, not least because military personnel tend to know the significance of their body art in minute detail.Platner does not like, let alone love, his country. He informed<\/a> readers on Reddit in 2021, only five years before beginning his run for office, that he had \u201cbecome a communist\u201d and he admitted having lost all his patriotism, saying: \u201cI did used to love America, or at least the idea of it. These days, I\u2019m pretty disgusted by it all.\u201d There are many things citizens should be able to assume about their political leaders, and one, surely, is that he or she has a decent and affectionate prejudice in favor of our nation.Platner has gloried in being ostentatiously revolting, flouting norms of decency as outrageously as he can. For example, he posted detailed and explicit descriptions<\/a> of sexual acts and sexual organs on social media, and he revealed that he repeatedly masturbated in portable lavatories, saying nauseatingly that he was primed to do so by the blue-water smell of them.He ran<\/a> an account for years on a messaging platform used by sexual predators. His avatar on the site was a photograph of himself from the neck down, wearing nothing but a white towel draped below the waist. In the background of this charming self-portrait is a gaping lavatory with the lid up.He mocked a private soldier who had won a Purple Heart after being shot four times in a clash with the Taliban in Afghanistan. On the social media site Reddit, Platner commented, writing, \u201cDumb motherf***er didn\u2019t deserve to live. At least his stupidity and fat ass wheezing are available for future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt. Poor marksmanship on the Taliban\u2019s part is the only reason this mouth breather made it home. He managed to make every s*** decision possible when it comes to small unit combat.\u201d Platner deleted the post but did not apologize for it.He sent sexting messages to six or more women shortly after his 2023 marriage to Amy Gertner, who remains his wife. She revealed<\/a> the existence of these messages to members of her husband\u2019s Senate campaign in 2025 when they were conducting internal opposition research to prepare for the rigors of intense public and political scrutiny. A campaign aide who resigned made the texts public last month.

This is far from a complete list of Platner\u2019s depravities, and Democrats reasonably fear there could be more. Any one of them would in an earlier epoch have disqualified Platner for office. A politician who was revealed to have behaved as he has done would have skulked away from the public eye and hidden his face in shame. The fact that Platner for the moment shows no sign of regarding his disgrace as sufficient reason for withdrawing from the Senate race says much about the condition of our culture and politics, about the cynicism of the parties, and about the personal shamelessness of the candidate himself.<\/p>

Some aspects of this affair reflect particularly on the Democrats, but certainly Platner\u2019s vulgarity, boorishness, fecklessness, and defiant rejection of decent norms do not. As Jessica Tarlov, a Democratic Fox News contributor, noted<\/a> this week, members of her party can hardly be blamed for rejecting lectures from Republicans, who have embraced President Donald Trump<\/a> and who more recently gave the odious Ken Paxton<\/a> a thumping victory over the decent and respectable Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Texas primary.<\/p>

Platner would probably not have become the Democratic frontrunner or been able to sustain that position in the face of such revelations about him, nor could he have been so powerful as to force Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) to suspend her campaign against him, had America not become coarsened by the declining standards of its culture and by constant exposure to the low moral quality of some politicians.<\/p>

We have lived for a decade with the crude, damn-your-eyes defiance of Trump. Then again, Trump would not have been possible if Bill Clinton<\/a> had not defined presidential deviancy down a generation ago with his sexual encounters with intern Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office and with his associated self-abuse in a small adjoining room.<\/p>

Pollster Dick Morris revealed during the Lewinsky investigation that Clinton asked him to conduct an instant poll to see if he could survive in office if he told the truth about his affair. Morris told him he couldn\u2019t and Clinton responded, \u201cWell, we\u2019ll just have to win.\u201d He did not choose to be left alone with a bottle of Scotch and a revolver, as he might in years gone by. He simply wanted to calculate whether truth or lying was most expedient. Truth was held hostage and then killed by political ambition. This set the standard for politicians to choose bravado, deception, and toughing it out rather than honesty in the face of disgrace, followed by resignation. It pointed to the declining trajectory that has led to the candidacy and surly defiance of Platner.<\/p>

Platner\u2019s past depravities are far from the only things that demonstrate his unfitness for election to the Senate. After news broke of his extramarital sexting, the candidate appeared arm-in-arm with his long-suffering wife to face reporters. It was an empty show, not an honest reckoning. He neither admitted nor denied reports of his deeds but falsely blamed the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, which broke the sexting story, for running unsubstantiated gossip and engaging in \u201cjournalistic malpractice.\u201d<\/p>

His answer was dishonest and implausible. It merely tried to strike a chord that might resonate with public distaste for news media and, in Platner\u2019s vague words, the \u201cpowers that be.\u201d It allowed him a simulacrum of candor, a fake dollop of authenticity.<\/p>

Platner then plunged into prepared pieties which revealed his utter misunderstanding of what the public needs in politicians. He said<\/a> of his detractors, \u201cinstead of wanting to talk about the things that actually matter in this race, which are the realities that Mainers are working with, these people are going to try to make this race about anything but what it is supposed to be about, which is policy.\u201d<\/p>

This is a reductive idea of what an election campaign is about. Platner either does not realize or does not care that many voters still want, and certainly would be best served, by a senator of good character. Citizens confer an honor on the recipient of their votes, and he should deserve that honor. Character makes a huge practical difference in the conduct of public affairs.<\/p>

It is easy to work out positions on policies, or pluck them out of thin air, whether they be communist or otherwise. But it is more difficult and much more important to be able to deal with the flow of events as they arise. What tests a politician\u2019s mettle is how he responds spontaneously or instinctively, not what he has in his prepared briefing notes and ready-made answers. Congress already has too many men and women with policies but without good character, which accounts for its 29% public approval rating. It\u2019s one of the reasons for political polarization and dysfunction because character and decency are what allow better politicians to deal squarely with each other and arrive at the sort of compromises that the public wants.<\/p>

This takes a certain kind of character, formed over a lifetime and honed by experience to respond appropriately and with assurance at such times. It requires personal readiness and a fitness for office that equips a politician to meet challenges with transparency, decency, honesty, and wisdom. This has nothing to do with his or her view about such matters as the cost of housing or the availability of childcare. It has everything to do with who one is, what one is made of. Platner doesn\u2019t want people to look into what he is made of, for obvious reasons.<\/p>

His autopilot reference to policy also, however, reveals a lamentable truth about what too many members of Congress have become. They are what in British politics are said to be \u201clobby fodder.\u201d The term does not refer to pols being prey to lobbyists and thus changeable in the way they vote. Quite the opposite. They are lobby fodder, the way soldiers fed into the maw of war are \u201ccannon fodder.\u201d They are there merely to be spent under orders from their leaders.<\/p>

Too many representatives and senators are on Capitol Hill merely to be fed into the maw of political struggle. They are there only to vote with their party. That is why Democrats have, for the moment, stuck with Platner. He has shown an ability to connect with Maine voters, and as long as can win he is all his party wants or needs. The Democratic machine does not care about his insight, expertise, or character. If he gets to the Senate and votes as he is told, his ugly, grubby past will get a free pass.<\/p>

Platner\u2019s boilerplate rhetoric showed that he is nothing like the authentic candidate depicted by his campaign. His answer was canned, scripted, and had the stale smell of a formula that had been poll-tested and concocted by advisers.<\/p>

The same was true of a line of attack he used against Collins, accusing her of sending him to die with her vote in support of the Iraq War<\/a>. Even as he uttered this ludicrous canard, you could hear ancient and inauthentic gears grinding into motion, fueled by antiquated leftist anti-war assumptions. The ring of falseness was utterly at odds with Platner\u2019s crafted persona. He presents himself as bringing the freshness of a non-career politician, but his words and ideas are desiccated in their antiquity, borrowed from previous generations of leftists.<\/p>

As Collins pointed out, Platner volunteered for the military two years after Congress voted to approve the war in Iraq, so he knew what he was doing and chose it. He actually extended his time in the Marines into a second contract, and even after he left the corps, he went back to Iraq yet again as a paid mercenary. Pretending that he was put into harm\u2019s way by his Republican opponent is a contemptible falsehood.<\/p>

Fraud is what we must expect from Platner almost whenever he opens his mouth. He presents himself as a sort of honest Joe Sixpack who can properly represent the people of Maine because he is an ordinary working-class fellow like them. But he is nothing of the sort. He is cosplaying the role. He comes from a rather wealthy family; he attended a $75,000 a year prep school; the only customer of his oyster farm appears to be his mother\u2019s restaurant; his financial records show that his income comes not from oysters but from disability payments; and he did not pay<\/a> for his home with a loan from the Veterans Administration as he claimed, but with $200,000 from his father.<\/p>

Platner is such a sham that it is impossible not to wonder if he is an invention of the cynical establishment he pretends to oppose. It is certainly Democrats who are now leaking dirty details against him. Is he being set up for a fall?<\/p>

Suddenly, after Platner\u2019s travails deepened last weekend, his former rival, Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), popped up<\/a> to remind voters that her name was still on the June 9 ballot.<\/p>

\u201cPeople have the impression that I \u2018withdrew\u2019 or \u2018dropped out,\u201d but I simply suspended active campaigning,\u201d the governor, who was the candidate desired by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, told the Lewiston Sun Journal. \u201cI am still on the ballot,\u201d she said, so if Democrats finally get queasy enough to abandon Platner, they can always vote for her instead.<\/p>

They might be able to vote for her even if she is beaten by Platner in the primary. Under Maine law, if Platner is forced out of the race after winning the primary, the state Democratic Party can nominate a replacement<\/a>.<\/p>

Where have we seen something like this before? Where recently did we watch the Democratic Party become so concerned by the low quality of its nominee that it disgorged him and replaced him with a woman assumed to have a better chance of winning in the general election? Ah, yes, that\u2019s what Democrats did to President Joe Biden, replacing him with Vice President Kamala Harris.<\/p>

BIDEN JUST WON\u2019T GO AWAY<\/a><\/p>

Voters tend not to like such shenanigans, perhaps especially from a party that calls itself Democratic and has spent the past 10 years boasting that it alone can save democracy from Republicans. But Democrats have their backs against the Senate wall. If they don\u2019t win in Maine, they have virtually no chance of retaking the upper chamber, which is essential if they are to thwart Trump for his final two years in office, for example, by blocking his Supreme Court and other judicial nominations, and also impeaching him for a third time.<\/p>

A lot is riding on Platner. Despite his broad (and sometimes naked) shoulders, his party colleagues have reason to worry that he is not strong enough to carry them to victory.<\/p>

Hugo Gurdon (@hgurdon) is editorial director of the Washington Examiner.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cover.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594273-1780636975", "title":"Rick Adelman, 1946-2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4594273%2Fnba-coach-rick-adelman-obituary%2F", "byline":"Daniel Ross Goodman", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rick Adelman, the Hall of Fame coach who died June 1 at the age of 79, was one of the select few NBA coaches to have not only won more than 1,000 games but to have also twice led teams to the finals. A former point guard turned master strategist, Adelman guided five franchises over […]", "description":""

<\/p>

Rick Adelman, the Hall of Fame coach who died June 1 at the age of 79, was one of the select few NBA<\/a> coaches to have not only won more than 1,000 games but to have also twice led teams to the finals. A former point guard turned master strategist, Adelman guided five franchises over 23 seasons as a head coach, compiling a 1,042-749 record that ranked 10th in league history at the time of his death. For all his wins and deep playoff runs, he never claimed a championship. <\/p>

Still, he became far more memorable than many championship-winning coaches by dint of having helmed some of the most thrilling, Sisyphean teams the NBA has known \u2014 squads that reached the brink of the mountaintop again and again, only to fall short in ways that made their excellence all the more heartbreaking and simultaneously inspiring.  <\/p>

Richard Leonard Adelman was born on June 16, 1946, in Lynwood, California<\/a>. After earning West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors at Loyola Marymount University in 1968, he was drafted by the San Diego<\/a> Rockets and went on to carve out a seven-year NBA playing career as a steady point guard for the Rockets, Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, Jazz, and Kings. After retiring in 1975, Adelman began his coaching journey at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon<\/a>. He returned to the Blazers as an assistant under Jack Ramsay in 1983 and was promoted to head coach midway through the 1988-89 season.<\/p>

Adelman\u2019s arrival in Portland coincided with the prime of Clyde Drexler and a roster built for sustained contention. He led the Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1990, falling to Isaiah Thomas\u2019s Detroit Pistons, and again in 1992, when Michael Jordan\u2019s Chicago Bulls prevailed. Adelman\u2019s read-and-react offense \u2014 fluid, intelligent, and reliant on player decision-making \u2014 fit perfectly with veterans such as Buck Williams and Terry Porter. Those terrific Blazers teams embodied his philosophy: movement without micromanagement, trust in talent, and a relentless emphasis on doing what worked. In Game 1 of the 1992 Finals, Jordan exploded for six first-half three-pointers and delivered his famous shrug\u2014one of the most iconic moments in NBA history \u2014 yet Adelman\u2019s squad still pushed the Bulls to six games.<\/p>

After brief stints with the Golden State Warriors, Adelman landed in Sacramento in 1998 and transformed the doormat Kings into perennial contenders. Adelman guided the Kings to eight consecutive playoff appearances and engineered some of the most entertaining basketball of the era. The 2001-02 Kings, in particular, were electric: a 61-21 juggernaut featuring Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, and a supporting cast that played with joy and precision. That was the most fun team that I\u2019ve watched in my lifetime \u2014 even more enjoyable to watch in some ways than the Splash Brothers Warriors, or the Seven-Seconds-or-Less Suns. Their pass-heavy, up-tempo style turned every possession into a highlight. Yet in the Western Conference Finals against the Shaq-Kobe Lakers dynasty, what had been an exhilarating Kings run became excruciating. In Game 6, an absurdly lopsided free-throw disparity and a string of controversial calls that favored the Lakers robbed Sacramento of a finals berth and, most likely, a championship. The Kings had a title stolen from them. The franchise has never been the same since.<\/p>

In a sense, Adelman was the modern NBA\u2019s Zelig: never the most important figure of any single era, but a quietly important presence who happened to find himself at the heart of some of the league\u2019s most defining moments. He coached against the Pistons\u2019 mini-dynasty in the 1990 Finals, went toe-to-toe with Jordan\u2019s Bulls dynasty in 1992 (including the shrug game), and battled the Shaq-Kobe Lakers in 2002. Adelman later took the Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady Houston Rockets to the Western Conference semifinals in 2008-09, a season after he had led them on a 22-game winning streak (the third-longest in NBA history at the time). His final stop came with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he reached his 1,000th career win before retiring in 2014. Across it all, his teams made the playoffs 16 times. He earned three All-Star Game coaching nods and, in 2021, induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. <\/p>

AWAITING LEBRON'S DECISION <\/a><\/p>

Adelman never picked his rosters, yet he consistently coaxed the best from them through quiet communication and authentic leadership. \u201cI never believed you had to be a hard ass,\u201d he once said. \u201cI tried to be myself. Players are going to see right through that if you\u2019re not yourself.\u201d<\/p>

In an era of outsize personalities and tactical complexity, Adelman proved that understated competence could produce beautiful basketball. He got teams to the brink without ever quite getting them over the top, but the joy he extracted from the game \u2014 and the respect he earned from players who bought into his vision \u2014 endured far longer than any single ring. <\/p>

Daniel Ross Goodman (@DanRossGoodman) is a Washington Examiner contributing writer and teaches theology and religious studies at St. John\u2019s University. His next book, Dante\u2019s Guide to Life: How The Divine Comedy Can Change Our Fortunes, Our World, and Ourselves, will be published this fall by Angelico Press. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Obit.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594635-1780636500", "title":"Democrats nominate notorious jihadi associate in 9/11 hero’s congressional district", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4594635%2Fdemocrats-nominate-jihadi-associate-911-hero-congressional-district%2F", "byline":"Guy Benson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The “red-green alliance” refers to the political Left’s reliance on Marxists and Islamists as vital, sometimes-overlapping electoral constituencies. This phenomenon is now common in Europe, and perhaps its most vivid American manifestation to date arrived in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, where Democrats nominated a Squad-style socialist and Islamist for Congress. Retiring incumbent Rep. Bonnie […]", "description":""

The \"red-green alliance\" refers to the political Left<\/a>\u2019s reliance on Marxists<\/a> and Islamists<\/a> as vital, sometimes-overlapping electoral constituencies. This phenomenon is now common in Europe, and perhaps its most vivid American manifestation to date arrived in New Jersey<\/a>\u2019s 12th Congressional District, where Democrats<\/a> nominated a Squad-style socialist and Islamist for Congress<\/a>.<\/p>

Retiring incumbent Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) has comfortably won multiple consecutive reelection campaigns, routinely topping 60% of the vote. The party\u2019s new nominee will therefore be the prohibitive favorite to become a congressman.<\/p>

Who is Adam Hamawy? One of his loudest and most prominent supporters is streamer and Democratic \"influencer\" Hasan Piker, who has stated, openly and genuinely, that America deserved the jihadi massacre of nearly 3,000 innocent civilians on 9\/11. That grotesque detail is particularly relevant to Hamawy\u2019s political rise.<\/p>

Hamawy, a medical doctor who has done some commendable things in his career, was also an admitted associate of Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the \"Blind Sheikh.\" Rahman was an arch terrorist who was convicted in the 1990s of masterminding the first World Trade Center Bombing, with the goal of toppling the towers and killing thousands. This was the Islamist terrorists\u2019 first attempt at 9\/11-level destruction and mass murder in lower Manhattan. He was also found guilty of working to orchestrate a complex terrorism plot against multiple additional targets in the Big Apple.<\/p>

Hamawy, now the Democrats\u2019 standard-bearer in a congressional race, traveled with the Blind Sheikh, served as his personal translator, and was a witness on behalf of his defense at the terrorism trial. During those proceedings, he confessed that he\u2019d heard Rahman preach jihad against the United States on numerous occasions. At the very least, none of this stopped Hamawy from remaining close with Rahman, helping him communicate, or testifying for him at trial. Hamawy also went abroad to volunteer for a \"charitable\" organization in Bosnia. Days prior to Tuesday\u2019s primary, journalists at Jewish Insider revealed<\/a> that the group in question turned out to be an al Qaeda front, which was subsequently disbanded.<\/p>

Hamawy is passionately endorsed by a man who proudly declares that the U.S. had it coming on 9\/11. He was a confidante of a convicted terrorist who took Islamists\u2019 first shot at the Twin Towers. And he then happened to wind up working for an al Qaeda front group abroad. That\u2019s quite a fact pattern.<\/p>

What, incidentally, is the significance of Bosnia? Longtime Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy McCarthy was part of the federal prosecution team that put the Blind Sheikh away decades ago. In a recent interview<\/a> on my radio program, he dropped some interesting breadcrumbs on this front. McCarthy explained that during the court proceedings, Abdel-Rahman\u2019s team argued that the confirmed bomb-making connected to this case was not intended to kill New Yorkers, but instead, \u201cwhat they planned to do was go [abroad] and participate in the jihad\u201d elsewhere. Where was that supposed terror destination? Bosnia. Who in their right mind believes that Hamawy\u2019s volunteer pilgrimage to that exact country, to work at what turned out to be an al Qaeda subgroup, was an accident or coincidence?<\/p>

The candidate\u2019s apologists, who are generally the usual suspects of Israel-bashers, socialists and Islamists, are trying to gloss this record by citing other good deeds performed by Hamawy over the years.<\/p>

Let\u2019s play this out. Let\u2019s give Hamawy an extreme benefit of the doubt and concede, for the sake of argument, that he regrets his decision to knowingly befriend and work for a hardcore jihadi, and to rush to his defense during his terrorism trial. Let\u2019s also stipulate, again for the sake of argument, that Hamawy was somehow hoodwinked into working for an al Qaeda front group overseas, and that the incriminating Bosnia connection truly was coincidental.<\/p>

If later munificent actions were part of a lifelong pursuit of penance for those horrible mistakes, Hamawy wouldn\u2019t dream of enthusiastically campaigning alongside a violence-advocating extremist who\u2019s openly declared that America deserved the slaughter of Sept. 11, 2001. But that\u2019s precisely what candidate Hamawy has chosen to do. He is due zero benefit of any doubt.<\/p>

MORE SHOES TO DROP FOR GRAHAM PLATNER?<\/a><\/p>

I\u2019ll leave you with a macabre, sickening postscript: New Jersey\u2019s 12th Congressional District, which Hamawy is now favored to represent, includes a small township called Cranbury. That\u2019s where a young father and husband by the name of Todd Beamer was living back in 2001. That American hero, revered by countless Americans for his \u201clet\u2019s roll\u201d courage on an airplane forcibly controlled by al Qaeda terrorists, was murdered that fateful day.<\/p>

Beamer died protecting others and doing his utmost to foil his killers\u2019 plot. His final resting place is back in Cranbury, within New Jersey\u2019s 12th Congressional District, which appears poised to elect Adam Hamawy to represent them in the very Capitol building that Beamer\u2019s plane was hijacked to hit.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2157277726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593400-1780636500", "title":"Pope Leo’s AI critique isn’t just for tech bros", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2F4593400%2Fpope-leo-ai-critique-isnt-just-for-tech-bros%2F", "byline":"Timothy P. Carney", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Silicon Valley billionaires are trying to build a new Tower of Babel, Pope Leo XIV warns in his first encyclical. But the tech bros building the artificial intelligence products aren’t the root of the problem. They are, for the most part, just capitalizing on the fundamental error of our time, which is our deeply flawed […]", "description":""

Silicon Valley<\/a> billionaires are trying to build a new Tower of Babel, Pope Leo XIV warns<\/a> in his first encyclical.<\/a><\/p>

But the tech bros building the artificial intelligence<\/a> products aren\u2019t the root of the problem. They are, for the most part, just capitalizing on the fundamental error of our time, which is our deeply flawed anthropology.<\/p>

We don\u2019t know what a person is anymore.<\/p>

Technology can steer us into error and make our bad anthropology worse, but only after we\u2019ve already tossed out the good map.<\/p>

As Leo put it<\/a> in Magnficas Humanitas, \u201cThe key issue is not the use of technology<\/a> as such, but the vision that underlies it.\u201d<\/p>

Listen closely to the folks in Silicon Valley hyping AI as a replacement for human labor. You can detect their unstated view of humans: They see us as computers.<\/p>

And if we are mere computers, we are poor specimens. Compared to their large language models, which can \u201crecall\u201d anything ever written, we are ignorant and bad at math.<\/p>

We are, of course, not computers. But again, we need to avoid blaming this error entirely on Silicon Valley. The tech industry has, to some extent, just inherited an older mistake. Modern man has, over the past few decades \u2014 without noting the shift \u2014 come to think of the human person as essentially an intellect. Our flesh and bones are seen as accidental baggage, even a curse.<\/p>

Elites holding to this view of the person adopt (but don't usually say aloud) the opinion that intelligence equals virtue. Far worse is the unstated premise that productivity equals value.     <\/p>

\u201cIf the human being is treated as something to be perfected or surpassed,\u201d Pope Leo warns, \u201cit becomes easier to accept that some lives are less useful, less desirable or less worthy.\u201d<\/p>

Rapid technological growth creates \u201ca risk that individuals will be evaluated principally according to the outcomes they produce,\u201d Leo writes.<\/p>

Today\u2019s elites, in and out of the tech world, really do seem to believe that a person is only as good as his measurable contributions to the world. This is almost tautological to the secular materialist mind.<\/p>

I have had elite students tell me they couldn\u2019t imagine starting a family because they owed it to the world not just to graduate from their Ivy League college, but also to go to law or business school and then gain material success. When I suggested that loving one\u2019s spouse and raising a child might itself be worthwhile, they dismissed that as impossibly sentimental.<\/p>

Again, here we can detect an unstated anthropology: The achievement-oriented, heavily-educated American or European sees herself primarily as an individual. Her interactions with others are not relations but transactions \u2014 fully consensual, limited, contingent.<\/p>

Modern man sees himself as a free-floating, atomized bundle of rights. The Christian view upheld by Pope Leo is different: Man is fundamentally a relational creature, an embodied creature, a familial creature. Our bodies, our families, our relationships are not accidents or adornments on our true selves. They, as much as our intellects, make us who we are. What\u2019s more, we exist in a place \u2014 a physical place. Who and what are physically around us shape our individual identity, even if we didn\u2019t choose those things.<\/p>

Our relationships with other people aren\u2019t merely means to getting what we want. Relationships are good in themselves. This is lost on the modern mind, and so our policymakers try to make policies that make us less dependent on one another \u2014 as if dependence is a weakness. More profoundly, perhaps, our Big Tech masters of the universe make tools aimed at liberating us from interpersonal relationships.<\/p>

Here, the threat from AI is obvious:<\/p>

\u201cThe artificial imitation of care or support can become particularly risky when it enters contexts where real relationships and emotional bonds are lacking,\u201d Leo writes. \u201cHere, the danger is not so much that a person may believe they are communicating with another person, but rather that they may gradually lose the very desire to form genuine human connections.\u201d<\/p>

TIMOTHY P. CARNEY: THE MYTH OF GREEN CHINA<\/a><\/p>

Robert Nisbet last century defined the alienated individual as the person who \u201cnot only does not feel a part of the social order; he has lost interest in being a part of it.\u201d<\/p>

AI is merely a tool. But it's a tool with which we can't be trusted unless and until we fix our mistaken understanding of who we are.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2218129905.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595875-1780635600", "title":"Can cutting red tape make housing affordable again? ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Finfrastructure%2F4595875%2Fcan-cutting-red-tape-make-housing-affordable-again%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump has spent much of his second term arguing that the solution to the U.S.’s housing affordability crisis is straightforward: cut government regulations, streamline approvals, and make it easier to build. The administration points to a series of deregulatory actions at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> has spent much of his second term arguing that the solution to the U.S.'s housing<\/a> affordability crisis is straightforward: cut government regulations, streamline approvals, and make it easier to build.<\/p>

The administration points to a series of deregulatory actions at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration as evidence that the strategy is already working. But even some conservatives question whether slashing red tape alone can solve a housing crisis decades in the making.<\/p>

Housing affordability<\/a> remains one of voters' top economic concerns heading into the 2026 midterm elections. While home prices have cooled from pandemic-era peaks, elevated mortgage rates and years of price appreciation have kept homeownership out of reach for much of the public.<\/p>

Former Federal Housing Commissioner Frank Cassidy, who recently left his dual roles at the FHA and HUD to return to the commercial mortgage banking industry, argues the administration's approach is already producing results.<\/p>

\u201cI think President Trump<\/a> brings a unique role,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cHe understands housing, he understands real estate, he's a builder, he understands development.\u201d <\/p>

The FHA insures private mortgages for first-time homebuyers, lower-income borrowers, and multifamily housing developments. The agency's portfolio totals roughly $1.6 trillion across more than 8 million mortgages.<\/p>

Cassidy said the president directed housing officials to run their agencies \u201clike a business.\u201d For FHA, that meant being profitable. It also meant reducing the timeline for mortgage insurance approvals in order to move more \u201cdeals\u201d through the federal queue.<\/p>

Over the past year, according to Cassidy, the FHA cut closing times for multifamily and healthcare loans from between six and 12 months to between 90 and 120 days. The agency also reduced the mortgage insurance premium by 25 basis points, lowering the cost of construction, refinancing, and purchasing all multifamily homes covered by the program.<\/p>

For administration officials, those changes represent a broader philosophy: housing affordability begins with increasing supply.<\/p>

\"I think that the way to boost supply is to lower cost,\" Cassidy said. \"Ultimately, we need to bring more supply online to make housing more affordable, and the problem is that it's been expensive to build new housing.\"<\/p>

That means reducing bureaucratic barriers, which Cassidy describes as making new development more expensive and time-consuming. <\/p>

The White House is also backing efforts to craft a bipartisan housing bill in Congress to incentivize state and local governments to revamp zoning and development laws in hopes of spurring a boom in home construction. <\/p>

But some conservatives argue that increasing supply is only part of the problem.<\/p>

\u201cWe have a political class that promises both low housing prices and high home values,\u201d said Oren Cass, co-founder of American Compass. \u201cUnfortunately, those two are the same thing, and so unless you're willing to talk about reducing home values, you are not going to have lower housing prices.\u201d <\/p>

That\u2019s why Cass is supportive of a provision within the housing bill to prohibit big institutional investors from buying single-family homes. The argument is that Wall Street funds can outbid individuals, thereby inflating the cost of housing stock. <\/p>

Others argue the problem is not simply how much housing gets built, but what type of housing enters the market. Howard Husock, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, has argued that builders continue to favor larger, higher-priced homes over starter homes.<\/p>

\u201cThe median new house today is more than 2100 square feet,\u201d Husock wrote <\/a>in February. \u201cThe typical house lot is more than 9,000 square feet.\"<\/p>

The competing arguments highlight the challenge of lowering housing costs. <\/p>

While the Trump administration has focused on reducing federal barriers to construction, critics argue affordability is also shaped by investor demand, local zoning restrictions, the types of homes builders choose to construct, and the political difficulty of lowering prices without hurting existing homeowners.<\/p>

TRUMP ANNOUNCES HE'LL BUilD A 'PROMENADE' CONNECTING LINCOLN MEMORIAL TO POTOMAC RIVER<\/a><\/p>

The debate over how to address the housing shortage has followed Trump throughout his second term.<\/p>

Last fall, Trump reportedly even considered declaring a national housing emergency, the first such declaration issued by the executive branch since the end of World War II, to speed up construction. However, Cassidy said the administration ultimately concluded its deregulatory agenda offered a more effective path.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP18275728718429.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595633-1780635600", "title":"If AI needs your work to function, it’s not ‘fair use’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595633%2Fif-artificial-intelligence-needs-your-work-to-function-its-not-fair-use%2F", "byline":"Angelina Myers", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Artificial intelligence doesn’t create in a vacuum. Rather, it depends on human work to analyze data, discovering patterns and finding anomalies. That work is essential for AI’s machine learning. Therefore, categorizing such work as “fair use” misses the point. As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, a fundamental question is emerging: What happens to creators’ rights — […]", "description":""

Artificial intelligence<\/a> doesn\u2019t create in a vacuum. Rather, it depends on human work to analyze data<\/a>, discovering patterns and finding anomalies. That work is essential for AI\u2019s machine learning. Therefore, categorizing such work as \u201cfair use\u201d misses the point.<\/p>

As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, a fundamental question is emerging: What happens to creators\u2019 rights \u2014 journalists<\/a>, artists, statisticians \u2014 when their work becomes essential fuel for AI systems?<\/p>

The original purpose of copyright is, simply, a matter of control. Copyright law ensures creators, not downstream users, capture the value of their work \u2014 an idea that becomes even more critical when that work is used at scale. These creators \u2014 authors, artists, and innovators \u2014 have the right to determine how their work is used, distributed, and monetized. That principle does not disappear simply because content is ingested into an AI model. These systems rely on vast amounts of existing writing, art, and code created by humans. If that material is necessary for the system to function, then the rights of those creators should remain firmly in place.<\/p>

As AI accelerates, the demand for legal clarity is outpacing the development of case law, creating a kind of digital Wild West where the rules haven\u2019t caught up to reality. Any claim that AI training qualifies as \u201cfair use\u201d misunderstands what is actually happening. Training a model is an active process of using copyrighted material to build a new product. Without that material, the system would not exist in its current form.<\/p>

Allowing companies to use protected works in this way permits them to absorb, repurpose, and possibly monetize creative output without consent or compensation. Luckily, the courts are beginning to recognize and weigh in on this distinction.<\/p>

In Thomson Reuters v. ROSS Intelligence, a federal judge ruled that using copyrighted material to train an AI system can be infringement, rejecting a fair use defense. The case involved Thomson Reuters, the company behind Westlaw \u2014 a widely used legal research platform for lawyers \u2014 which creates its own summaries of court decisions, known as \u201cheadnotes.\u201d ROSS, a startup building an AI legal research tool, used those summaries to train its system. Plainly, you cannot use protected material to build a competing product without permission.<\/p>

This issue is now playing out on a larger scale in The New York Times v. OpenAI and Microsoft, where it is alleged that journalism was used without authorization to train AI systems. The case underscores the stakes \u2014 whether or not entire bodies of creative and intellectual work can be absorbed into AI without recourse for their creators.<\/p>

Some argue that requiring permission or compensation will slow innovation. But copyright law has always coexisted with technological progress. It provides a framework for licensing and responsible use, ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of creators\u2019 rights. AI should be no exception.<\/p>

Importantly, copyright law does not need to be anti-AI. Rather, it must remain pro-creator. Human-made works must stay eligible for protection, even when AI is used as a tool in the creative process. But fully machine-generated content does not carry the same protections. This distinction reinforces the value of human creativity while still allowing room for innovation.<\/p>

KEMP WARNS LANCE BOTTOMS\u2019S ANTI-DATA CENTER APPROACH DANGEROUS FOR GEORGIA: \u2018MORATORIUMS ON GROWTH\u2019<\/a><\/p>

The real issue is not whether AI can develop, but how. If companies rely on copyrighted material to train their systems, they should obtain permission and, if applicable, provide compensation. The burden should not fall on creators to accept that their work is simply raw material for someone else\u2019s product.<\/p>

AI companies face a choice: They can either build systems that respect the legal and economic value of creative work, or they can continue to operate in a gray area that undermines it. Copyright law<\/a> will evolve, as it always has, but its foundation should remain clear: If creative work powers a system, that creator does not lose his or her protections.<\/p>

Angelina Myers is a student media fellow at the Network of enlightened Women. She studies political science and government at George Washington University.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iStock-2217030312-e1777037717494.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595153-1780635600", "title":"Supreme Court saves 23 opinions for release in final weeks of term", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsupreme-court%2F4595153%2Fsupreme-court-23-opinions-left-final-weeks-of-term%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Supreme Court is weeks away from ending its term, but it still has to release rulings in nearly two dozen cases, including some of the most closely watched legal fights it heard since the fall. Over the next month, the high court is set to issue rulings in cases dealing with state laws barring […]", "description":""

The Supreme Court<\/a> is weeks away from ending its term, but it still has to release rulings in nearly two dozen cases, including some of the most closely watched legal fights it heard since the fall.<\/p>

Over the next month, the high court<\/a> is set to issue rulings in cases dealing with state laws barring biological men from women's sports, President Donald Trump<\/a>'s power to fire within the executive branch, and a pair of gun laws, as well as other high-profile cases. Among the remaining 23 cases, only one case argued in November remains, three from December, four from January, four from February, five from March, and six from April.<\/p>

The lone case argued in November 2025 that has yet to be ruled on is Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections<\/a>, which deals with whether a Rastafarian man can sue prison officials on religious grounds for forcing him to shave his dreadlocks in violation of his First Amendment rights. Among the trio of undecided December 2025 cases, the two most notable are NRSC v. FEC, in which the GOP Senate campaign arm is challenging the legality of coordinated spending limits between candidates and political parties, and Trump v. Slaughter, where Trump is asking the high court to let him fire an FTC commissioner without cause.<\/p>

Included in the eight cases argued in January and February for which the justices have not released rulings are two major gun cases. Wolford v. Lopez deals with whether a Hawaii law, which bars gun owners with concealed carry permits from bringing their firearms onto private properties unless they get permission from the property owner, is unconstitutional. The other, United States v. Hemani, is a dispute over the constitutionality of a federal law that bars unlawful drug users from possessing firearms. Another major case of those arguments still outstanding is the emergency docket case Trump v. Cook, which is over whether Trump has shown enough cause to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook.<\/p>

Three of the most highly anticipated cases still outstanding are among the 11 cases argued in the March and April sittings, including the constitutional challenge to Trump's birthright citizenship order, Trump v. Barbara; a case over the legality of late-arriving mail ballot laws, Watson v. RNC; and whether Trump can end temporary protected status for Haiti and Syria, Mullin v. Doe.<\/p>

The Supreme Court is next set to release opinions on June 11, and it currently only has two other dates on its calendar slated to be opinion release days, June 18 and June 25. But as with past terms, the high court will likely announce additional opinion days as the end of the term approaches.<\/p>

In June 2025, the Supreme Court added two additional opinion days for the final two Fridays of the month after initially scheduling only four. After the first opinion day that month, 28 cases had yet to be ruled on, including one case the high court punted to the next term. In June 2024, the Supreme Court added five opinion days to its calendar for the month after initially scheduling three, along with adding an opinion day on July 1. After the first opinion day of that June, there were 27 cases remaining.<\/p>

THE MAJOR SUPREME COURT DECISIONS REMAINING FOR THIS TERM<\/a><\/p>

Among the 35 rulings the Supreme Court has handed down so far during its current term, more than half have been unanimous, a trend unlikely to continue for the remaining major cases.<\/p>

Once the Supreme Court issues the remaining opinions in cases it heard this term, the high court will be out for the summer. The Supreme Court's next term is set to begin on Oct. 5, when oral arguments will begin for the term and continue through the end of April 2027.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26153584718909.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595090-1780635600", "title":"Blame DEI for Fairfax’s crazy school schedule", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4595090%2Fblame-dei-fairfax-county-crazy-school-schedule%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Millions of school children across the country are enjoying their summer vacations, but not the students of Fairfax County Public Schools, in Virginia, who still have almost two weeks of school ahead of them. A mid-June release date is not that uncommon for schools elsewhere, but those that end in June usually begin after Labor […]", "description":""

Millions of school<\/a> children across the country are enjoying their summer vacations, but not the students of Fairfax County<\/a> Public Schools, in Virginia<\/a>, who still have almost two weeks of school ahead of them. A mid-June release date is not that uncommon for schools elsewhere, but those that end in June usually begin after Labor Day. That is not the case with Fairfax County Public Schools. Its schools start in August and run through June, the longest school year in America.<\/p>

This is because of an embrace of diversity, equity, and inclusion<\/a> initiatives. Fairfax County Public Schools has created one of the most bloated and chaotic calendars in the country: an August-to-June school year, an unusually short summer, a long list of student holidays, and remarkably few normal five-day weeks. This helps no one, inconveniences parents, disrupts student learning, and encourages delinquency.<\/p>

Before George Floyd\u2019s death and the summer of Black Lives Matter riots, Fairfax County Public Schools had no \u201ccultural\u201d observance or holidays on the calendar. But in a deliberate effort to promote \u201cvalues of diversity, equity, and inclusion,\u201d the board added 15 \u201cobservance\u201d days on which student absences would be excused, meaning schools are barred from scheduling tests, quizzes, field trips, or athletic events on those days. Although these observance days do not create a full day off, they disrupt learning because teachers are encouraged not to teach new material while some students are excused from school.<\/p>

The 15 observance days include: Bodhi Day, Dia de los Muertos, Diwali, Eid al Adha, Eid al Fitr, Good Friday, Lunar New Year, Orthodox Christmas, Orthodox Epiphany, Orthodox Good Friday, Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah, Theravada New Year, Three Kings Day, and Yom Kippur.<\/p>

That 2021-22 school calendar delinked Easter and spring break with the express purpose of promoting DEI values. The backlash against this change was so strong that Fairfax County Public Schools went back to the linked Easter-Spring Break the next school year.<\/p>

But the woke Democratic school board wasn\u2019t done messing with the calendar. For the 2022-23 school year, it converted six of the 15 cultural observance days into outright holidays on which schools closed. The six new days off included Diwali, Eid al Adha, Eid al Fitr, Orthodox Good Friday, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.<\/p>

Each new holiday either disrupts a normal five-day school week or turns existing holidays into absurd mini-breaks. This Memorial Day, for example, students had not only Monday off, but also Tuesday because of a teacher work day, and Wednesday for Eid al Adha, turning what should have been a nice, relaxing three-day weekend into a five-day childcare nightmare for thousands of parents.<\/p>

Excessive school holidays undermine the core purpose of school by turning the calendar into a logistical and instructional obstacle course. Fairfax County parents are not complaining about an occasional day off; they are dealing with the fact that only half the weeks in the school calendar are five days long. Lack of routine makes it harder for teachers to build momentum, harder for students, especially younger students, to retain habits and lessons, and harder for parents who must arrange childcare. The burden is especially unfair to low-income families, who are less able to pay for sitters, camps, or tutoring every time school closes. A calendar designed to honor every constituency may sound inclusive, but in practice, it sacrifices the one thing schools are supposed to provide: consistent instruction.<\/p>

EDITORIAL: DEMOCRATS ARE STILL SOFT ON CRIME<\/a><\/p>

Faced with growing parent anger, the Fairfax County school board added insult to injury with a \u201csolution\u201d that further undermined shared values. Last month, it voted to keep all current cultural days off, and make up for it by canceling Veterans Day, which most parents already have off as it is a federal holiday.<\/p>

Fairfax County should stop treating schools as a vehicle for woke activism and work to a sensible calendar again. By fragmenting the school year, the board hurts the low-income and working-class families DEI is allegedly trying to protect, while replacing shared civic holidays with sectarian scorekeeping. Students need routine, teachers need uninterrupted instructional time, parents need predictability, and communities need a common culture.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1258784198.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4589610-1780635571", "title":"Despite Virginia redistricting fiasco, Dems eye pair of GOP-held House seats", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4589610%2Fvirginia-redistricting-democrats-eye-pair-republican-house-seats%2F", "byline":"Taylor Millard", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A House Democratic plan to redistrict the party to the majority ran straight through Virginia. Then it came crashing down with an adverse state Supreme Court ruling. But in what’s shaping up as a favorable midterm election environment for Democrats, two Commonwealth House Republicans may still be at risk under the old district lines. Amid […]", "description":""

<\/p>

A House Democratic plan to redistrict<\/a> the party to the majority ran straight through Virginia<\/a>. Then it came crashing down with an adverse state Supreme Court ruling.<\/p>

But in what\u2019s shaping up as a favorable midterm election<\/a> environment for Democrats, two Commonwealth House Republicans may still be at risk under the old district lines. Amid a fierce political knife-fight for House control, Democrats need to net three seats to win a majority in the 435-member chamber.<\/p>

It\u2019s the latest series of twists and turns in a national redistricting fight started by President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s political operation, which pushed Texas<\/a> to make a rare mid-decade redraw of its House map. The effort expanded the state's GOP House delegation from the current 25-13 to an overwhelming 30-8.<\/p>

After GOP Texas lawmakers and Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a> (R-TX) enacted their state\u2019s new House map, Democrats in deep blue California responded in-kind. A new House map pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) and state Democrats, and adopted by voters, aims to shift what\u2019s now effectively a 43-9 map in Democrats\u2019 favor to an even more partisan 48-4 advantage.<\/p>

A series of other states have since redrawn House district maps ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Virginia was supposed to be key to this plan, after voters approved a ballot measure aimed at shifting the current 6-5 Democratic edge to a 10-1 blue romp. But the Supreme Court of Virginia voided the voter-approved April 21 special election referendum, ruling that the General Assembly failed to meet constitutional requirements because it passed the ballot amendment after early voting for the 2025 election had already started.<\/p>Same map yields pair of competitive races

The practical effect of the state Supreme Court ruling is to keep the current Virginia House map in place. And Democrats are ramping up efforts to defeat a pair of incumbent Republicans they\u2019d already been targeting for more than a year. One, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) in the 1st Congressional District, represents the western Chesapeake Bay area and suburbs north and west of Richmond. The other, Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), represents the 2nd Congressional District, around suburban Hampton Roads.<\/p>

Wittman has represented the 1st District since 2007 following the death of Republican Rep. Jo Ann Davis. The district stretches from the Richmond suburbs through the historic settlements of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown to Norfolk.<\/p>

District voters have traditionally supported GOP candidates, backing Trump in each of his three presidential runs, as well as Ed Gillespie and Glenn Youngkin for governor in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Wittman won his 2024 reelection campaign by more than 12 points.<\/p>

But in November, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) beat her Republican rival, then Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, by 2 percentage points in the district.<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s something that is bound to be catching the attention of both parties in Washington as they look at places where they need to focus their attention,\u201d said John McGlennon, Ph.D., a professor of government at the College of William & Mary since 1974.<\/p>

The nearby 2nd District has become a true swing district.<\/p>

Stretching through Virginia\u2019s Eastern Shore, including Virginia Beach, the military-heavy district has ping-ponged between GOP and Democratic representation since 2016. No incumbent has won more than two terms in office since former Republican Rep. Scott Rigell held the seat from 2011 to 2017.<\/p>

While Trump has won two out of three elections in the district, his 2024 victory was by 0.2 percentage points.<\/p>

The district also swung sharply in gubernatorial contests. Youngkin, Virginia\u2019s governor from 2022 to 2026, carried it by 11 points in his 2021 win, while Spanberger won it by 9 points last year.<\/p>

\u201cVirginia Beach and Chesapeake seem to be trending blue,\u201d Virginia Beach-based political strategist Joe Rubin said in an interview. \"Kiggans has had to work really hard to maintain some sense of independence.\u201d<\/p>

Rubin observed that 2nd Congressional District voters prefer to believe that the person they\u2019re going to vote for is going to be a member of the majority and have a spot on the all-important Armed Services Committee. Both Kiggans and likely Democratic opponent, Elaine Luria, have been members of the committee.<\/p>Norfolk-area rematch

Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot and later a geriatric nurse practitioner, is expected to face Luria for the second time in three election cycles.<\/p>

Annapolis graduate Luria served in the Navy for 20 years before defeating Republican incumbent Scott Taylor in 2018. She won a second term in 2020, again over Taylor, but lost to Kiggans in 2022.<\/p>

Although Luria is considered a centrist Democrat, she voted in line with former President Joe Biden 98.2% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight. She voted with Trump\u2019s stated position 11% of the time.<\/p>

When Luria first ran for Congress in 2018, she promised not to accept money from corporate political action committees. But two years later, she took $34,000 in PAC donations, receiving criticism from the campaign finance reform group End Citizens United.<\/p>

Rubin predicted the potential Kiggans-Luria rematch would be very expensive because both parties want to hold the seat.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s going to come down to whether people feel comfortable with Donald Trump after two years of this administration,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Other candidates in the Democratic primary include Nila Devanath, Patrick Nosolf, and John Stringfellow.<\/p>

The Cook Political Report has rated the race as a \"Toss Up\" after previously rating it \"Lean Democrat.\"<\/p>

While the Kiggans-Luria rematch is likely, Wittman faces potentially one of his most formidable Democratic challengers in Shannon Taylor.<\/p>

Taylor has served as Henrico County\u2019s Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney since 2012 and is well-known in the Democrat-leaning Richmond suburb. She successfully ran for re-election three times.<\/p>

After passing on running for state attorney general in 2021, Taylor sought the position last year. She lost in the Democratic primary to Jay Jones, who went on to win the general election.<\/p>

McGlennon believes Taylor\u2019s first experience running for statewide office will help her against Wittman.<\/p>

\u201cHer campaign spent millions of dollars on television advertising, which is bound to have had an impact on her visibility and name recognition,\u201d he said.<\/p>

While Taylor is popular in Henrico County, McGlennon said that Wittman has been establishing himself in the Richmond suburbs. Wittman remains popular in the rural areas, which mostly make up the district.<\/p>

\u201cI think the fact that redistricting didn\u2019t happen helps all Republicans, basically,\u201d Rubin said.<\/p>

Other candidates in the Democratic primary include Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs, Salaam Bhatti, Tim Cywinski, Jason Knapp, Ericka Kopp, Lewis Ward Littlepage, James Shea, and Mel Tull.<\/p>

The 1st Congressional District is considered \"Lean Republican\" by the Cook Political Report. Had the new map been implemented, it would have been ranked \"Solidly Democratic.\"<\/p>

What might be most important for both Kiggans and Wittman is their party label, given today\u2019s polarized environment.<\/p>

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE'S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

National surveys show that Americans are dissatisfied with both major political parties, but Republicans control the White House and both branches of Congress.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s a challenge for a Republican candidate in a district which is both highly attuned to what\u2019s happening in Washington and is not very happy with the direction of the country,\u201d McGlennon said.<\/p>

Taylor Millard is a freelance journalist who lives in Virginia. Follow him on X @TaylorMillard<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WB.Campaign1.061026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596273-1780635304", "title":"Senate sends immigration enforcement bill to the House without ‘lawfare’ fund ban", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4596273%2Fsenate-immigration-enforcement-bill-lawfare-fund%2F", "byline":"David Sivak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Senate Republicans approved $70 billion for immigration enforcement in the early hours of Friday morning, overcoming a grueling voting marathon that became a referendum on President Donald Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund. After a stream of amendment votes that began on Thursday morning and lasted into the night, the Senate passed the measure without a ban on […]", "description":""

Senate Republicans approved $70 billion for immigration enforcement in the early hours of Friday morning, overcoming a grueling voting marathon that became a referendum on President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund.<\/p>

After a stream of amendment votes that began on Thursday morning and lasted into the night, the Senate passed the measure without a ban on the $1.8 billion fund, which sparked a bipartisan backlash over the prospect of Jan. 6 defendants getting payouts.<\/p>

Senate leadership was able to keep most Republicans in line after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche scrapped the fund and stated it would not be revived<\/a> in congressional testimony earlier this week.<\/p>

But not all Republicans were satisfied, and several attempted to codify that promise<\/a> into law. One of the GOP senators, Bill Cassidy (R-LA), spent hours trying to craft an amendment that could be adopted at a simple majority vote, but those efforts did not ultimately pass muster with the parliamentarian.<\/p>

Instead, the amendment failed at a 60-vote threshold toward the end of the \u201cvote-a-rama,\u201d with six Republicans joining Democrats to block the fund and repurpose it to compensate Capitol police officers injured in the line of duty. The immigration enforcement bill now heads to the House, where Republicans will bring it to the floor next week.<\/p>

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was the only Republican to vote \"no.\"<\/p>

Friday's vote brings Republicans one step closer to neutralizing the issue of immigration, a political lightning rod after the fatal shooting of two protesters in Minneapolis, for the rest of Trump\u2019s presidency.<\/p>

Democrats refused to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement without reforms to officer conduct, prompting Republicans to go it alone with a filibuster-skirting process known as reconciliation.<\/p>

The rocky path it took to get there has deepened a rift with the White House and stretched Senate Republicans to their limit. Initially, Trump requested the Senate attach security funding for his East Wing ballroom to the bill, but that money was jettisoned<\/a> as Republicans expressed concern about being linked to what Democrats have denounced as an expensive vanity project.<\/p>

The \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund was an even greater hurdle, but Republicans found a workaround amendment on Thursday afternoon that did not threaten the fate of the immigration bill. The compromise, authored by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), blocked the fund and redirected the money to assist the DOJ\u2019s fraud task force, an effort that Democrats opposed.<\/p>

A dozen Republicans voted for that amendment, but it failed without Democratic support. <\/p>

All of the Democratic-led amendments also failed, although vulnerable Republicans repeatedly broke with their party on language designed to put them in a tough spot electorally.<\/p>

Democrats peeled off seven Republicans with an amendment blocking taxpayer and private dollars<\/a> from going to the ballroom. Five Republicans voted for another amendment preventing Tina Peters from receiving a payout from the \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund.<\/p>

SENATE REPUBLICANS PUMP THE BRAKES ON TODD BLANCHE AG NOMINATION<\/a><\/p>

Peters, a Trump ally convicted in a vote tampering case related to the 2020 election, earned a commutation from the governor of Colorado in May.<\/p>

As the vote series stretched into Thursday night, Susan Collins (R-ME) cast the 10,000th vote of her Senate career, earning praise from GOP and Democratic leadership. Collins, a centrist running for reelection in Maine, has never missed a vote since arriving in the Senate in 1997.<\/p>

The Senate ended the night with an unrelated vote to extend a key spy power known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That procedural step failed with six Republicans<\/a> joining Democrats in voting \"no.\" The outcome, a protest over the degree of surveillance reforms, means that leadership will need to regroup and try again next week, when the 702 authorities are set to expire.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26137116454357-e1780632167209.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596348-1780632852", "title":"House Armed Services Committee advances $1.15 trillion NDAA after 14-hour debate", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596348%2Fhasc-advances-1-15-trillion-ndaa-after-14-hour-debate%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The House Armed Services Committee agreed to advance the $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act to the full House of Representatives. The measure was reportedly successful after 14 hours of debate, during which approximately 900 amendments were considered. It passed after the panel voted 44-12 to advance it on Thursday, shortly before midnight. […]", "description":""

The House Armed Services Committee<\/a> agreed to advance the $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act<\/a> to the full House of Representatives. The measure was reportedly successful after 14 hours of debate, during which approximately 900 amendments were considered. It passed after the panel voted 44-12 to advance it on Thursday, shortly before midnight.<\/p>

Hours before the vote, Committee Chairman Mike Rogers<\/a> (R-AL) expressed the importance of passing this budget, stressing the current challenges facing the defense industrial base. Rogers made the comments in his opening remarks.<\/p>

\u201cThroughout our budget hearings this year, we\u2019ve heard a consistent theme: the defense industrial base \u2013 the foundation of our military power \u2013 is in trouble,\u201d Rogers said<\/a>. \u201cOver the last 30 years, the defense industrial base has atrophied significantly. We are no longer capable of manufacturing for our warfighters at scale or speed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIn the 1990s, America had 51 prime defense contractors,\u201d said Rogers. Today, only six remain.\u201d<\/p>

He explained that the budget was an imminent national security issue, stating that the failure to replenish and upgrade the defense industrial base today would endanger the country tomorrow.<\/p>

\u201cWe have very little industrial capacity to mine, refine, or process critical minerals, making us dependent on other countries \u2013 including our adversaries \u2013 for access to them,\u201d said Rogers. \u201cOur skilled workforce has shrunk, further reducing our production capacity. And we\u2019ve fallen dangerously behind when it comes to shipbuilding and maritime readiness.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cSo when it comes to revitalizing our industrial base, the choice is clear,\u201d he added. \u201cWe can act now, or we can allow our deterrence to erode, undermining our national security, and failing the men and women in uniform who so bravely serve our country.\u201d <\/p>

Among the amendments debated<\/a> were a requirement to explain the dismissal of senior military officials, a measure granting the government<\/a> specific new intellectual property rights during negotiations with the defense industry, and an official proposal to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Other amendments discussed included reductions in defense spending and cuts to funding for the proposed Trump-class battleship.<\/p>

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), who introduced the amendment for a decrease in defense spending, said he did so out of a mistrust of the Trump administration.\u00a0<\/p>

THREE REPUBLICANS BUCK GOP AS SENATE DEFEATS ATTEMPT TO BLOCK TRUMP \u2018ANTI-WEAPONIZATION\u2019 FUND<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI just don't trust the administration to use this historical budget appropriately,\u201d Moulton said. \u201cI'm not going to hand them a blank check to fund reckless, unilateral wars of choice.\u201d<\/p>

After the debate concluded, and the committee voted to advance it to the House, Rogers celebrated the decision, saying<\/a> that advancing the FY27 NDAA \u201cstrengthens American deterrence, and gives servicemembers the support they need to defend our nation.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe FY27 NDAA reflects months of oversight, hearings, member engagement, and collaboration to ensure the U.S. military remains the most capable and lethal fighting force in the world,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cI appreciate the bipartisan effort that went into this bill, and I look forward to advancing this legislation so we can give our warfighters the resources they need to strengthen our deterrence and defend our country.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-mrba9jxtt-1780646829492-e1780646893502.jpg?1780632501&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596337-1780621851", "title":"Trump announces new performers of ‘greatest rally ever’ on June 24: ‘Rally to end all rallies’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4596337%2Ftrump-announces-new-performers-of-greatest-rally-ever-on-june-24-rally-to-end-all-rallies%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump announced the lineup for what he called the “greatest rally ever” to be held on June 24 in Washington, D.C.  The president made the revelation on his Truth Social account on Thursday evening. He teased the event as the “rally to end all rallies.” The rally is believed to be the replacement […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> announced the lineup for what he called the \u201cgreatest rally ever\u201d to be held on June 24 in Washington, D.C. <\/p>

The president made the revelation on his Truth Social account on Thursday evening. He teased the event as the \u201crally to end all rallies.\u201d The rally is believed to be the replacement for the Great American State Fair concert that was to be part of the America 250<\/a> festivities. After a lineup of performers was announced on May 27, most of the musicians dropped out of the event or claimed they never agreed to perform. Trump addressed their decision to withdraw in his post.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cOn Wednesday, June 24th, at 7 P.M., in magnificent Washington, D.C., now totally beautified, and one of the Safest Cities anywhere in the World, and in celebration of our Country\u2019s 250 Year History, we will be bringing you, LIVE, the Greatest Rally, EVER!\u201d said Trump. \u201cIt will be special at every level \u2014 A Rally to end all Rallies!\u201d<\/p>

He then took a not-so-subtle shot at the performers who canceled, calling them \u201csingers with no talent, but big fees\u2026\u201d in announcing the new plans for the rally.<\/p>

\u201cWe don\u2019t want singers with no talent, but big fees to put you to sleep,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019ve told them all to stay home. All we want is you, me, a few speakers, and the Greatest Music ever played, the same Music you have listened to for years!\u201d<\/p>

Among the newly announced performers are two musical acts that have been featured in previous Trump rallies, country singer Lee Greenwood, whose signature song \u201cGod Bless the U.S.A.\u201d has been a staple at Trump rallies. It will also feature Italian-American tenor Christopher Macchio, who has performed at past Trump events, including the October 2024 Trump rally at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>

\u201cWe will have the fabulous Lee Greenwood introducing me with what has turned out to be one of the Greatest Hits of All Time, GOD BLESS THE U.S.A., and the amazing Christopher Macchio, who will sing Nessun Dorma, Hallelujah, Ave Maria, God Bless America, and others,\u201d Trump said. \u201cNot since the legendary Luciano Pavarotti has there been such a voice!\u201d It will also feature multiple military bands.<\/p>

The concert is being held the night before the opening of the Great American State Fair, which will run from June 25 to July 10 at the National Mall. It was to feature a concert with nine performers, most of whom were known primarily for their hits in the 1980s and 1990s. The list included The Commodores, C+C Music Factory, the surviving member of Milli Vanilli, Vanilla Ice, Young MC, Bret Michaels, Morris Day and the Time, Flo Rida, and Martina McBride. Of that group, only Flo Rida and McBride had major hits this century. McBride announced<\/a> she was not performing in a social media post the day after the Great American State Fair was announced.<\/p>

18 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP AND VOTE TO SEND $1.3 BILLION TO UKRAINE<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI would like to talk to you and clear the air,\u201d McBride said<\/a> in her social media message. \u201cI will not be participating at the Great American State Fair on June 25th. I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading. I asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states.\" <\/p>

\"In my mind I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can,\" she said. \"I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special.\u201d<\/p>

After most of the performers canceled, Trump teased that he would hold a rally instead.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154769821602.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596298-1780614870", "title":"US sanctions Cuban president as Trump turns up heat on island’s leadership", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F4596298%2Fus-sanctions-cuba-president%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The State Department has sanctioned Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, along with four other individuals and five entities within the island nation’s communist government. The sanctions are “part of the Trump Administration’s comprehensive push to end the Cuban regime’s decades-long campaign of political, ideological, and institutional warfare against the United States and to hold accountable those […]", "description":""

The State Department<\/a> has sanctioned Cuban<\/a> President Miguel Diaz-Canel, along with four other individuals and five entities within the island nation's communist government.<\/p>

The sanctions are \"part of the Trump Administration\u2019s comprehensive push to end the Cuban regime\u2019s decades-long campaign of political, ideological, and institutional warfare against the United States and to hold accountable those who sustain its operations and profit from the Cuban people\u2019s oppression,\" a State Department spokesperson said in a statement<\/a> on Thursday.<\/p>

\"The Cuban regime continues to demonstrate that it prioritizes the exportation of radical left-wing violence through its malign influence networks and the enrichment of the regime over the well-being of the Cuban people,\" the spokesperson added.<\/p>

The department warned that any foreign banks and companies providing services to the designated parties \"are at risk of sanctions and should freeze those activities.\"<\/p>

The move is the latest instance of the Trump administration<\/a> ramping up pressure on Cuba's leadership.<\/p>

Last month, the Department of Justice<\/a> brought an indictment against former Cuban President Raul Castro<\/a> and five others concerning their involvement in shooting down two U.S. planes operated by a Cuban exile group in 1996. Four Americans were killed in the attack.<\/p>

RUSSIA PROMISES \u2018ACTIVE SUPPORT\u2019 FOR CUBA AS US PRESSES CASTRO REGIME<\/a><\/p>

The State Department is coordinating with the Treasury Department<\/a>'s Office of Foreign Assets Control on the sanctions.<\/p>

Among the newly sanctioned parties are the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, and Cuban military official Alejandro Castro Espin.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP22326503167727.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596270-1780613449", "title":"Nearly 70% of Americans want Iran war ended now: Poll", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4596270%2Firan-war-public-approval-poll%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Roughly 70% of Americans want the United States to end the war with Iran soon by agreeing on a peace deal, according to a new poll. Asked in the latest Economist-YouGov poll whether the U.S. “should make a deal to end the war in Iran as quickly as possible,” 68% of respondents said yes. Meanwhile, […]", "description":""

Roughly 70% of Americans want the United States to end the war with Iran<\/a> soon by agreeing on a peace deal, according to a new poll.<\/p>

Asked in the latest Economist-YouGov poll<\/a> whether the U.S. \"should make a deal to end the war in Iran as quickly as possible,\" 68% of respondents said yes. Meanwhile, 11% said no and the remaining 21% were unsure.<\/p>

The conflict remains unresolved over three months after the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran. No peace deal has been made yet as negotiations have stalled.<\/p>

President Donald Trump<\/a> and his administration are working toward wrapping up the war as long as Iran relinquishes its enriched uranium and reopens the Strait of Hormuz<\/a>.<\/p>

Polling shows the Iran war is growing increasingly unpopular among Americans the longer it lasts. In the Economist-YouGov survey, 60% of respondents said they oppose the war, while 28% indicated support. The remaining 12% were not sure.<\/p>

Furthermore, Americans are not optimistic about the U.S. and Iran finalizing a peace deal in the next two weeks. A combined 58% of respondents said the outcome was \"unlikely\" or \"very unlikely,\" whereas a combined 8% said it was \"very likely\" or \"almost certain.\" The rest said there is a 50\/50 chance.<\/p>

The peace talks are not making much progress after Trump declined to resume bombing Iran last month, though there have been skirmishes since then. On Thursday, he noted the war could restart if the Islamic regime kills more U.S. troops.<\/p>

The president also revealed he would be open to meeting Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei<\/a> to make a deal.<\/p>

TRUMP SAYS IRAN WAR WILL RESTART IF TEHRAN KILLS MORE US TROOPS<\/a><\/p>

\"I don\u2019t want to meet, but if I did meet, I\u2019d be honored to meet him,\" Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday in response to a question. \"I\u2019d like to see if we make a deal, but if we make a deal, it\u2019s possible I would meet him.\"<\/p>

Khamenei is involved in the peace talks, but he hasn't been seen in public since the U.S.-led airstrikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/a>, in late February.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26105771012764.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596242-1780611619", "title":"ICE to stop reporting deaths of detainees released within 30 days: Report", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fimmigration%2F4596242%2Fice-reporting-deaths-newly-released-detainees%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly getting rid of a Biden-era policy that required the agency to report any detainees who may have died within 30 days of their release. The policy change was made by acting ICE Director David Venturella, whose memo about the eliminated policy was obtained by the Washington Post on Thursday. […]", "description":""

Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> is reportedly getting rid of a Biden-era policy that required the agency to report any detainees who may have died within 30 days of their release.<\/p>

The policy change was made by acting ICE Director David Venturella, whose memo<\/a> about the eliminated policy was obtained by the Washington Post on Thursday.<\/p>

\"ICE is returning to the standard practice of reporting deaths that occur while an individual is in agency custody,\" Venturella wrote in the internal memo.<\/p>

The Department of Homeland Security<\/a> confirmed the change, telling the Washington Post that ICE should not be responsible for monitoring or reviewing deaths of detainees weeks after their release from federal custody.<\/p>

The 30-day requirement for ICE to report detainee deaths took effect in 2021 under the Biden administration<\/a>. At the time, the federal government wanted to keep ICE accountable for newly released detainees with serious medical problems after a man once jailed at the Adelanto detention center in California<\/a> died three days after his release from COVID-19 complications.<\/p>

The issue of detainee deaths has returned to the fore as the Trump administration<\/a> aggressively implements its immigration agenda.<\/p>

DHS WATCHDOG FINDS PROBLEMS WITH LOUISIANA ICE CENTER AND MAKES NINE RECOMMENDATIONS<\/a><\/p>

At least 18 immigrants have died in ICE custody so far this year, according to the agency. The tally from last year exceeded 30 deaths, marking the highest fatality rate in two decades.<\/p>

One of the detainees who died in December was Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian immigrant held at Delaney Hall in New Jersey<\/a>. The Newark-based detention center is currently the site of anti-ICE protests over what immigrant advocates and federal lawmakers allege are poor conditions inside the facility, allegations DHS has disputed.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26064102166009.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596219-1780609264", "title":"117 Democrats vote against Tlaib’s Lebanon war powers measure", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4596219%2Frashida-tlaib-lebanon-war-powers-vote-fails%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis and Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"An effort to bar President Donald Trump from aiding Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon led by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) split the Democratic caucus Thursday over concerns about how the text was drafted. The measure, which failed 92-324, was supported by a coalition of progressive Democrats and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a Trump critic who […]", "description":""

An effort to bar President Donald Trump<\/a> from aiding Israel\u2019s military campaign in Lebanon<\/a> led by Rep. Rashida Tlaib<\/a> (D-MI) split the Democratic caucus Thursday over concerns about how the text was drafted.<\/p>

The measure, which failed 92-324, was supported by a coalition of progressive Democrats and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a Trump critic who opposes military action abroad. <\/p>

House Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> (D-NY) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), opposed the measure, exposing a rift between leadership and progressive members. Ultimately, 117 Democrats joined 205 Republicans in voting against the measure.<\/p>

\u201cAs demonstrated yesterday, House Democrats are committed to ending Donald Trump\u2019s reckless and costly war of choice in Iran,\u201d Democratic leadership wrote in the statement. \u201cWe also do not support any effort by the Trump administration to entangle the United States in a war in Lebanon or other parts of the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) asserted the resolution would have \"put U.S. embassy personnel at risk and interfere with our efforts to fight terrorism across the globe.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe small number of U.S. forces stationed in Lebanon are there to protect our embassy in Beirut, assist with Lebanon\u2019s military training and readiness, and help Lebanon prevent Hezbollah, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda-linked violence so that innocent civilians may have the opportunity to live in peace,\u201d Stevens wrote in a statement.<\/p>

Just a few hours before the vote, leadership threw their support behind a second measure introduced by Tlaib on Wednesday, vowing to work with her to grow Democratic support for the measure. <\/p>

Still, Tlaib urged her peers to support Thursday's legislation, insisting \"the people of Lebanon can't wait another month for Congress to act.\"<\/p>

\u201cEvery day that we do nothing, 11 more Lebanese children are killed or injured by the Israeli military in this U.S.-supported invasion. Congress must pass today's Lebanon War Powers Resolution,\u201d she said.<\/p>

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who voted yes, said she believes there is \"tremendous urgency for us to check the administration's overreach in the region writ large, as well as preventing, as we've seen, the Israeli government dragging US forces into an escalated conflict that I believe is not only not in our interest but not in the world's interest.\"She continued, \"So I was, of course, supportive of the resolution, and I hope that we'll be able to get to a place where we can pass.\"<\/p>

Jeffries told the Washington Examiner ahead of the vote that leadership was going to work with Tlaib and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) on her latest measure \u201cto garner as much support and get it over the finish line.\u201d <\/p>

All of this comes after House Democrats successfully passed a war powers resolution on Iran on Wednesday, with the help of four Republicans. <\/p>

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) told the Washington Examiner, \"The United States is not at war with Lebanon, nor is there any indication that we're going to war with Lebanon, so it's an unnecessary war powers vote.<\/p>

18 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP AND VOTE TO SEND $1.3 BILLION TO UKRAINE<\/a><\/p>

\"We don't have troops there,\" said Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH), another no vote.<\/p>

With no U.S. troops in Lebanon as of Thursday, it is unlikely any measure would receive enough Republican support to pass it out of the House.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26056078935134.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596217-1780607499", "title":"Platner insists abuse allegations ‘simply not true’ as scandals continue to pile up", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4596217%2Fgraham-platner-women-abuse-allegations%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate running for the Senate in Maine, denied the latest abuse allegations brought against him by multiple women on Thursday following another bombshell report. Asked by MS NOW host Chris Hayes about additional allegations in a New York Times report, Platner insisted the claims were false. “There are some allegations in […]", "description":""

Graham Platner<\/a>, the Democratic candidate running for the Senate in Maine<\/a>, denied the latest abuse allegations brought against him by multiple women on Thursday following another bombshell report.<\/p>

Asked by MS NOW host Chris Hayes about additional allegations in a New York Times report<\/a>, Platner insisted the claims were false.<\/p>

\"There are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about are simply not true,\" he said on All In With Chris Hayes. \"Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who's politically motivated.\"<\/p>

His statement was directed toward Lyndsey Fifield, a longtime Republican operative who has worked for conservative organizations and Republican campaigns.<\/p>

In the report, Fifield claimed Platner frequently grabbed her shoulders and once grabbed her wrist forcefully when they dated years ago. She also recalled how he pushed her into a bedroom and closed the door on her. Platner denied all of those encounters, answering in the affirmative when Hayes asked him if she was lying.<\/p>

\"In this piece, there's a lot about my struggling, not being a good boyfriend, certainly self-medicating with alcohol,\" the military veteran said. \"And I've been very upfront since the beginning of this campaign, that was a pretty dark period of my life after I came back from my combat service.\"<\/p>

\"There are things in this that I absolutely will take responsibility for and have been speaking about openly for months now, but those serious allegations are just not true,\" he added.<\/p>

Despite the aggressive interactions as reported by the New York Times, Fifield said Platner never hit or punched her, though she alleged he fantasized about raping men who break into his home because of the power it gives him, recalling from their conversations that he didn't intend the act to be done in \"a sexual way\" or \"a gay way.\"<\/p>

Last weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported<\/a> Platner's wife told his Senate<\/a> campaign about consensual, sexually explicit texts he sent to other women as recently as last year. The two have been married since 2023.<\/p>

Platner described his marriage as \"very strong,\" saying he is thankful and lucky that he got to marry his \"best friend.\"<\/p>

GRAHAM PLATNER HIT BY FRESH WAVE OF ALLEGATIONS ABOUT TREATMENT OF WOMEN AND NAZI TATTOO<\/a><\/p>

During the interview, the Maine Democrat confirmed he is not dropping out of the Senate race ahead of the June 9 primary election, nor has he ever thought about doing so. Despite the abounding controversies, he remains the front-runner in the Democratic primary.<\/p>

Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), who suspended her campaign for the Senate in April, said she still remains on the ballot in a last-minute appeal to Maine voters following recent reports on her former primary opponent's scandalous behavior. Platner responded, saying her statement demonstrates \"a bit of opportunism.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26120727660620.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595078-1780604186", "title":"18 House Republicans defy Trump and vote to send $1.3 billion to Ukraine", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4595078%2F18-house-republicans-defy-trump-and-vote-to-send-1-3-billion-to-ukraine%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Eighteen House Republicans broke ranks on Thursday and joined nearly every single Democrat in voting to send an additional $1.3 billion in aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia. In a 226-195 vote, the House approved the legislation, defying both House GOP leadership and President Donald Trump’s preferred approach to ending the war […]", "description":""

Eighteen House Republicans<\/a> broke ranks on Thursday and joined nearly every single Democrat in voting to send an additional $1.3 billion in aid to Ukraine<\/a> and impose new sanctions on Russia<\/a>.<\/p>

In a 226-195 vote, the House approved the legislation, defying both House GOP leadership and President Donald Trump's preferred approach to ending the war in Ukraine. Overall, 18 House Republicans voted with 207 Democrats<\/a> to approve the measure.<\/p>

Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA), an independent who caucuses with Republicans, also voted in favor. One Democrat and 194 House Republicans opposed the measure.<\/p>

Kiley and Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) joined with Democrats to force the aid package to the floor using a discharge petition. The parliamentary procedure bypasses the committee process and forces legislation directly to a floor vote if 218 lawmakers sign on in support.<\/p>

Kiley, who is facing an uphill reelection battle after mid-decade redistricting, said last month he was convinced to support the maneuver because \u201cthe collapse of the recent ceasefire shows that leverage is needed for diplomacy to succeed.<\/p>

Democrats have long sought to bring a Ukraine aid bill to the House floor. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has also faced skepticism from lawmakers of both parties during multiple Capitol Hill budget-related hearings regarding Ukraine aid. Last month, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) accused the Pentagon of failing to disburse $400 million in aid to Ukraine.<\/p>

The majority of House Republicans have opposed additional aid to Ukraine over concerns about corruption in Kyiv. Instead, Trump has pushed NATO allies to purchase weapons directly from the United States and transfer them to Ukraine.<\/p>

House Republicans have also argued that the bill, introduced last June, is outdated in relation to NATO spending and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS EXERCISE A HOUSE FLOOR POWER GRAB AMID SMALL MARGINS<\/a><\/p>

While the Ukraine aid package passed the House, it faces long odds of becoming law. In the Senate, the measure will require a bipartisan coalition to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold.<\/p>

Even if the measure passes Congress, Trump can still veto it, which would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers to override.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-xhn8tnazb-1780619382341-e1780619856994.jpg?1780605301&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596127-1780602460", "title":"New Jersey charges officer in theft of AP journalist’s camera bag at Delaney Hall protest", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F4596127%2Fnew-jersey-cop-theft-ap-camera-delaney-hall%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New Jersey prosecutors have charged a police officer with allegedly stealing an Associated Press photojournalist’s camera bag during a protest at Delaney Hall last weekend. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the filing of the criminal charge related to third-degree theft on Thursday. The charged officer was Darryl Brown, a 43-year-old sergeant working for […]", "description":""

New Jersey<\/a> prosecutors have charged a police<\/a> officer with allegedly stealing an Associated Press<\/a> photojournalist's camera bag during a protest at Delaney Hall last weekend.<\/p>

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the filing of the criminal charge related to third-degree theft on Thursday. The charged officer was Darryl Brown, a 43-year-old sergeant working for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.<\/p>

Brown allegedly stole $10,000 worth of camera equipment from Angelina Katsanis on May 30 while she covered the anti-ICE protests going on at the immigration detention center in Newark. Katsanis was injured and taken to a nearby hospital when Brown allegedly snatched her bag. Davenport criticized the sergeant's alleged misconduct.<\/p>

\"When an officer does what is alleged in this case, it is a disservice to the profession and the public,\" the Democratic attorney general said in a statement<\/a>. \"I previously pledged that our Office would review allegations of improper conduct by law enforcement. We are doing exactly that, and this case is a result of that effort.\"<\/p>

\"Let me be clear: absolutely no one is above the law,\" she continued. \"We will hold law enforcement accountable when they abuse the tremendous position of public trust that they occupy and choose to break the law.\"<\/p>

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said Brown \"has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of an investigation by the Attorney General's Office.\" If convicted on the third-degree charge, Brown could face a sentence between three and five years and a maximum $15,000 fine.<\/p>

Katsanis, who was left in a wheelchair as a result of her leg injury, was shocked by the officer's alleged theft of her personal property.<\/p>

\"I\u2019ve thought a lot about how the officers are supposed to be there to uphold the law and protect us and protect property \u2014 and this is the exact opposite of that,\" she told the Associated Press.<\/p>

Authorities recovered her belongings while executing a search warrant at Brown's home on Wednesday, according to the complaint. Before they were retrieved, some of the missing items still had Katsanis's name and phone number on them.<\/p>

Delaney Hall has been the site of clashes between protesters and authorities, especially Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> officers. Arrests continue to be made as the protests near two weeks.<\/p>

Gov. Mikie Sherrill<\/a> (D-NJ) deployed state police to contain the tense situation last week before Newark officials stepped in. On Thursday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced that the Newark Police Division's presence at Delaney Hall would be scaled back.<\/p>

\"We will not continue to spend [resources] and tax dollars in an already strapped budget to safeguard a privately-owned facility, especially when it places our officers at unnecessary risk,\" Baraka said in a statement<\/a>. \"Nor will we ask our officers to engage in practices that contradict our values of fairness, restraint, and respect for human rights.\"<\/p>

NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES OPERATOR OF DELANEY HALL DETENTION CENTER<\/a><\/p>

\"Given the significant reduction in unrest, the City will begin scaling back its presence at Delaney Hall,\" he added. \"After tonight, NPD will focus on traffic management and public safety, ensuring the protection of both protesters and motorists.\"<\/p>

The Democratic mayor also urged \"all protesters to remain peaceful,\" even though the protesters have been escalating the violence as police officers try to handle the riots. Newark authorities previously lifted a curfew around the ICE facility on Tuesday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155655755445.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595930-1780602026", "title":"DOJ scores win after Nebraska ceases in-state tuition for illegal immigrants", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4595930%2Fdoj-win-nebraska-ceases-in-state-tuition-illegal-immigrants%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Justice Department secured another victory in its campaign against state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants on Wednesday after a federal judge struck down a Nebraska law that allowed certain students in the country illegally to qualify for in-state tuition rates for nearly two decades. U.S. District Judge Brian Buescher, an appointee of President Donald […]", "description":""

The Justice Department<\/a> secured another victory in its campaign against state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants on Wednesday after a federal judge struck down a Nebraska<\/a> law that allowed certain students in the country illegally to qualify for in-state tuition rates for nearly two decades.<\/p>

U.S. District Judge Brian Buescher, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled that Nebraska\u2019s 2006 law conflicts with federal immigration law and permanently barred the state from enforcing it. The decision came after the DOJ sued Nebraska in April, arguing the state\u2019s tuition and scholarship policies unlawfully granted benefits to illegal immigrants that were unavailable to some U.S. citizens.<\/p>

\"The Nebraska statutes establishing residence requirements for illegal aliens to obtain in-state tuition, while leaving United States citizens from other states to pay full out-of-state tuition, blatantly violate\" federal law, Buescher wrote in his 54-page opinion<\/a>.<\/p>

Under the now-invalidated law, students in the country illegally could qualify for in-state tuition if they graduated from a Nebraska high school and lived in the state for at least three years, among other requirements.<\/p>

The lawsuit centered on a provision of federal law stating that an illegal immigrant in the United States cannot receive a postsecondary education benefit based on state residency unless the same benefit is available to all U.S. citizens. Because out-of-state residents were required to pay higher tuition rates than some illegal immigrant students, both the DOJ and Nebraska argued the state law was preempted by federal law.<\/p>

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, a Republican, welcomed the ruling.<\/p>

\u201cFederal law is clear: no benefits can be extended to illegal immigrants that aren\u2019t available to American citizens,\u201d Hilgers said in a statement. \u201cThe court enjoined several unconstitutional laws that did just that. We are grateful for the court\u2019s consideration and result.\u201d<\/p>

The ruling marks the latest success in a broader DOJ effort targeting similar tuition policies around the country. States including Kentucky<\/a>, Texas<\/a>, and Oklahoma<\/a> have already agreed to end comparable programs after facing federal lawsuits. New Jersey<\/a>, Virginia<\/a>, and Minnesota<\/a> continue to defend their laws in ongoing litigation.<\/p>

Former DOJ attorney Abhishek Kambli said the Nebraska decision is part of a largely overlooked legal campaign to enforce federal immigration statutes that many states have ignored for years.<\/p>

\u201cA lot of focus has been on DOJ losses, but under the radar are victories like this that largely go unnoticed,\u201d Kambli posted on X. He noted that more than 20 states have enacted laws providing in-state tuition to illegal immigrants despite a federal statute prohibiting the practice.<\/p>

\"If states can flout federal law by passing laws that are expressly preempted, the Supremacy Clause loses all its meaning,\" Kambli added.<\/p>

The judge also rejected arguments from two outside organizations, True Potential and the Orel Alliance, that sought to intervene in the case and delay a final ruling while pursuing an appeal. Buescher concluded neither group had standing to intervene and said allowing potentially unconstitutional statutes to remain in effect through another academic year would not serve the public interest.<\/p>

Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate celebrated the outcome on social media, declaring, \u201cNo more in-state tuition benefits for illegal aliens in Nebraska.\u201d<\/p>

KENTUCKY BLOCKS IN-STATE TUITION OFFERINGS TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS<\/a><\/p>

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward likewise hailed the ruling, arguing Nebraska taxpayers would no longer be required to subsidize tuition benefits unavailable to all American citizens.<\/p>

\u201cThis is a simple matter of federal law,\u201d Woodward posted on X. \u201cIn Nebraska and nationwide, colleges and universities cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DOJ-logo.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596159-1780601336", "title":"Golden rules out replacing Platner on ballot amid scandals", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4596159%2Fgolden-rules-out-replacing-platner-on-ballot-amid-scandals%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis and Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) shut down any rumors that he’s interested in running for Senate as Democratic front-runner Graham Platner faces yet another controversy. “I’m not going to be a candidate for the United States Senate in 2026,” Golden told the Washington Examiner. “I can assure you of that.” A New York Times article published […]", "description":""

Rep. Jared Golden<\/a> (D-ME) shut down any rumors that he's interested in running for Senate<\/a> as Democratic front-runner Graham Platner<\/a> faces yet another controversy.<\/p>

\u201cI'm not going to be a candidate for the United States <\/a>Senate in 2026,\u201d Golden told the Washington Examiner. \u201cI can assure you of that.\u201d<\/p>

A New York Times<\/a> article published Thursday detailed new allegations against Platner in which multiple women called his actions intimidating, disturbing, and sometimes aggressive. His campaign disputed many of the allegations. <\/p>

Platner has also been plagued for the majority of his campaign by a controversial tattoo that he claimed he did not know resembled the Nazi Totenkopf symbol.<\/p>

Platner, an oyster farmer in Maine, was not the party establishment\u2019s preferred candidate, but a significant fundraising advantage and strong local support forced Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) out of the race, making Platner the presumptive nominee to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) ahead of Tuesday's primary.<\/p>

Mills recently flirted with the idea she could resume her campaign, as her name will appear on Tuesday's ballot, but she has so far not taken any meaningful steps to resurrect her Senate bid.<\/p>

But even as Platner remains the clear front-runner, the Washington rumor mill has run rampant on who could replace Platner if he were to step aside. Among those floated has been Golden, a House Democrat retiring at the end of this term.\u00a0<\/p>

When asked if he would ever be interested in a Senate run, Golden gave an unequivocal \u201cit's a no, for sure.\u201d<\/p>

Golden also condemned the idea that the Democratic Party would handpick a candidate if Platner secured the nomination and then dropped out. <\/p>

\u201cI think that, in general, Maine voters are smart, and they got to make their own choices, and once they've made their choice, it's never good luck to take a nominee and replace him with someone else,\u201d Golden said. <\/p>

While Platner is expected to overwhelmingly win the Democratic primary, Democrats could, in theory, replace him after the primary. Under state law, Platner can withdraw his bid by July 13, and the Maine Democratic Party would nominate his replacement.<\/p>

Golden told the Washington Examiner that no members of Senate party leadership had reached out to him to inquire about his interest, chalking the chatter up to social media. <\/p>

GRAHAM PLATNER HIT BY FRESH WAVE OF ALLEGATIONS ABOUT TREATMENT OF WOMEN AND NAZI TATTOO<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI think I must be like the only person in the world who's too busy to be talking about\u00a0Graham Platner today,\u201d Golden said. \u201cI'm actually going to fight off a proposal to send the building of our warfighter ships to foreign yards. I don't have time to talk about Graham Platner today. I don't spend too much time thinking about him either.\u201d<\/p>

Maine is one of the most competitive Senate seats in the country, and defeating Collins is critical for any path for Democrats to retake the majority. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-e3vzea6z5-1780612795690-e1780615668455.jpg?1780598444&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596015-1780597015", "title":"Graham Platner hit by fresh wave of allegations about treatment of women and Nazi tattoo", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4596015%2Fgraham-platner-allegations-treatment-women%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Maine Democrat Graham Platner, who is facing a statewide primary next week, is facing a fresh wave of allegations about his treatment of several women he dated and the controversy surrounding his Nazi tattoo. The intense scrutiny comes in the final days before the Democratic primary in Maine. Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is running […]", "description":""

Maine<\/a> Democrat Graham Platner<\/a>, who is facing a statewide primary next week, is facing a fresh wave of allegations about his treatment of several women he dated and the controversy surrounding his Nazi tattoo.<\/p>

The intense scrutiny comes in the final days before the Democratic primary in Maine. Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is running to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) in November.<\/p>

A newly published New York Times report<\/a> detailed additional allegations involving Platner. Multiple women told the newspaper that his actions were intimidating, disturbing, and sometimes aggressive.<\/p>

For instance, Lyndsey Fifield said Platner never hit or punched her but noted he regularly grabbed her by the shoulders and once yanked her out of a cab by the wrist after an argument between the two. She also said he thought rape was about holding power over someone else, especially home intruders.<\/p>

\"He said this a lot: If anybody ever broke in here, I would rape them,\" the 40-year-old woman said, adding he justified it by saying it would not be in \"a sexual way, not in a gay way.\"<\/p>

\u201cHe was like, I would rape them to show them that I\u2019m dominant,\" she said.<\/p>

Platner's campaign disputed many of the concerning allegations in the report, though it did not push back on his past \"rape\" comments. The Republican National Committee<\/a> called his behavior \"absolutely disgusting\" in an X post<\/a>.<\/p>

Fifield is a Virginia<\/a> conservative who has worked for right-wing groups, including the Heritage Foundation<\/a>, and Republican campaigns. She once worked for Nikki Haley's presidential campaign in 2024.<\/p>

Regarding his controversial tattoo, Fifield suggested Platner was lying when he claimed last fall that he didn't know what the Nazi Totenkopf symbol meant. She claimed he taught her the German word years earlier when they were romantically involved.<\/p>

The campaign denied Platner knew what the tattoo symbolized. Platner separately told the New York Times that he had \"too often self medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend\" during a \"very dark period of my life.\"<\/p>

The new report undermines what Platner told senators while visiting Washington, D.C.<\/a>, this week before returning home to Maine. Asked by Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) if any additional allegations would be made against him, Platner indicated there wouldn't be any more. Sanders has endorsed Platner.<\/p>

\"It\u2019s not a secret I\u2019ve had a messy, complicated life,\" he told the senators in a private meeting, according to<\/a> the Wall Street Journal. \"The worst of the rumors we\u2019ve all heard are not true.\"<\/p>

Sen. John Fetterman<\/a> (D-PA) doubts the embattled candidate's chances to win the contested Senate<\/a> seat in Maine this fall.<\/p>

\"I did not see that coming,\" Fetterman said<\/a> of the latest New York Times article.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS BRACING FOR MORE BOMBSHELLS IN PLATNER SEXTING SCANDAL: BYRON YORK<\/a><\/p>

\"He lied about his Nazi tattoo and assured people there wouldn\u2019t be more,\" the senator added. \"He just came here a day ago and said nothing more, nothing more, and then so this, so nothing's changed for me.\"<\/p>

Platner will be on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 9. Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), although she suspended her campaign, recently said voters can still support her on the ballot next Tuesday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25295844858634.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595957-1780596485", "title":"DC mayoral candidates pan Bowser’s relationship with Congress but have no friends in GOP", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4595957%2Fdc-mayor-candidates-bowser-congress%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington, D.C.‘s leading mayoral candidates, Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie, could not name one Republican member of Congress they have attempted to forge a working relationship with as they discussed their plans for advocating the district on the Hill. As a federal district and not a state, Washington has much of its locally written […]", "description":""

Washington, D.C.<\/a>'s leading mayoral candidates, Janeese Lewis George<\/a> and Kenyan McDuffie<\/a>, could not name one Republican<\/a> member of Congress they have attempted to forge a working relationship with as they discussed their plans for advocating the district on the Hill.<\/p>

As a federal district and not a state, Washington has much of its locally written policy and governance ultimately under Congress's jurisdiction. Washington's mayor is unique among the nation's mayors in its standing with Congress, as the district's mayor typically must work with the chambers to advocate certain policies and budgetary issues that are ultimately approved. In deep-blue Washington, the current GOP-controlled House and Senate, alongside executive control of the Trump administration, have posed a unique challenge to the city's leadership.<\/p>

Both candidates, the more moderate McDuffie and socialist Lewis George, challenged Mayor Muriel Bowser<\/a>'s approach to dealing with the Republican-controlled federal government during a Thursday NBC debate. Bowser, who initially made headlines for standing up against President Donald Trump<\/a> in his first term, has struck a more placid tone<\/a> with Trump in the second as he mobilized the National Guard in Washington and federalized the Metropolitan Police Department.<\/p>

\"When you're cutting thousands of jobs in the way that Trump and Elon Musk<\/a> did, you're threatening the livelihoods of Washington, D.C. That's what I'm going to fight back against,\" McDuffie said, discussing Trump administration actions that occurred under Bowser's tenure. \"And we're not going to settle for the cooperation between MPD and ICE. We're gonna push back against that.\"<\/p>

Lewis George also slammed Bowser's strategy for dealing with the federal government, saying she would utilize the district's \"legal tools\" and partner with the district's attorney general, Brian Schwalb, more often, while also creating relationships with members of Congress.<\/p>

\"I have been walking the halls of Congress myself, and I can tell you that the No. 1 thing I am hearing is: 'This is the first time I am ever hearing from leadership in D.C.,'\" Lewis George said. \"And so I am talking about an executive office of the mayor that has a robust federal affairs office. And I'm not just talking about going to caucus happy hours, and I'm not talking about one person, but building relationships.\"<\/p>

When the NBC4 Washington moderator pressed Lewis George on if she has had any conversations with Republican congressmen, given the current control of the legislature, she said that she has spoken instead with Democrats who represent purple districts, naming Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA). She said the strategy came from a tip House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> (D-NY) gave her team.<\/p>

\"Hakeem Jeffries told us, actually, that Republicans are voting on Republican lines,\" Lewis George said. \"We need to shore up our Democrats, especially Democrats in purple jurisdictions. So, I think that's where we need to focus, and that's not where the current mayor has focused her efforts.\"<\/p>

When pressed on the same question, McDuffie said he's \"had conversations with Republicans\" but did not say when or specify who or whether they were members of Congress.<\/p>

OBAMA-ERA ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER ENDORSES KENYAN MCDUFFIE FOR DC MAYOR<\/a><\/p>

\"At a time where we're facing the greatest existential threat to D.C.'s home rule since we received it in 1973, we can't hold our breath and wait for Republicans,\" McDuffie said. \"We can make relationships across the aisle, and I've had conversations with Republicans. I used to chair the Council of Governments<\/a> and have built relationships with Republicans as well. But the reality is, we can't depend on Republicans to save Washington, D.C.\"<\/p>

The Thursday debate is likely going to be the last debate ahead of the June 16 primary election. Whoever wins the Democratic primary election is likely a shoo-in to win the general election and be the next district mayor.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-drba37bbr-1777404509425-e1777406118266.jpg?1780596483&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596018-1780595766", "title":"DOJ opens investigations into alleged race-based discrimination at 15 medical schools", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4596018%2Fdoj-race-based-discrimination-medical-schools-investigations%2F", "byline":"Sophia Mandt", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Department of Justice on Thursday announced investigations into 15 U.S. medical schools over allegations that the admissions programs illegally used applicants’ race as a metric.  The report does not specify which schools are under investigation or provide specific evidence of racial discrimination. The DOJ said it opened the investigations to ensure compliance with federal […]", "description":""

The Department of Justice<\/a> on Thursday announced<\/a> investigations into 15 U.S. medical schools over allegations that the admissions programs illegally used applicants\u2019 race as a metric. <\/p>

The report does not specify which schools are under investigation or provide specific evidence of racial discrimination. The DOJ said it opened the investigations to ensure compliance with federal law.<\/p>

The medical schools will be examined under Title VI of the Civil Rights<\/a> Act, as interpreted by the Supreme Court\u2019s<\/a> decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.\u00a0<\/p>

The landmark 2023 decision ruled<\/a> that race-based admissions programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina directly violated federal law by discriminating against white and Asian applications in favor of other racial identities, in direct violation of the Equal Protection Clause<\/a> of the 14th Amendment.<\/p>

\u201cMany of America\u2019s top medical schools appear more concerned about the demographics of their incoming classes than training students to succeed in the profession,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the DOJ\u2019s Civil Rights Division in the released announcement.\u00a0<\/p>

HOW BILL PULTE TURNED BEING AN ATTACK DOG INTO A CHARM OFFENSIVE WITH TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

\u201cUnder this Justice Department, we will continue to protect American students from discriminatory and illegal preferences in admissions \u2014 especially in professions as critical as medicine, where quality of training should be the top priority,\u201d she added.<\/p>

These new investigations come after the DOJ determined in May that both the University of California, Los Angeles<\/a>, and Yale University<\/a> are guilty of illegally and intentionally selecting medical school applicants based on race.\u200b The Trump administration has prioritized efforts to reform higher education<\/a> due to allegations of institutional racial and political bias, free speech violations, and antisemitism.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DOJ-logo.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595684-1780595687", "title":"Israel-Lebanon ceasefire could undermine Hezbollah and Iran with state-to-state cooperation", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4595684%2Fisrael-lebanon-ceasefire-undermine-hezbollah-iran%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Israel and Hezbollah are already trading strikes despite the Israeli government signing a ceasefire with Lebanon just a day ago, causing many to question the purpose of the “last chance” agreement. At the same time, Israel is beginning efforts to move troops out of the Debbine area in southern Lebanon and working to prop up […]", "description":""

Israel and Hezbollah are already trading strikes despite the Israeli government signing a ceasefire with Lebanon<\/a> just a day ago, causing many to question the purpose of the \"last chance\" agreement.<\/p>

At the same time, Israel<\/a> is beginning efforts to move troops out of the Debbine area in southern Lebanon and working to prop up \"pilot zones\" where the Lebanese military is expected to take operational control. It is unclear what exactly either government is envisioning, but experts say the main purpose is likely to bolster state-to-state solidarity and ice Hezbollah<\/a> out of the conversation entirely.<\/p>

The ceasefire, mediated by the United States, is contradictory in nature. It is ostensibly aimed at a permanent peace but allows for Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon to continue. It is \"contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives\u201d from south of the Litani River, but excluded Hezbollah from the negotiations \u2014 though the terrorist group has since made clear it would not have been interested anyway.<\/p>

\u201cAs long as the occupation exists, the resistance will continue,\" Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned following the announcement. His group has rejected the ceasefire entirely, calling it \u201ca road map for the annihilation of a section of the Lebanese people and the enslavement of the rest.\"<\/p>

A key line of the document signed by the two governments indicates a deeper purpose: \u201cAll countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon\u2019s future hostage.\u201d<\/p>

Those \"state\" and \"non-state\" actors are clear references to Iran and Hezbollah, Tehran's regional proxy.<\/p>

\"This agreement is state-to-state, and this is why the recent negotiations are good \u2014 because in the past, Lebanon was never able to negotiate directly with Israel,\" Andrew Tabler, a senior fellow of the Washington Institute focusing on Levant politics, told the Washington Examiner. \"The idea of these talks was that these direct negotiations would undermine Hezbollah, and it would allow for the forging of a viable agreement.\"<\/p>

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Thursday that the Lebanese army<\/a> is beginning to deploy to the presanctioned \"pilot zones\" as the \"first phase\" of hopefully ending the violence. The Lebanese forces are expected to maintain control over these zones and ensure \"non-state actors\" such as Hezbollah are neutralized and disarmed.<\/p>

Salam said the Lebanese deployment to pilot zones \"does not prejudice our right to a full (Israeli) withdrawal, but brings us closer to it.\"<\/p>

Tabler said that while the arrangement has been dubbed a \"ceasefire,\" it is \"very much like a bilateral de-escalation agreement\" in practice.<\/p>

Aaron Miller, a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, similarly told the Washington Examiner that the ceasefire is, in reality, more of a de-escalation campaign.<\/p>

\"Ceasefires are made to be broken,\" Miller said. \"Without monitoring, without verification, without a fundamental commitment from Hezbollah and the Israelis, you cannot have a sustainable ceasefire \u2014 and you don't have that.\"<\/p>

Miller speculated that because \"the Iranians said no negotiations if you strike Beirut,\" President Donald Trump \"picked up the phone\" and got Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree not to march on the Lebanese capital \u2014 seeing such a scenario as counterproductive to peace in both Lebanon and Iran.<\/p>

The White House has been mired in endless negotiations with Tehran<\/a> since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury in February. Iran has repeatedly insisted that any peace negotiations to open the now-shuttered Strait of Hormuz would require a ceasefire in Lebanon as well.<\/p>

Israel has appeared largely unconcerned with the effects of its campaign on the wider Iranian negotiations, with its military reportedly preparing to move north toward Beirut before Trump spoke to Netanyahu and demanded he abandon such course of action.<\/p>

The president affirmed in an interview earlier this week that he had accused the Israeli prime minister<\/a> of being \"f***ing crazy\" during their conversation.<\/p>

AYATOLLAH SAYS IRAN HAS 'DEFEATED' US AS TRUMP, RUBIO ACKNOWLEDGE HE'S PLAYING ACTIVE ROLE IN REGIME<\/a><\/p>

Miller said that if the Lebanese armed forces are able to manage these pilot zones, it would \"strengthen the central government, allow some villagers to return, and on the whole, be shot in the arm for the Lebanese government.\" But he is not sure it's possible, \"given the flare-up and fighting that's almost certain to occur.\"<\/p>

He added that officials should \"be under no illusions\" that the Lebanese military is capable of taking on \"the demilitarization of Hezbollah any more than the Palestinians could take on the demilitarization of Hamas.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155335972498.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4596024-1780595020", "title":"Kevin O’Leary slashes Utah data center plan in half", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Ftechnology%2F4596024%2Fkevin-oleary-utah-data-center-plan%2F", "byline":"Max Grinstein", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary acceded to demands Thursday and cut the footprint for his proposed 40,000-acre data center complex in northern Utah in half. O’Leary’s announcement is the latest development in a fight playing out between Utah politicians and the Canadian businessman. O’Leary says his “Stratos” project will produce its own electricity and divert […]", "description":""

Shark Tank investor Kevin O\u2019Leary acceded to demands Thursday and cut the footprint for his proposed 40,000-acre data center complex in northern Utah in half.<\/p>

O\u2019Leary\u2019s announcement is the latest development in a fight playing out between Utah politicians and the Canadian businessman. O\u2019Leary says his \u201cStratos\u201d project will produce its own electricity and divert excess water to replenish the dwindling Great Salt Lake. Yet protesters and elected officials, who allege that the project will strain local resources and burden the environment, have pushed back<\/a> against it.<\/p>

Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams sent O\u2019Leary a letter on June 1 demanding<\/a> that the project be scaled back 75% to approximately 10,000 acres. Adams also called for greater environmental commitments before it could move forward.\u00a0<\/p>

O\u2019Leary countered<\/a> in a Thursday letter to Adams that he would eliminate two parcels of land from the project, bringing its scope to roughly 20,000 acres. O\u2019Leary also committed to entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Utah Department of Natural Resources to protect wildlife, agriculture, and open space.<\/p>

\u201cMuch of the alarm surrounding this project has been based on incorrect assumptions and facts about land use, water use, heat dispersion, air quality, and project timeline that does not reflect reality,\u201d O\u2019Leary wrote. \u201cO\u2019Leary Digital has not broken ground, has not received permits, and the development plan is still being engineered and refined.\u201d  <\/p>

Adams hailed<\/a> O\u2019Leary\u2019s letter as a \u201cpositive step forward\u201d in the debate.<\/p>

O\u2019Leary, who is developing a similar project<\/a> in Alberta, Canada, appeared miffed in a May appearance on NBC News. \u201cForget about the data centers built 20 years ago in Virginia,\u201d O\u2019Leary said. \u201cThey are old and they\u2019re noisy. We don\u2019t use any of that technology anymore.\u201d<\/p>

Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT), who previously met with O\u2019Leary, criticized the project\u2019s detractors in a news conference last month. \u201cThis whole idea of being rushed \u2014 I\u2019m so tired of our country taking years to get stuff done,\u201d he said<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s the dumbest thing ever. We think that taking time makes things better or safer. It absolutely does not.\u201d<\/p>

Data centers and the artificial intelligence tools they power are increasingly becoming radioactive issues in U.S. politics.\u00a0<\/p>

NEW YORK ON TRACK TO PASS YEARLONG DATA CENTER BAN DESPITE HOCHUL OPPOSITION<\/a><\/p>

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) received backlash<\/a> after she appeared alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Oracle CEO Clay Magouyrk to break ground on a 2.2 million-square-foot project south of Ann Arbor on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>

A May Gallup poll found that 7 in 10 Americans oppose<\/a> constructing data centers for AI near their homes.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26074737317482.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595781-1780594713", "title":"IAEA’s inability to enter Iran blocks oversight of nuclear program", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4595781%2Fiaea-iran-oversight-nuclear-program%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, reiterated concerns this week that Iran‘s suspension of cooperation with the agency has prevented inspectors from fully monitoring the country’s nuclear program since 2025. The IAEA, which works to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology, said Iran’s obligations […]", "description":""

The U.N.'s <\/a>nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency<\/a>, reiterated concerns this week that Iran<\/a>'s suspension of cooperation with the agency has prevented inspectors from fully monitoring the country\u2019s nuclear program<\/a> since 2025.<\/p>

The IAEA, which works to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology, said Iran\u2019s obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty remain in force despite Tehran\u2019s objections.<\/p>

The report comes as the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors plans to meet next week. The last report was issued just days before the February U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.<\/p>

\u201cThe Director General has emphasized to Iran that it is indispensable and urgent to implement effectively the NPT Safeguards Agreement \u2026 and that its implementation cannot be suspended by Iran under any circumstances,\u201d the agency said in a report<\/a> obtained by Reuters.<\/p>

The warning comes after President Donald Trump<\/a> and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> repeatedly cited dismantling Iran\u2019s nuclear program as a central objective of the war in Iran. Following U.S. bombing raids on several Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, Iran enacted a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA.<\/p>

Since then, the agency says it has lost visibility into key parts of Iran\u2019s nuclear activities. \u201cThe Agency\u2019s lack of access to verify the previously declared HEU and LEU, for nearly a year \u2026 is a matter of proliferation concern and of compliance with the NPT Safeguards Agreement,\u201d the report said, referring to highly enriched and low-enriched uranium stockpiles.<\/p>

The IAEA also warned its \u201closs of continuity of knowledge\u201d regarding nuclear material at facilities damaged in the U.S. and Israeli strikes \u201cneeds to be addressed with the utmost urgency.\u201d<\/p>

Iran has argued normal safeguards inspections are no longer feasible. In a February 2026 response to the agency, Tehran stated<\/a> that \u201cin light of prevailing circumstances \u2026 the expectation of the normal implementation of safeguards in Iran is, from legal, technical, and operational perspectives, untenable.\u201d Iran also said facilities at Isfahan that inspectors sought to visit had been subjected to \u201cillegal military attacks.\u201d<\/p>

The agency has repeatedly sought access to affected sites, including the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant, and said it remains prepared to conduct long-delayed inspections either at the facility itself or at an alternate location arranged by Iranian authorities.<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

The latest dispute comes as the IAEA continues an unresolved investigation into Iran\u2019s past nuclear activities. That inquiry, which began in 2018, remains open because Iran has not provided what the agency considers credible explanations for uranium particles found at undeclared sites.<\/p>

Separately, the IAEA board of governors passed a resolution in June 2025, finding Iran in noncompliance with its safeguards obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iran-heavy-water-plant.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595891-1780594121", "title":"Trump says Hunter Biden ‘could do well’ in 2028", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595891%2Ftrump-hunter-biden-could-do-well-2028-election%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Hunter Biden “could do well” in a 2028 presidential campaign if he chose to run. After Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy posed a question on the topic in the Oval Office, Trump initially doubted the efficacy of Biden’s hypothetical presidential bid due to his “past.” “You would think […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> said on Thursday that Hunter Biden<\/a> \"could do well\" in a 2028 presidential campaign if he chose to run.<\/p>

After Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy posed a question on the topic in the Oval Office, Trump initially doubted the efficacy of Biden's hypothetical presidential bid due to his \"past.\"<\/p>

\"You would think that, you know, [the] past has something to do with winning an election, and I would say his past is not the greatest,\" he said, alluding to the many scandals and controversies surrounding the son of former President Joe Biden<\/a>.<\/p>

In the weeks leading up to the 2020 election<\/a>, the younger Biden became mired in a scandal regarding the contents of his laptop, which sparked widespread allegations of improper foreign influence peddling. Separately, he faced federal gun and tax charges.<\/p>

Hunter Biden was later pardoned by his father in December 2024 before the former president left office.<\/p>

\"Remember, 'Where's Hunter?'\" Trump asked. \"It became the No. 1 shirt anywhere in the world for about three weeks.\"<\/p>

Trump's 2020 presidential campaign originally launched the parody shirt, which quickly became popular within conservative circles.<\/p>

The president compared Hunter Biden to Maine Democrat Graham Platner<\/a> and Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico<\/a>, saying he could perform well in a Democratic primary if both Senate candidates succeed in their respective campaigns.<\/p>

\"If the guy from Maine can do well, I guess Hunter could do well too because the guy from Maine is a basket case, and I would say worse than him is the one from Texas,\" Trump said.<\/p>

\"I would say that if [Talarico] can do well, maybe Hunter can do well,\" he added. \"I'm not sure. It'd be pretty close as far as I'm concerned.\"<\/p>

DEMOCRATS LASH OUT AT BIDENS AS FORMER FIRST LADY RELITIGATES THE PAST: \u2018THEY SUCK\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Trump has been ramping up his criticism of Talarico, attacking his political views on transgenderism as a progressive Christian. The state lawmaker is preparing to face Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a> (R) in November. Paxton secured Trump's endorsement one week before he defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) in the runoff election last month.<\/p>

Meanwhile, Platner has faced intense scrutiny in the past week regarding sexual texts he sent to several women. His wife was aware of those messages and told his campaign about them. Platner is not suspending his campaign at the moment and will be on the ballot for the statewide primary on June 9.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25349561518583.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595800-1780593927", "title":"Zelensky proposes ‘full ceasefire’ and face-to-face meeting with Putin in direct open letter", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4595800%2Fzelensky-full-ceasefire-meeting-putin-open-letter%2F", "byline":"Mike Brest", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published an open letter addressed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin calling for face-to-face negotiations and a comprehensive ceasefire. “Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting,” he said in the letter, which was released on Thursday. “We must determine what kind […]", "description":""

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> published an open letter<\/a> addressed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin<\/a> calling for face-to-face negotiations and a comprehensive ceasefire.<\/p>

\"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us \u2014 and you. I am proposing a meeting,\" he said in the letter, which was released on Thursday. \"We must determine what kind of future awaits the generations of Ukrainians and Russians who will come after us. If you do not personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence.\"<\/p>

He specified that any meeting should take place in a third-party country.<\/p>

Zelensky's letter emphasized Ukraine's improved ability to hit Russian supply lines and long-range strikes deep into Russian territory, highlighting the argument that their ingenuity on the battlefield has had impacts on the long-term outlook of the war. Ahead of Putin's annual economic conference\u00a0in St. Petersburg this week, Ukrainian drones hit infrastructure facilities in the city.<\/p>

Simultaneously, Russian forces recently threatened to increase their attacks on Kyiv, the capital, which is far from the front lines.<\/p>

\"Now, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians view it positively that our long-range drones paid a visit to the opening of your forum in St. Petersburg, covering a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers,\" Zelensky said. \"As you know very well, that distance is not the limit of our capabilities.\"<\/p>

The Trump administration had long been the driving force behind the diplomatic push to get a ceasefire, but they have not had the breakthrough they were hoping for, and the attention has since wavered since the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran. <\/p>

\"We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention,\" Zelensky said.<\/p>

Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> addressed<\/a> the status of the conflict during multiple hearings on Capitol Hill this week.<\/p>

\"So, to this point, neither side has been willing to make concessions, particularly on the Russian side, necessary in order to bring peace about,\" Rubio told lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. \"We remain ready to play any role we can in that context of bringing a peace about, because we think the war in Ukraine, devastating war, has no military solution. It can only be solved through a diplomatic route, and it's been unfruitful.\"<\/p>

The secretary noted that \u201cRussia has always been capable of these long-range strikes,\u201d but Ukraine\u2019s ability to respond in kind means \u201cthe risk of escalation is real \u2014 more real than it was two years ago.\u201d<\/p>

RUBIO WARNS RISK OF ESCALATION IN RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR IS 'MORE REAL THAN IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO'<\/a><\/p>

Rubio added, \"We'd love to see that come to a negotiated settlement. As of right now, the prospects don't look great that either side is prepared to make the concessions necessary in order to reach an agreement, but we stand ready, and we've engaged and invested a tremendous amount of high-level time on that conflict over the last year.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Zelensky.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595919-1780593828", "title":"Trump denies seeing evidence of Biden’s cognitive decline in 2024 meetings", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595919%2Ftrump-denies-seeing-evidence-biden-cognitive-decline%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump repeatedly said Thursday he did not personally see signs of then-President Joe Biden‘s apparent cognitive decline during his meetings with his predecessor in 2024. Former first lady Jill Biden reignited the conversation about her husband’s health in recent days while promoting her new book, both by suggesting she’d seen signs that Biden […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> repeatedly said Thursday he did not personally see signs of then-President Joe Biden<\/a>'s apparent cognitive decline during his meetings with his predecessor in 2024.<\/p>

Former first lady Jill Biden<\/a> reignited the conversation about her husband's health in recent days while promoting her new book, both by suggesting she'd seen signs that Biden was \"slowing down\" during his final years in office and that she believed he might have suffered a stroke during his disastrous debate with Trump in the months before the election.<\/p>

Reporters asked the president Thursday if during their November 2024 Oval Office<\/a> meeting, Trump himself noticed a change in Biden<\/a>.<\/p>

\"No, not really. He was the same guy I've been watching for a long time,\" Trump responded. \"I mean, you could go back 40 years, I watched him 40 years ago, 30 years ago, never the sharpest guy. ... It wasn't like he was sharp as a tack, but no, it was the same guy.\"<\/p>

Trump underlined that during their November 2024 meeting, Biden \"was fine as far as I was concerned\" and went on to suggest his own performance during their 2024 debate made Biden's seem particularly bad.<\/p>

\"I thought I had a very good debate. Nobody ever says that. They say that Biden did badly. What about me? Did I do well? You know, there's a reason he did badly,\" he continued. \"So, the question is, did he do badly because he choked or because he didn't have it? But he didn't have a good \u2014\u00a0I would say this, he did not have a good night.\"<\/p>

TRUMP ANNOUNCES HE'LL BUILD A 'PROMENADE' CONNECTING LINCOLN MEMORIAL TO POTOMAC RIVER<\/a><\/p>

The president added that in the meeting, Biden spoke \"very softly\" and \"very low,\" but the pair \"got along really well.\"<\/p>

\"I thought he was fine. When I say fine, I mean was he, like, talking to [Interior Secretary] Doug Burgum? Was he, like, talking to [Energy Secretary] Chris [Wright]? Was he, like, talking to any of these monsters? All these tremendous politicians and environmental geniuses?\" he concluded. \"He was fine.\"<\/p>

You can watch Trump's comments in full below.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP24318594509213.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595724-1780593600", "title":"Postal regulator asks Congress to clarify USPS’s responsibilities while offering rosier view of financial future", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4595724%2Fpostal-regulator-congress-clarify-usps-responsibility%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The oversight watchdog of the Postal Service asked lawmakers on Capitol Hill to clearly define its universal service obligation, which mandates that it affordably deliver mail to every citizen, as the regulator looks to further cut the agency’s costs. Acting Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Robert Taub testified before a House oversight subcommittee on Thursday, urging […]", "description":""

The oversight watchdog of the Postal Service<\/a> asked lawmakers on Capitol Hill to clearly define its universal service obligation, which mandates that it affordably deliver mail to every citizen, as the regulator looks to further cut the agency's costs.<\/p>

Acting Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Robert Taub testified before a House oversight subcommittee on Thursday, urging the body to clarify the Postal Service's operating requirements as it seeks to cut down on as many costs as possible for the financially struggling USPS. But Staub also painted a much rosier picture of the agency than what USPS leaders have said publicly.<\/p>

\"The singular action the commission believes is critical that Congress enact: define the universal service obligation,\" Taub said. \"Clearly defining the USO means describing what the country needs from our Postal Service and setting up a system to fully pay for it.\"<\/p>

Pundits and leaders in the Postal Service have called for greater clarification from Congress on what its daily operating expenditures should be, citing that redefining the universal service obligation framework could bring in more revenue for the agency or enable necessary funding reforms. Taub gave some examples of \"tough questions\" that Congress should reconsider, which could heavily reshape the Postal Service's operations.<\/p>

\"Those tough questions,\" Taub said, \"may include: How many days of delivery each week are needed in 2026 and beyond? What are acceptable delivery service times across the nation? Does the Postal Service need to offer fewer or more products and services? Should delivery service and access be the same across the nation?\"<\/p>

USPS SUSPENDS PAYMENTS TO PENSIONS IN COST-SAVINGS REFORM EFFORT<\/a><\/p>

Despite still urging Congress to reconsider the universal service obligation, which is something Postmaster General David Steiner has also argued for, Taub challenged Steiner's assertion that the USPS could become financially bankrupt by the end of the year<\/a>. Taub argued that after the USPS suspended its biweekly $200 million payments<\/a> to the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Employees Retirement System, it gave the Postal Service \"at least another several years\" of financial \"breathing room.\"<\/p>

\"So it is very clear how circumstances have changed since the postmaster general's testimony in March,\" Taub said. \"The commission provided the Postal Service a total of potentially $15 billion or more in relief through 2030 and averted a cash crisis in the near term by issuing a waiver of its regulations requiring minimum retirement payments.<\/p>

\"The commission's action offers some breathing room and extends the time before the Postal Service's reported insolvency and the stated crisis of stopping mail delivery to at least another several years, provided the Postal Service makes judicious decisions about its expenditures, starting now.\"<\/p>

Taub said the wiggle room allows Congress \"an opportunity to enact thoughtful and fundamental change, as opposed to choices of desperation.\" <\/p>

Taub's tone on this is vastly different from the prior tone of the Postal Service on its financial straits. Steiner testified in March that the USPS \"will be out of cash in less than 12 months\" if serious change did not occur. In April, when the Postal Service suspended its FERS pension payments, a USPS spokesperson told the Washington Examiner that the move provided \"only a small financial cushion.\"<\/p>

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT USPS\u2019S DIRE FINANCIAL STATE AHEAD OF OVERSIGHT HEARING<\/a><\/p>

\"Given the enormous scale of the Postal Service, $400 million in monthly savings by this action provides only a small financial cushion,\" the USPS spokesperson said in April. \"To avoid a worst-case scenario of illiquidity and inability to fund operations, we are urging Congress to act this year to expand the Postal Service borrowing authority and enact other public policy changes.\"<\/p>

The Washington Examiner has reached out to the USPS for comment on Taub's financial assessment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP26097855065802.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595848-1780592149", "title":"Trump denies China is funding data center opposition movement in US", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595848%2Ftrump-china-anti-data-center-movement%2F", "byline":"Mabinty Quarshie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump rejected the claim that China is behind the anti-data center fervor sweeping the nation during a Thursday afternoon event at the White House. “We had a great meeting with China, and you know they do things to us, and we do things to them. I say it all the time,” Trump told […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> rejected the claim that China<\/a> is behind the anti-data center fervor sweeping the nation during a Thursday afternoon event at the White House<\/a>.<\/p>

\"We had a great meeting with China, and you know they do things to us, and we do things to them. I say it all the time,\" Trump told reporters during an event on coal. <\/p>

\"They say, 'Oh, are you worried about China tapping your phones?'\" Trump continued. \"I said, 'Well, they're worried about the same thing.' No, we're very highly sophisticated. We've become very highly sophisticated.\" <\/p>

The House Energy and Commerce Committee warned on Thursday that China is behind a campaign to oppose artificial intelligence data centers in the United States.<\/p>

\u201cOur nation is locked in a race with China to innovate and lead the world in the development of Artificial Intelligence technologies,\u201d House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) told<\/a> the New York Post.<\/p>

Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has also accused China of funding nonprofit groups to sow discord against AI data centers, as has billionaire Shark Tank star Kevin O\u2019Leary and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.<\/p>

Guthrie and other lawmakers pointed to a study<\/a> from the Bitcoin Policy Institute, which claimed \"international actors are working through state media organizations, nonprofit networks, and dark money groups to shape US policy and public opinion on artificial intelligence.\" The BPI report said foreign billionaires \"have funneled more than $2 billion\" into advocacy groups opposing data centers.<\/p>

FOREIGN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS ARE FUELING THE ANTI-DATA CENTER MOVEMENT <\/a><\/p>

Americans have grown weary of data centers that have driven up energy costs.<\/p>

A Public First poll<\/a> showed that U.S. voters, at 26%, had the lowest support for data centers among 15 large nations.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26042797748620.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595849-1780592139", "title":"Trump says Iran war will restart if Tehran kills more US troops", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595849%2Ftrump-iran-war-restart-red-line-troops%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Iran war would restart if Tehran or its proxies killed more American troops. Trump was asked about the tenuous ceasefire between the United States and Iran during an Oval Office event promoting “clean, beautiful coal” as an energy source. Specifically, Trump was asked if Iranian attacks on […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> said on Thursday that the Iran<\/a> war would restart if Tehran or its proxies killed more American troops. <\/p>

Trump was asked about the tenuous ceasefire between the United States and Iran during an Oval Office event promoting \"clean, beautiful coal\" as an energy source. Specifically, Trump was asked if Iranian attacks on U.S. troops would be a \"red line.\" <\/p>

\"It would be a good reason [to resume strikes on Iran], I'd be honest with you,\" Trump said. \"If they killed U.S. troops, I think, I would do that very quickly.\"<\/p>

Since the start of the conflict, 13 American service members have been killed. Most of those were in the early days of the war as Iran launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases in the Middle East<\/a>. Trump's comments came one day after four\u00a0House\u00a0Republicans voted with nearly every single Democrat to force the White House<\/a> to end hostilities with\u00a0Iran. The Senate passed a similar measure a few weeks back.<\/p>

TRUMP SUFFERS DEFEAT AS FOUR HOUSE REPUBLICANS BACK REMOVING US FROM HOSTILITIES WITH IRAN<\/a><\/p>

The 1973 War Powers Resolution<\/a> limits a president\u2019s unilateral military action to 60 days before having to seek authorization from Congress. The law does allow the president to grant himself a one-time 30-day extension, subject to limitations on offensive operations.<\/p>

The White House has argued that the war, which started on Feb. 28, has yet to reach the threshold because of a shaky ceasefire in place with Iran.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155707132730.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595866-1780592110", "title":"DC planning commission chair defends Trump arch against criticism that it violates height law", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595866%2Fdc-planning-commission-trump-arch-height%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"National Capital Planning Commission Chairman William Scharf on Thursday suggested a federal law that restricts how tall buildings can be in Washington, D.C., does not apply to President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch in the city, paving the way for the 250-foot project to receive full approval.  Scharf, a Trump appointee, conceded during a commission […]", "description":""

National Capital Planning Commission Chairman William Scharf on Thursday suggested a federal law that restricts how tall buildings can be in Washington, D.C.<\/a>, does not apply to President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s proposed triumphal arch in the city, paving the way for the 250-foot project to receive full approval. <\/p>

Scharf, a Trump appointee, conceded during a commission meeting<\/a> that the NCPC has long interpreted the Height of Buildings Act as applying to federal projects. After much deliberation, he has concluded that in the \u201cbest reading of the law,\u201d the law is not applicable to federal construction, such as the proposed arch<\/a>, telling colleagues that he finds \u201cNCPC's position is a little odd to me from a legal perspective.\u201d Still, Scharf pushed Trump\u2019s team to provide a formal legal justification for the commission to hold any decisive vote.<\/p>

\u201cI hope that the applicant team will provide clarity to us as we go forward in the form of some sort of legal opinion or legal rationale or justification, so that when and if this project comes before us for final approval, this commission can vote fully informed as to the legal issues that the Height of Buildings Act and the height of this project implicate,\u201d he said. <\/p>

Thirty witnesses were scheduled to give testimony on the arch project on Thursday, as the hearing proffered an opportunity to provide feedback on Washington\u2019s newest proposed monument, which was announced as part of Trump\u2019s initiative to mark the country\u2019s 250th birthday this year. Several expressed concern that \u201cthe grotesque size of the arch\u201d would obstruct historic views between the Lincoln Memorial and\u00a0Arlington National Cemetery and argued that the Height of Buildings Act should be invoked.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201c30 funeral services are conducted at Arlington National Cemetery every single day. 400,000 veterans and their families are interred there. The landscape between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington was deliberately designed to honor that relationship,\u201d Ed Stierli<\/a>, the mid-Atlantic senior regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said. \u201cA 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle, topped with the gilded statues and an observation deck, would be placed at the exact point where visitors transition from the Lincoln Memorial to the cemetery. Visitors approaching Arlington from Washington would no longer experience that measured, solemn procession across the bridge. They would instead pass through a structure that's at fundamental odds with the character of the ground beneath it.\u201d <\/p>

The proposed arch's height stands between 166 and 190 feet. The figure rises to 250 when accounting for a 60\u2011foot central gold statue flanked by gold eagles that face east toward the Lincoln Memorial. The top of the monument would feature gold lettering with text from the Pledge of Allegiance on its east and west faces.\u00a0<\/p>

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE\u2019S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

Scharf argued that there is precedent in bypassing the law, citing two 1932 projects he said exceeded the limits prescribed by the Heighted Buildings Act. He said the instances provoke questions about \u201cwhether NCPCs longstanding position as to the mandatory nature of the applicability of the height of buildings act of federal construction is in fact a correct reading of the law.<\/p>

\u201cI went down a very weird rabbit hole of studying every prior waiver granted by Congress against the Height of Buildings Act,\u201d Scharf said. \u201cOne was an addition to the Masonic Temple here in Washington, DC, for which a congressional waiver was sought, and which Congress approved. The other was the construction of the National Archives building, which at 166 feet tall exceeds the Height Buildings Act, and no congressional waiver was ever sought for that, and Congress didn't speak to that.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26100708020265.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595770-1780591742", "title":"Democrats bracing for more bombshells in Platner sexting scandal: Byron York", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4595770%2Fdemocrats-bracing-bombshells-graham-platner-byron-york%2F", "byline":"Kiara Moore", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York highlighted the internal tension within the Democratic Party amid Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner‘s sexting scandal. “Clearly, Democratic senators are terrified that there is going to be more to come out,” York said Thursday on Fox News’s America Reports. “I think it’s important to point out right now […]", "description":""

Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York<\/a> highlighted the internal tension within the Democratic Party amid Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner<\/a>'s sexting scandal.<\/p>

\u201cClearly, Democratic senators are terrified that there is going to be more to come out,\u201d York said Thursday on Fox News\u2019s America Reports. \"I think it\u2019s important to point out right now there\u2019s a lot we don\u2019t know about what has come out about this whole sexting stuff.\"<\/p>

According to the Wall Street Journal<\/a>, in a private meeting on Tuesday, Democratic senators raised concerns about what further allegations could emerge. The report also referenced Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)<\/a>, who reportedly emphasized the distinction between personal marital problems and more serious accusations.<\/p>

Warren, along with others including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)<\/a> and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)<\/a>, endorsed Platner<\/a> and has expressed full support for the Maine candidate.<\/p>

Platner, according to the same report<\/a>, denied the most serious claims being circulated, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s not a secret that I\u2019ve had a messy, complicated life. The worst of the rumors we\u2019ve all heard are not true.\u201d<\/p>

Since seeking election to the Senate, Platner has faced scrutiny over past homophobic slurs, racist remarks, and his tattoo linked to Nazi symbolism. Platner denied the claims of being a racist and publicly apologized for his tattoo.<\/p>

\u201cThe primary is actually next Tuesday in Maine, and Platner\u2019s going to win by a big number, and then July 13 comes up, which is the final day that a candidate can leave the race, and then the Democratic Party of Maine could appoint another one, so those are really important dates,\u201d York said.<\/p>

\u2018PUBLIC OPINION HASN\u2019T CAUGHT UP\u2019 ON PLATNER SEXTING SCANDAL: BYRON YORK<\/a><\/p>

\u201cYou have the Democrats who worry that there\u2019s more but believe that we don\u2019t know enough right now to kick him off the ticket, and then you have others like Fetterman who believe, 'Yeah, we do know enough right now to kick him off,'\u201d York said.<\/p>

\u201cYou have a party that is desperate to take control of the Senate \u2014 they have to win four seats,\u201d York said. \"There\u2019s no way they can do it without winning Maine, and it\u2019s not looking good.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25295845052716-e1780602497609.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595701-1780591667", "title":"Fetterman says he will not vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4595701%2Ffetterman-wont-vote-confirm-todd-blanche-attorney-general%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said on Thursday he will not vote to confirm acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the permanent head of the Department of Justice. The admission is notable, considering Fetterman sometimes votes in favor of Trump nominees during the Senate confirmation process. Last year, he was the sole Democrat to back the […]", "description":""

Sen. John Fetterman<\/a> (D-PA) said on Thursday he will not vote to confirm acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a> as the permanent head of the Department of Justice<\/a>.<\/p>

The admission is notable, considering Fetterman sometimes votes in favor of Trump nominees during the Senate<\/a> confirmation process. Last year, he was the sole Democrat to back the confirmation of Pam Bondi<\/a> as attorney general. That will not be the case for Blanche.<\/p>

\"I would not vote for him,\" the senator told<\/a> NewsNation outside the U.S. Capitol.<\/p>

Fetterman suggested his reservations about the acting attorney general were related to the $1.776 billion \"anti-weaponization\" fund abandoned<\/a> by the DOJ this week.<\/p>

\"It seems like it\u2019s not going anywhere,\" the Pennsylvania<\/a> Democrat said of congressional opposition to the fund. \"There\u2019s no votes for that. This slush fund, or whatever you want to call it, it\u2019s a bizarre thing.\"<\/p>

\"I don\u2019t know why you would introduce that when you\u2019re in the middle of really important questions about the Iranian war and those other things,\" he added. \"I don\u2019t think we need any of those kind of distractions.\"<\/p>

President Donald Trump<\/a> indicated on Wednesday that his administration will move to nominate<\/a> Blanche as the full-time attorney general as soon as Thursday. No official announcement has been made yet.<\/p>

Blanche said he was \"honored and humbled\" by the president's decision. The DOJ official attended the White House<\/a> dinner when Trump revealed he wanted Blanche to be the permanent attorney general.<\/p>

\"I was confirmed a year ago to be the deputy attorney general,\" Blanche told reporters on Thursday. \"I still am the deputy attorney general. I will work with the senators. I have a good relationship with the Senate on both sides. I don\u2019t say no to phone calls.\"<\/p>

Blanche was confirmed to be deputy attorney general on a party-line vote in the Senate, with Fetterman voting against his confirmation at the time.<\/p>

Besides Fetterman, senators on both sides of the aisle have expressed consternation regarding Blanche's expected nomination.<\/p>

Sen. Jon Ossoff<\/a> (D-GA) immediately indicated<\/a> he would not vote to confirm Blanche, calling him a Trump \"crony\" and \"loyalist\" while urging him to resign from the DOJ entirely. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-NY) felt similarly.<\/p>

\"Trump picked Blanche because he's loyal to the president alone, not the Constitution, not the rule of law, and certainly not to the American people, and not to the values that this country has had for 250 years,\" Schumer said on the Senate floor.<\/p>

TRUMP COULD KEEP TODD BLANCHE ATOP DOJ EVEN IF SENATE CONFIRMATION STALLS<\/a><\/p>

On the Republican side, Sens. Thom Tillis<\/a> (R-NC) and John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) said they haven't made a decision on Blanche's confirmation yet. For Tillis's vote, the acting attorney general's views on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot are essential.<\/p>

\"The key for Todd or anybody going through the Judiciary Committee is being pretty tight on Jan. 6,\" Tillis said. \"They better not have said for one minute that the people that beat up police officers like these right down here were righteous people. You come even close to saying that, you don\u2019t have a prayer of my vote in judiciary.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fetterman-blanche-nomination.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595816-1780591533", "title":"Trump announces Bill Pulte won’t be permanent pick for director of national intelligence", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595816%2Ftrump-bill-pulte-wont-be-permanent-pick-director-national-intelligence%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump reiterated that his new acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, won’t be in the role permanently. Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that Pulte would replace Tulsi Gabbard and her original successor, Deputy Director Aaron Lukas. Pulte has rankled congressional Republicans over his lack of national security experience. “He’s very smart,” Trump told reporters of […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> reiterated that his new acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte<\/a>, won't be in the role permanently.<\/p>

Trump's announcement on Tuesday that Pulte would replace Tulsi Gabbard<\/a> and her original successor, Deputy Director Aaron Lukas. Pulte has rankled congressional Republicans over his lack of national security experience.<\/p>

\"He's very smart,\" Trump told reporters of Pulte in the Oval Office on Thursday. \"He's a person who's got high integrity. He's done a phenomenal job at Fannie Mae-Freddie Mac<\/a>.\"<\/p>

But Trump repeated that Pulte would only serve as DNI in an \"acting position\" capacity and that he is \"not going to be permanent.\"<\/p>

\"I don't think he'd want to be permanent, but he's a very smart guy, and you may find out some things about the rigged elections,\" he said. \"He wants to do it very much, got a lot of energy, but he'll be very good again. It's not a permanent position. We're looking at, we're interviewing people right now, but it's somebody just to take it over for a little while.\"<\/p>

Part of Republicans' concerns about Pulte is that he would politicize and weaponize intelligence, as he had done with mortgage applications during his time as Trump's Federal Housing\u00a0Finance\u00a0Agency<\/a> director.<\/p>

In that role, the real estate scion and social media personality\u00a0criminally referred Trump political opponents to the\u00a0Justice Department<\/a>\u00a0over allegations of mortgage fraud.<\/p>

But Trump's comments on Thursday indicate he may continue Gabbard's investigations into election security.<\/p>

Gabbard was criticized for seizing voting machines in Georgia and Puerto Rico.<\/p>

HOW BILL PULTE TURNED BEING AN ATTACK DOG INTO A CHARM OFFENSIVE WITH TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Trump on Thursday also defended Pulte from criticism of his lack of national security experience, which is statutorily required for the role. <\/p>

\"I think he does, actually, because he's smart,\" Trump said. \"I wasn't greatly experienced in national security, and I think I've done a really great job with it.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155706930479.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595785-1780591498", "title":"Five takeaways from Bondi and Tova Noel transcripts: New clues on co-conspirators and Epstein’s final days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4595785%2F5-takeaways-bondi-tova-noel-transcripts-epstein-final-days%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The House oversight committee’s recent interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Metropolitan Correctional Center guard Tova Noel offered fresh insight into two of the most enduring mysteries surrounding Jeffrey Epstein: whether additional people may have escaped accountability, and how one of the nation’s most notorious inmates died under federal supervision. According to […]", "description":""

The House oversight committee<\/a>\u2019s recent interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi<\/a> and former Metropolitan Correctional Center guard Tova Noel offered fresh insight<\/a> into two of the most enduring mysteries surrounding Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>: whether additional people may have escaped accountability, and how one of the nation\u2019s most notorious inmates died under federal supervision.<\/p>

According to transcripts of interviews released Thursday, Bondi told lawmakers that Justice Department officials were concerned from the outset about potential unindicted Epstein co-conspirators and were actively assessing whether additional investigations were warranted.<\/p>

Noel, meanwhile, pointed lawmakers toward a previously little-known prison employee she suggested may have relevant information about Epstein\u2019s death while providing new details about the staffing failures and dysfunction that plagued the Manhattan jail.<\/p>

Together, the interviews offered fresh insight into both the government\u2019s hunt for additional accountability and the circumstances surrounding Epstein\u2019s final days, but stopped short of delivering definitive answers to the biggest questions that continue to surround the Epstein saga.<\/p>

Here are five key takeaways.<\/p>1. DOJ's Epstein review prioritized investigating possible unindicted co-conspirators

One of the most revealing moments from Bondi\u2019s interview came when lawmakers asked whether the DOJ was concerned about potential unindicted co-conspirators when it launched its review of Epstein-related records shortly after President Donald Trump<\/a> returned to office.<\/p>

\u201cAlways, yes,\u201d Bondi replied.<\/p>

The answer shed new light on the purpose of the administration\u2019s initial Epstein files review. Rather than functioning solely as a transparency exercise, Bondi\u2019s testimony suggested senior officials were also trying to determine whether additional people connected to Epstein\u2019s criminal enterprise warranted further scrutiny.<\/p>

Bondi later testified that former Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell<\/a> because investigators wanted to determine whether she possessed information regarding \u201cother co-conspirators and crimes.\u201d<\/p>2. Bondi still cannot tell who, if anyone, was investigated

Although Bondi confirmed concerns about potential co-conspirators existed from the outset, the interview offered few details about the investigative activity that followed.<\/p>

Democrats repeatedly asked whether federal investigators examined several high-profile figures with past ties to Epstein, including former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley, billionaire Les Wexner, New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and former Navy Secretary John Phelan.<\/p>

Bondi declined to provide specifics, repeatedly saying she did not know, could not recall, or directed lawmakers to Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, or the FBI.<\/p>

The questioning also touched on the separate review Trump publicly directed Clayton\u2019s office in Manhattan to pursue back in November<\/a>. While that effort has been known publicly for months, Bondi testified she did not know its current status, leaving unanswered questions about whether any investigative leads remain active.<\/p>3. Bondi delivered a blunt verdict on Maxwell

Bondi left little ambiguity when lawmakers asked whether Maxwell deserved clemency.<\/p>

\u201cNo. I believe she should die in prison,\u201d Bondi said, reiterating a sentiment she previously expressed during an open hearing before lawmakers earlier this year.<\/p>

She described Maxwell as a \u201cmonster\u201d who recruited and abused young women alongside Epstein and argued that women who facilitate such crimes can be \u201cjust as bad, if not worse,\u201d than the men involved.<\/p>4. Noel pointed lawmakers toward a little-known prison employee

Among the most intriguing revelations from Noel\u2019s interview was her discussion of Kimberly Shivers, a prison employee who has received little public attention in the years since Epstein\u2019s death.<\/p>

Noel suggested Shivers may possess relevant information about events surrounding Epstein\u2019s final days and indicated she had access to systems and communications that could help explain what happened inside MCC New York.<\/p>

Most scrutiny has historically focused on Noel and fellow correctional officer Michael Thomas, who were assigned to monitor Epstein\u2019s housing unit. Noel\u2019s testimony expanded that focus and introduced a new figure whom lawmakers and investigators may seek to examine more closely.<\/p>

Whether Shivers ultimately proves significant remains uncertain, but her appearance in the transcript quickly emerged as one of the more notable developments from the interview.<\/p>5. Noel portrayed a jail system already in crisis before Epstein's death

Throughout her testimony, Noel described an institution plagued by chronic staffing shortages, mandatory overtime, exhausted employees, and operational breakdowns. Her account reinforced previous findings from watchdog reports that documented serious dysfunction inside MCC New York long before Epstein\u2019s death.<\/p>

Noel described officers working extended shifts, personnel shortages affecting daily operations, and an environment in which corners were routinely cut simply to keep the facility running.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS EYE BLANCHE SUBPOENA AFTER BONDI DEFLECTS EPSTEIN QUESTIONS<\/a><\/p>

While the testimony did not fundamentally alter the public understanding of Epstein\u2019s death, which officials formally ruled a suicide, the House is expected to bring additional witnesses in for transcribed interviews in the coming weeks. These witnesses include Epstein's longtime assistant Lesley Groff next Tuesday, followed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates next Wednesday, and later interviews are scheduled with Leon Black and Kathy Ruemmler.<\/p>

Last week, Democrats said their plan is to attempt to bring in Blanche and Patel for questioning, though it is unclear if Republicans will support that effort.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26149467822164.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595753-1780591438", "title":"DC rolls out water quality dashboard after Potomac sewage spill", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4595753%2Fdc-water-quality-dashboard-potomac-sewage-spill%2F", "byline":"Sophia Mandt", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A new dashboard tool announced Wednesday will allow the public to analyze the water quality of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers in the wake of a major sewage spill last winter.  The tool was developed by the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions, a Washington, D.C.-based collection of nonprofit groups dedicated to environmental sustainability, and it […]", "description":""

A new dashboard tool<\/a> announced Wednesday will allow the public to analyze the water quality of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers in the wake of a major sewage spill last winter. <\/p>

The tool was developed by the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions<\/a>, a Washington, D.C.<\/a>-based collection of nonprofit groups dedicated to environmental sustainability<\/a>, and it relies on sensors placed across both rivers to monitor and collect water-quality data. The Reservoir Center says it measures<\/a> water quality parameters, including pH and E. coli.\u200b<\/p>

The news comes after the district saw the largest sewage spill in U.S. history, prompting Mayor Muriel Bowser to request federal emergency<\/a> assistance from the Trump administration, and she declared it a national disaster.<\/p>

Concerns about water quality have also arisen from nonprofit groups such as the Potomac Conservancy<\/a>, which called the Potomac the most \u201cendangered river in America,\u201d citing concerns about nearby data center sprawl and its strain on water usage.<\/p>

TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS BELIEVE FOUNDING FATHERS WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN THE NATION AT 250<\/a><\/p>

\u200bThe project relies on a technical water-quality monitor<\/a> called the \u201cYSI EXO2s sonde,\u201d which measures \u201cwater quality parameters at each location.\u201d Attached to various docks and buoys, the specialized sonde devices require little maintenance and are entirely powered by solar energy. There, the data are transmitted through a cellular network to Hydrosphere<\/a>, a visual data platform used for environmental monitoring. The Reservoir Center says the pulled data are then incorporated onto its online dashboard, with data readings occurring at 15-minute intervals.<\/p>

\u200bThe center hopes the water quality dashboard can serve as a local government transparency mechanism, with community members able to easily verify the water quality in the Anacostia and Potomac rivers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Anacostia-River-e1780602431865.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595824-1780590960", "title":"Congress must stop the government from spying on your church", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4595824%2Fcongress-stop-fisa-nsa-spying-churches%2F", "byline":"Rep. Mark Harris", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Americans should be able to ask for prayer, seek counsel from a pastor, or send a private message to a loved one with the expectation that those conversations will remain private. In a free country, that trust should not depend on the discretion of the government. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is an important national […]", "description":""

Americans should be able to ask for prayer<\/a>, seek counsel from a pastor, or send a private message to a loved one with the expectation that those conversations will remain private<\/a>. In a free country, that trust should not depend on the discretion of the government.The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act<\/a> is an important national security tool. It allows our intelligence agencies to monitor foreign threats overseas and identify plots before they reach American soil. But a law written to monitor foreign threats should never become a loophole for searching Americans\u2019 private communications without a warrant.\u00a0<\/p>

One of the core concerns lies in the vastly expanded definition of \u201celectronic communication service provider.\u201d For years, the term generally referred to traditional communication providers, such as internet<\/a> service providers and phone companies. But during the 2024 extension of FISA, intelligence officials sought cooperation from one specific company that they believed was outside the existing definition. Rather than adopt a narrow fix, Congress <\/a>approved broader language that expanded who could be compelled to assist with surveillance collection.<\/p>

THUNE WARNS DEMOCRATS AGAINST TANKING FISA DEAL OVER PULTE: \u2018REALLY RISKY\u2019<\/a><\/p>

The result is chilling: now, almost any business or organization with a computer, Wi-Fi router, server, or internet connection can be forced to help the National Security Agency collect communications. That includes your local hardware store, community center \u2014 and yes, your neighborhood church<\/a>.<\/p>

For those of us who have pastored or worked within the church, this is deeply concerning. People come to us with their deepest pains \u2014 struggling marriages, addiction, fears about their children, and private confessions. They share prayer requests by text and email. They join online Bible studies. They use the church Wi-Fi during events. Under this expansion, all of that information could be swept up as \u201cincidental\u201d collection and searched later by federal agents without ever going before a judge.<\/p>

Think about that for a moment. <\/p>

The same government that has gone after parents speaking up at school boards, pro-life believers, and even members of Congress could now have easy access to the private communications of faithful churchgoers.<\/p>

And the problem goes well beyond churches. We have already seen how the FISA surveillance system has been abused. The intelligence community weaponized it against President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> campaign in 2016. There have been thousands of improper searches of American citizens\u2019 information under the law. Conservatives, people of faith, journalists, political commentators, donors to a congressional campaign, and public officials have all seen why this power must be checked.<\/p>

The Fourth Amendment was written to prevent exactly this kind of overreach. Our Founders<\/a> understood the danger of giving the government broad power to search through people\u2019s lives, and they placed limits on that power.<\/p>

Those limits still matter in the digital age. They matter in our homes, in our churches, and in the trusted conversations Americans believe are their own.<\/p>

This is not about weakening our ability to catch terrorists. It\u2019s about making sure a powerful tool is not turned against ordinary Americans who simply want to live by their faith. <\/p>

The intelligence community<\/a> is asking members of Congress to choose between keeping America safe and protecting Americans\u2019 constitutional rights. That is not a choice we should be forced to make. We can protect Americans\u2019 rights and keep them safe.<\/p>

MAGAZINE: WHAT RELIGION DO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ESTABLISH?<\/a><\/p>

Our nation is strongest when security and liberty are not treated as opposing sides. We can defend this country without weakening the Constitution that makes it worth defending. <\/p>

As Congress renews this authority, it must include the protections Americans deserve.<\/p>

Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) served as a pastor for over 30 years and is a member of the House Freedom Caucus.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-dithczu58-1780604212855-e1780604598437.jpg?1780590193&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595782-1780589885", "title":"Trump announces he’ll build a ‘promenade’ connecting Lincoln Memorial to Potomac River", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595782%2Ftrump-announces-build-promenade-connecting-lincoln-memorial-potomac-river%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a plan to construct a pedestrian bridge connecting the Lincoln Memorial directly to the Potomac River. Trump announced the “breaking news” during an Oval Office event promoting “clean, beautiful coal” as an energy source. “We’re doing something that just came up. We’ll have a little breaking news here, because […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> announced on Thursday a plan to construct a pedestrian bridge connecting the Lincoln Memorial<\/a> directly to the Potomac River.<\/p>

Trump announced the \"breaking news\" during an Oval Office event promoting \"clean, beautiful coal\" as an energy<\/a> source.<\/p>

\"We're doing something that just came up. We'll have a little breaking news here, because nobody's heard of it, but at the Lincoln Memorial, the front was supposed to be the back, the back was supposed to be the front,\" the president told a gathered group of reporters. \"It never got built because they built two roadways behind it after it was built, and it shut off the gateway to the water that was really going to be the main entry.\"<\/p>

The comments came shortly after workers began filling the memorial's Reflecting Pool<\/a>, the final step in the president's renovation of the historic landmark. Trump said the connection between the Lincoln Memorial and the Potomac would be called \"the promenade.\"<\/p>

\"They want to call it the Trump Promenade, but I don't know if I want to do that,\" Trump said. \"It's going to be beautiful. It's a beautiful project, and it's going to take the Lincoln Memorial right down to the Potomac, which it was always scheduled to do.\"<\/p>

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the plans \"have existed almost since the end of the Civil War.\" <\/p>

\"On the backside of the Lincoln, as President Trump described, right now there's no pedestrian access,\" said Burgum. \"You're on the Mall, people come from around the world. They don't know that 100 yards away is the beautiful Potomac River, which was part of the original plan. And now they'd be able to walk around the Lincoln Memorial, walk on a pedestrian bridge over the first highway, walk over the next one, and right down to the water. It would complete the vision. These projects would complete the original vision.\"<\/p>

SCOTT BESSENT BECOMES CHIEF SALESMAN FOR TRUMP'S ECONOMIC SECURITY PITCH<\/a><\/p>

The White House and the Interior Department did not answer questions on when construction of \"the Promenade\" would begin.<\/p>

You can watch Trump's comments in full below.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155713493801.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595733-1780589148", "title":"Cornyn says renaming highway after Trump no longer a priority after loss to Paxton", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Finfrastructure%2F4595733%2Fcornyn-trump-highway-renaming-not-a-priority%2F", "byline":"Max Grinstein", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said Wednesday that his effort to designate U.S. Route 287 as “Trump Interstate” was on the back burner one week after his loss to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. That initiative, Cornyn told Hearst Newspapers, “may not make it into my priorities the next seven […]", "description":""

Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) said Wednesday that his effort to designate U.S. Route 287<\/a> as \"Trump Interstate\" was on the back burner one week after his loss to\u00a0Texas<\/a> Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a>, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>

That initiative, Cornyn told<\/a> Hearst Newspapers, \u201cmay not make it into my priorities the next seven months.\u201d<\/p>

Cornyn introduced<\/a> the measure to rename the highway \u2014 which runs from Port Arthur, Texas, to Choteau, Montana \u2014 in honor of the 47th president in May. Eight days later, Trump snubbed the four-term senator and instead endorsed his primary rival, Paxton. Paxton trounced<\/a> Cornyn by a nearly 27-point margin in their May 26 primary runoff.<\/p>

\u201cTexas is Trump Country, and this bill cements that legacy by designating nearly 1,800 miles of open road from Texas\u2019 Gulf Coast to the edge of the U.S.-Canadian border as I-47 to forever be remembered as Trump Interstate,\u201d Cornyn said<\/a> when he introduced the legislation.<\/p>

Despite the highway renaming bill and flipping his stance on the Senate filibuster to support Trump\u2019s push to repeal the rule, Cornyn failed to win Trump\u2019s endorsement. The president wrote that Cornyn is a \u201cgood man\u201d whom he has \u201cworked well with\u201d in a lengthy post<\/a> on Truth Social announcing his support for Paxton. Yet Trump also complained that the senator was \u201cnot supportive of me when times were tough.\u201d<\/p>

Trump griped that Cornyn was \u201cvery late in backing me\u201d for the president\u2019s third run for office. Cornyn endorsed<\/a> Trump in January 2024, one week after fellow Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz<\/a> (R-TX) and after Trump bulldozed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis <\/a>(R-FL) in the Iowa Republican primary by over 29 points. The president had announced<\/a> his candidacy in a November 2022 speech.<\/p>

Since his primary loss, Cornyn has seemed more willing to voice his criticism of Trump.<\/p>

Cornyn expressed skepticism this week of the Trump administration\u2019s decision to appoint Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as director of national intelligence. \u201cI don\u2019t see any evidence of qualifications for that job, but I\u2019m willing to listen,\u201d Cornyn said<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE'S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

Cornyn also posted<\/a> a story on X last week about a scorpion that betrays and kills a frog while the frog was helping it cross the river. The senator did not explain the significance of the story, which he merely referred to as an \u201cold, but apt fable.\u201d<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to Cornyn\u2019s office for comment on the highway initiative.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP19010753930980.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595421-1780588800", "title":"House oversight committee releases interviews with Bondi, Epstein’s prison guard", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4595421%2Fhouse-oversight-committee-releases-bondi-epstein-prison-guard-interviews%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The House oversight committee released two transcripts on Thursday detailing lawmakers’ interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Jeffrey Epstein’s prison guard, Tova Noel. Bondi was interviewed on May 29 by the committee, which is looking into the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files. HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF […]", "description":""

The House oversight committee <\/a>released two transcripts on Thursday detailing lawmakers' interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi<\/a> and Jeffrey Epstein's<\/a> prison guard, Tova Noel.<\/p>

Bondi was interviewed on May 29 by the committee, which is looking into the Justice Department's<\/a> handling of the Epstein files.<\/p>

HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY<\/a><\/p>

Noel was one of the two prison guards at the facility where Epstein was found dead in 2019. The move comes after lawmakers criticized<\/a> the DOJ for withholding files related to Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender with ties to many powerful people.<\/p>

Last month, Noel testified in a closed-door deposition before the committee. She previously told investigators that she believes she was the last person to see Epstein alive.<\/p>

This is a breaking news story. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26149460221700.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595662-1780588151", "title":"Senate Republicans pump the brakes on Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4595662%2Fsenate-republicans-pump-brakes-todd-blanche-ag-nomination%2F", "byline":"David Sivak and Ramsey Touchberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Republicans are making clear that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche won’t have a cakewalk to Senate confirmation as members of the Judiciary Committee scrutinize everything from his Jan. 6 comments to his allegiance to President Donald Trump. At least three members of the committee, tasked with vetting Justice Department nominees, are publicly undecided on whether […]", "description":""

Republicans are making clear that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a> won\u2019t have a cakewalk to Senate confirmation as members of the Judiciary Committee scrutinize everything from his Jan. 6 comments to his allegiance to President Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>

At least three members of the committee, tasked with vetting Justice Department<\/a> nominees, are publicly undecided on whether to give Blanche a vote on the Senate floor. He was approved as deputy attorney general a year ago with unanimous<\/a> Republican support, but the political climate has changed drastically since then.<\/p>

Not only must Blanche win over Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who\u2019s promised to write off any nominee who\u2019s spoken approvingly of Jan. 6 defendants, but he must also get past Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who was freshly ousted by a Trump-backed challenger.<\/p>

A third Republican, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), is far less of a wild card, but all three are so far noncommittal<\/a>. Other Republicans on the Judiciary Committee expressed support for Blanche on Thursday.<\/p>

\u201cMost of our members are pretty deferential to who the president wants in some of these key positions,\u201d said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), before pointing out that Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April.<\/p>

\u201cHe\u2019s obviously serving in the role already and clearly has experience in it, so that'll serve him well,\u201d Thune added. \u201cBut this is an environment where nothing's a safe or sure bet these days.\u201d<\/p>

Trump reignited a debate over Blanche\u2019s qualifications when he announced Wednesday night that he\u2019d ask for Senate confirmation and expected a vote \u201cvery quickly<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>

The biggest stumbling block presently is a $1.776 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund that Blanche announced last month. The Justice Department killed the plan this week amid a bipartisan uproar over its potential to compensate individuals who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but Republicans fear Blanche could revive the fund at a later date.<\/p>

\u201cI think what we need to do right now is focus on the 1776 fund, or he's not going to have a very good time in the Judiciary Committee,\u201d Tillis said. \u201cJust think about what the Democrats will do to him.\u201d<\/p>

Blanche, who replaced former Attorney General Pam Bondi, will also face scrutiny over his reputation as a Trump loyalist. He rose to prominence as the president\u2019s personal attorney and is associated with the prosecution of Biden officials including former FBI Director James Comey.<\/p>

On Thursday, Cornyn joined Democrats in questioning Blanche\u2019s independence and whether he would politicize the Justice Department as its permanent head.<\/p>

\u201cBeing attorney general is probably one of the hardest jobs in the Cabinet, because you\u2019re working for the president, but you're also supposed to be able to tell the president no,\u201d Cornyn told<\/a> CNN. \u201cSo we need to talk about that.\u201d<\/p>

Tillis told the Washington Examiner he holds Blanche in high regard, calling him \u201cinstrumental\u201d to resolving a dispute over Jerome Powell, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve. Tillis blocked the confirmation of Powell\u2019s successor until the DOJ agreed to drop an investigation into Fed cost overruns in April.<\/p>

Still, Tillis promised to sift through Blanche\u2019s comments on the Capitol riot and previously flagged remarks he made at a conservative conference touting the pardons of Jan. 6 defendants.<\/p>

\u201cI mean, he's got good credentials,\u201d Tillis said of Blanche. \u201cPeople are going to hammer him because he was the president's personal attorney, but I'm just more about getting through the J6 stuff.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s not a gray area for me,\u201d he added. \u201cEither he equivocated and said harming these Capitol police officers was an OK thing, or he didn't, and we'll find that in the due diligence.\u201d<\/p>

The partisan split of the Judiciary Committee is what gives Tillis, or any other Republican, outsize sway over nominees. If a single GOP member votes \u201cno\u201d and all Democrats follow suit, then the panel deadlocks and the nomination effectively fails.<\/p>

A loophole<\/a> allowed former President Joe Biden to keep one of his acting Cabinet secretaries in place indefinitely despite a lack of Senate confirmation, and Trump himself has pushed the boundaries of the law with interim appointments.<\/p>

But Thune said he expects the Judiciary Committee will process the nomination, and Trump has withdrawn other appointees<\/a> in the face of GOP opposition. In one case, Tillis successfully vetoed Ed Martin over his Jan. 6 comments when Trump tapped him to be the DOJ\u2019s top prosecutor for Washington, D.C.<\/p>

On the Senate floor, Blanche shouldn\u2019t expect any help from Democrats. Cabinet appointments have been controversial for the entirety of Trump\u2019s second term, and even centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), an occasional crossover vote, told reporters he\u2019s a \u201cno\u201d on Blanche.<\/p>

THREE REPUBLICANS BUCK GOP AS SENATE DEFEATS ATTEMPT TO BLOCK TRUMP \u2018ANTI-WEAPONIZATION\u2019 FUND<\/a><\/p>

Blanche would also have to convince centrist Republicans such as Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) if the Judiciary Committee advances his nomination later this year.<\/p>

Both have raised concerns about the \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund and voted to block it<\/a> on the Senate floor Thursday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26153798396600-e1780600294358.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595642-1780587970", "title":"DHS watchdog finds problems with Louisiana ICE center and makes nine recommendations", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fimmigration%2F4595642%2Fdhs-watchdog-problems-louisiana-ice-center%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A Department of Homeland Security watchdog report noted some operational issues with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Louisiana, raising some humanitarian concerns about ICE practices. The DHS inspector general reviewed Winn Correctional Center, which it said holds 1,576 males, in central Louisiana. In the report released this week, the watchdog determined that staff […]", "description":""

A Department of Homeland Security<\/a> watchdog report noted some operational issues with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Louisiana<\/a>, raising some humanitarian concerns about ICE practices.<\/p>

The DHS inspector general reviewed Winn Correctional Center, which it said holds 1,576 males, in central Louisiana. In the report released this week<\/a>, the watchdog determined that staff members have not always created safe and sanitary conditions and that there has been questionable use of force, making nine recommendations to rectify concerns. The development comes after critics have raised concerns about other ICE centers nationwide, particularly Camp East Montana in Texas, where multiple detainees have died<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cThe [Winn Correctional] facility did not fully comply with reviewed standards for environmental health and safety, food service, use of force, medical care, classification, voluntary work program, legal access and materials, staff-detainee communication, and outdoor recreation,\u201d the report reads.<\/p>

The report indicated facility staff did not document and submit prompt and appropriate notifications to ICE for all use-of-force incidents, ensure detainees had adequate access to legal materials, or provide outdoor recreation equipment to detainees in disciplinary special management units, and it added that medical staff did not always update medical records or document interpretation of lab test results, among other problems. Deteriorating ceilings, food-safety hazards, and a failure to provide the inspector general with all documentation on use-of-force incidents were among other problems flagged by the watchdog.<\/p>

In five use-of-force incidents reviewed, facility staff used prohibited techniques in at least three situations and did not document prompt and required notification to ICE in four of those incidents, according to the report.<\/p>

The facility was found to be complying with performance-based national detention standards for SMU, general hygiene, and the grievance system during the unannounced visit.<\/p>

The inspector general made nine recommendations, ranging from ensuring compliance with staff-detainee communication and medical care standards to coming in line with food service standards.<\/p>

A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that ICE \"is working to address\" the problems by shoring up training for staff.<\/p>

ICE FACES LAWSUIT IN NEW YORK ACCUSING OFFICERS OF RACIAL PROFILING<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThe report found that Winn Corrections Center complies with the Performance-based national detention standards,\" the spokesperson said. \"These minor infractions included failing to provide detainees exercise equipment, record keeping errors, and leaking vents. Another infraction included providing a shared computer for legal research that would allow other detainees to see other detainees\u2019 case information. ICE is working to address all these issues including by adding additional training to facility staff.<\/p>

\u201cICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens. In many states we have twice as many medical staff and space for detainees. Our death rates are lower than most state prisons.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25100711662934.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595470-1780587028", "title":"Senate bill includes provision limiting president’s ability to sever intelligence sharing with Israel", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4595470%2Fsenate-bill-intelligence-sharing-israel%2F", "byline":"Sophia Mandt", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Deep within the proposed Senate Intelligence Authorization Act are provisions to enhance intelligence sharing between the United States and Israel. If passed, the bill would require all future presidents to document any determinations to suspend, reduce, or limit intelligence and security cooperation with Israel. Introduced by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on May 20 in the […]", "description":""

Deep within the proposed Senate Intelligence Authorization Act<\/a> are provisions to enhance intelligence<\/a> sharing between the United States and Israel<\/a>. If passed, the bill would require all future presidents to document any determinations to suspend, reduce, or limit intelligence and security cooperation with Israel.<\/p>

Introduced by Sen. Tom Cotton<\/a> (R-AR) on May 20 in the Senate<\/a> Intelligence Committee, the bill awaits consideration on the Senate floor. <\/p>

The section of the bill protecting the intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Israel argues the partnership serves U.S. national interests, citing terrorist threats, sanctions evasion, and state and non-state aggressors as shared global security concerns between the two countries.<\/p>

The bill argues for structuring U.S. security assistance and defense cooperation \u201cto help Israel maintain its qualitative military edge,\u201d while including legislation requiring future presidents to increase shared intelligence with Israel.<\/p>

Furthermore, future presidents are advised to provide congressional committees with an assessment of the progress made between both countries \u201ctoward seamlessly integrating Israel into regional air and missile defense and early warning architectures with partner countries,\u201d while supporting the increased integration of technological hardware, software, and systems among Israel, the U.S., and partner countries.<\/p>

Israel and the U.S. have both faced increased missile attacks during the Iran war, with the ayatollah today calling<\/a> for Iranians to remain steadfast against both countries. The U.S. military has expended more missile interceptors defending Israel than the Israel Defense Forces has, according to<\/a> the Washington Post.<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

The bill argues U.S.-Israeli intelligence sharing can only be suspended or reduced if the president can propose \u201ca specific and identifiable national security concern.\u201d <\/p>

The bill comes not long after President Donald Trump\u2019s appointment<\/a> of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence amid friction between CIA and ODNI officials.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Trump-and-Netanyahu-.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595577-1780586088", "title":"Seven Senate Republicans support blocking construction of Trump’s ballroom", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4595577%2Fsix-senate-republicans-support-blocking-trump-ballroom%2F", "byline":"Ramsey Touchberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"More than a half-dozen Republican senators bucked their party Thursday to support a Democratic effort to prohibit the construction of President Donald Trump’s yet-to-be-built East Wing ballroom without congressional approval. Those seven members were Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jon Husted (R-OH), and Bill […]", "description":""

More than a half-dozen Republican senators bucked their party Thursday to support a Democratic effort to prohibit the construction of President Donald Trump\u2019s yet-to-be-built East Wing ballroom<\/a> without congressional approval.<\/p>

Those seven members were Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jon Husted (R-OH), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). Still, the endeavor needed 60 votes and was defeated.<\/p>

The undertaking came in the form of an amendment to the GOP\u2019s $70 billion immigration enforcement bill<\/a> that Republicans initially tried to use for $220 million in ballroom security funding for the project. However, they were ultimately forced to strip the money<\/a> due to opposition and the strict rules of the filibuster-skirting reconciliation process.<\/p>

The amendment would have banned the use of federal funds and private donations to construct the ballroom unless Trump received the green light from Congress. The tally was 53-46.<\/p>

THREE REPUBLICANS BUCK GOP AS SENATE DEFEATS ATTEMPT TO BLOCK TRUMP \u2018ANTI-WEAPONIZATION\u2019 FUND<\/a><\/p>

Collins, Husted, and Sullivan, who are all up for reelection in battleground states, also broke with their party on an earlier amendment to thwart the creation of the Justice Department\u2019s \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund. Cassidy, who recently lost his primary, received consent to change his position in favor of the amendment after the vote had closed.<\/p>

\u201cTrump has fought for his ballroom harder than he\u2019s ever fought to lower your costs,\u201d the office of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement. \u201cCongress should be a check on Trump\u2019s corruption.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25155601319149.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595472-1780585930", "title":"Honoring 250 years of America: Interior Department hits the road for Great American Expedition", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4595472%2Finterior-department-great-american-expedition%2F", "byline":"Britta Miller", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In honor of America’s 250th birthday, the Department of the Interior is documenting a journey across the United States with the Great American Expedition.  Officials from the department will visit national parks, wildlife refuges, and monuments, among other places, all with a commemorative flag in tow. “The Great American Expedition is already inspiring pride, patriotism, […]", "description":""

In honor of America\u2019s 250th<\/a> birthday, the Department of the Interior<\/a> is documenting a journey across the United States with the Great American Expedition.\u00a0<\/p>

Officials from the department will visit national parks<\/a>, wildlife refuges, and monuments, among other places, all with a commemorative flag in tow.<\/p>

\u201cThe Great American Expedition is already inspiring pride, patriotism<\/a>, and a renewed appreciation for the places that tell the story of our country. By connecting Americans with these iconic landscapes and landmarks, this journey will help ensure their stories and significance are preserved for generations to come,\u201d Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum<\/a> said in a press release.<\/a><\/p>

A flag will be presented at each stop, and officials will share a story about why each site matters. Named the Expedition Flag, it serves as a tool to promote education.<\/p>

People can follow the journey on the department's website<\/a>, which will document the flag\u2019s travels. Those who qualify can even host an expedition event, as long as it is before December 2026.<\/p>

An interactive map<\/a> already lists more than 100 locations selected for the Great American Expedition.<\/p>

FREEDOM 250 BLAMES \u2018VANDALS\u2019 FOR FUEL LEAK ON NATIONAL MALL DURING EVENT<\/a><\/p>

That includes events such as the 2027 Federal Duck Stamp Selection in Memphis, Tennessee, where duck stamp artwork will be chosen, to the historic fireworks show on the National Mall<\/a> for the Fourth of July.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>

The department is also encouraging cross-country involvement to honor the effort.\u00a0\u201cFamilies, students, veterans, and anyone who loves public lands can create their own Expedition Flags, embark on their own journeys, share stories, and help renew a culture of respect, stewardship, and connection to the land,\u201d it said.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-flag-e1780598837594.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595443-1780585233", "title":"Inflation, Trump immunity, and Bill Pulte: Takeaways from Scott Bessent’s testimony", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4595443%2Finflation-trump-immunity-bill-pulte-takeaways-scott-bessent-testimony%2F", "byline":"Zach Halaschak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spent the past two days testifying before lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Bessent appeared before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday and the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday. It was the first time he addressed the panels since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July […]", "description":""

Treasury<\/a> Secretary Scott Bessent<\/a> spent the past two days testifying before lawmakers on Capitol Hill.<\/p>

Bessent appeared before the Senate Finance Committee<\/a> on Wednesday and the House Ways and Means Committee<\/a> on Thursday. It was the first time he addressed the panels since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July 2025.<\/p>

BESSENT CONFRONTS RON WYDEN AT HEARING WITH ACCUSATIONS HIS SON MET WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN<\/a><\/p>

During the hearings, Bessent faced sharp questions about rising inflation and cost-of-living concerns, the immunity deal reached between President Donald Trump<\/a> and the IRS<\/a>, and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte\u2019s<\/a> elevation to acting director of national intelligence. Republicans also took a victory lap on the tax cuts legislation passed last year.<\/p>

The hearings come as legislators begin positioning for the midterm elections. Democrats are vying to wrest back control of the House and the Senate.<\/p>

There were heated moments during the back-to-back hearings. During one particularly testy exchange, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) declared the Treasury under Bessent the \u201cmost corrupt Treasury Department in history.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe congresswoman is slanderous,\u201d Bessent shot back. \u201cShe has nothing but unsubstantiated opinions, and I will not stand for that. There is nothing corrupt.\u201d<\/p>

Here are the key takeaways from his testimony.<\/p>Economy and inflation concerns take center stage

Democrats hit out at the Trump administration over inflation, which has trended up in recent months. They tied the price increases directly to Trump, in particular because of the energy price shocks resulting from the war with Iran.<\/p>

\u201cI was home last week having four town hall meetings in parts of my state that are bright red, and what they talked to me about was the pain of inflation going up, wage growth going down, the job market flattening, the Trump administration doesn\u2019t seem to care,\u201d said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.<\/p>

During the hearings, Bessent repeatedly compared the rate of inflation for food and other staples under former President Joe Biden to the lower rates during Trump\u2019s second term.<\/p>

Bessent also frequently said he thought the recent wave of inflation would be temporary. Inflation, while slightly falling during the first full year of Trump's second term, has trended up quickly since the war with Iran.<\/p>

Inflation during Trump\u2019s first year reached as low as 2.3%, near the Federal Reserve\u2019s 2% goal, and was at 2.4% in January. But since the war began in February, it has vaulted to 3.8% in April, according to the consumer price index. That has largely been the result of the energy price increases resulting from the conflict and subsequent disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>

Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, is still lower now than before Trump entered office, something that Bessent pointed out throughout the hearings. He also pointed out that crude oil prices are down from a peak of over $100 per barrel that was notched earlier in the conflict.<\/p>

\u201cDo you think about how the American people are paying more for gas, groceries, and utilities since the president clearly said he didn't?\u201d Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) asked Bessent, referring to remarks Trump made about inflation.<\/p>

Bessent emphasized that he thinks inflation will be a \u201cshort-term blip.\u201d<\/p>

But it is not just inflation plaguing Republicans. Consumer sentiment has also fallen to record lows.<\/p>

Consumer sentiment fell to 44.8, down from 49.8 in April, according to a preliminary reading of the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for May, dropping lower than it did during the worst of the Great Recession and when the entire country was locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>

\u201cConsumer sentiment is at an all-time low,\u201d Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) told Bessent on Thursday.<\/p>IRS deal with Trump

Democrats hammered Bessent hard after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that, while the Justice Department will not be operating a<\/a> $1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund, Trump and his businesses and his family will remain safe from audits from taxes filed before the settlement.<\/p>

\u201cThis is an abuse of the IRS that goes way beyond anything that I have any familiarity with,\u201d Wyden said during the hearing. \u201cMy view is this committee needs to investigate this on a bipartisan basis.\u201d<\/p>

Throughout his testimony, Bessent declined to provide much further comment on the matter because of the legal nature of the situation.<\/p>

\u201cI'm unable to discuss most of this because of ongoing litigation,\u201d Bessent told Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).<\/p>

After testifying before the Senate, Bessent addressed the matter once again early on in his House testimony.<\/p>

\u201cLet me be clear, as we've done throughout this matter, the Department of Treasury is following the direction of the Department of Justice,\u201d he said, adding that Blanche has said the matter is still subject to litigation.<\/p>

\u201cSo, I'm unable to comment further on it,\u201d Bessent added. \u201cThat means I'm also not able to discuss any part of the settlement agreement.\u201d<\/p>Pulte a topic of conversation

Bessent also faced questions about Pulte, who was recently named acting director of national intelligence.<\/p>

Pulte has generated headlines during his time at the FHFA for his willingness to act as Trump\u2019s attack dog and for recommending mortgage fraud investigations into several of Trump\u2019s political opponents.<\/p>

There have also been reports that Bessent and Pulte have clashed, which Bessent confirmed<\/a>.<\/p>

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he had an \u201cawkward\u201d question for the treasury secretary and asked whether reporting was true that Bessent told Pulte he was going to punch him in the face last year during an event after hearing that Pulte had been badmouthing him to Trump.<\/p>

\u201cNo, sir, I actually said I was going to kick his a**,\u201d Bessent said.<\/p>

During the Wednesday hearing, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who is also the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, asked Bessent if he knew whether Pulte even has a security clearance, to which Bessent replied he did not.<\/p>

\u201cIn being head of the FHFA, isn\u2019t that a full-time job?\u201d Warner asked.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s a very important position,\u201d Bessent responded.<\/p>Republicans and Bessent tout tax cuts

The hearings are the first for Bessent since Trump\u2019s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law, and Republicans were keen to tout some of the benefits of the legislation, which extended expiring tax cuts and added new ones into the mix.<\/p>

\u201cThis filing season, refunds were up more than 11% and tax refunds totaled nearly $325 billion,\u201d House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) said. \u201cA family of four with two kids making $73,000 or less owed zero in federal income taxes.\u201d<\/p>

Republicans have since rebranded the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as the \"working families tax cuts.\" Meanwhile, some Democrats during the hearings branded it the \u201cbig, ugly bill.\u201d<\/p>

Bessent noted that the tax plan prevented the expiration of provisions that would have resulted in a big tax increase for millions of people.<\/p>

MAJORITY WHO CLAIMED NEW TRUMP TAX BREAKS EARN LESS THAN $100,000, TREASURY SAYS<\/a><\/p>

\u201cIf opponents of the working family tax cuts had their way, our economy would have absorbed the largest tax hike in its history, over $5 trillion,\u201d Bessent told lawmakers.<\/p>

The testimony came the same week that the Treasury Department released a new analysis that found the majority of filers who claimed the new tax breaks enacted by Republicans last year earn less than $100,000.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/060326_WEX_SCOTT_BESSENT-12-e1780502798793.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594883-1780585083", "title":"WATCH LIVE: Trump to announce $700 million in coal support", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594883%2Fwatch-live-trump-announce-coal-energy-support%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump is expected to announce roughly $700 million in support for coal-fired power and coal exports on Wednesday at 3 p.m. from the Oval Office. TRUMP TO USE WARTIME POWERS TO SPEND $700 MILLION TO BOOST COAL PLANTS AND EXPORTS Coal power was once the nation’s dominant energy source, but it has declined […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> is expected to announce roughly $700 million in support for coal<\/a>-fired power and coal exports on Wednesday at 3 p.m. from the Oval Office.<\/p>

TRUMP TO USE WARTIME POWERS TO SPEND $700 MILLION TO BOOST COAL PLANTS AND EXPORTS<\/a><\/p>

Coal power was once the nation's dominant energy<\/a> source, but it has declined over the past two decades. Trump is expected to use powers from the Cold War-era Defense Production Act<\/a>, which allows the president to boost private industrial production deemed important to U.S. security.<\/p>

At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency <\/a>has rolled back various Biden-era anti-pollution measures to meet rising energy demands from artificial intelligence and lower costs from the war in Iran.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154730494185.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595334-1780584548", "title":"PETA sues DC Metro system over refusal to run advertisements", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%2F4595334%2Fpeta-sue-dc-metro-refuse-run-advertisement%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on Thursday, arguing the Washington, D.C., agency illegally barred the animal rights organization from advertising in the metro system. The lawsuit objects to WMATA’s decision last year to bar three of PETA’s proposed advertisements from the D.C. metro […]", "description":""

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals<\/a> filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority<\/a> on Thursday, arguing the Washington, D.C.,<\/a> agency illegally barred the animal rights organization from advertising in the metro system.<\/p>

The lawsuit objects to WMATA's decision last year to bar three of PETA's proposed advertisements from the D.C. metro because they violated the agency's rule prohibiting \"advertisements intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions.\" PETA argued that the transportation agency and General Manager Randy Clarke are violating the nonprofit group's First Amendment rights by preventing them from placing their advertisements.<\/p>

\"For reasons unknown to PETA, but that seem to only be explicable as stemming from a deeply held ideological bias against what it perceives as PETA's underlying mission WMATA, under the leadership of Defendant Randy Clarke, appears to have instituted a blanket ban on any ads from PETA,\" the complaint<\/a> reads. \"WMATA enforces this ban no matter how anodyne and compliant with WMATA policies PETA's proposed ads may be.\"<\/p>

The three advertisements the animal rights organization proposed last year each depicted images of animals with captions and QR codes to donate to the organization. The first advertisement was an image of a cat, pig, dog, and chicken grouped together, reading \"Help us help them. Donate to PETA.\" The second included an image of a pig and a \"vegan starter kit,\" with text reading \"Free Vegan Starter Kit. Join Today: Become a PETA member.\" The last ad included an image of a mass group of pigs holding a flag that reads \"Pigs can't fight for pigs rights\" with a caption that says \"That's why we're here. Please donate to PETA.\"<\/p>

Thursday's complaint is the latest lawsuit PETA has filed against WMATA, following a similar 2017 lawsuit<\/a> against the agency's advertising guidelines. PETA said it dropped its 2017 lawsuit against the Washington Metro in 2025 after the agency provided more criteria for what qualifies for its advertisements, but this week's lawsuit argues that its rejection of the three ads flies in the face of this clarified criteria.<\/p>

PRO-ANIMAL GROUP GOES AFTER FOIE GRAS IN NEW PROPOSED DC BALLOT INITIATIVE<\/a><\/p>

\"PETA looks forward to establishing that WMATA's rejection was unconstitutional and that PETA has the right to seek donations to support its mission of animal liberation,\" PETA's General Counsel Asher Smith said in a statement.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner has reached out to WMATA for comment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP21326738804765.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595583-1780584471", "title":"Daily on Energy: Trump boosts coal, DOE partners with Japan on AI, and a ‘Battery Mecca’ in Texas", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fdaily-on-energy%2F4595583%2Fdaily-on-energy-trump-boosts-coal-doe-partners-japan-ai-battery-mecca-texas%2F", "byline":"Callie Patteson and Maydeen Merino", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and happy Thursday, readers! President Donald Trump is carrying on his efforts to prop up the fossil fuel industry, announcing nearly $700 million in funding via the Defense Production Act and the Energy Department to support and boost coal-fired power plants and coal exports. 💲🏭🪨 We’ve got all the details […]", "description":""

WHAT\u2019S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and happy Thursday, readers! President Donald Trump is carrying on his efforts to prop up the fossil fuel industry, announcing nearly $700 million in funding via the Defense Production Act and the Energy Department to support and boost coal-fired power plants and coal exports. \ud83d\udcb2\ud83c\udfed\ud83e\udea8 We\u2019ve got all the details below. <\/p>

In other news, oil prices have dropped as the conflict in the Middle East de-escalates, following Israel and Lebanon agreeing to a ceasefire late yesterday.  <\/p>

Meanwhile, Maydeen is back from vacation in Italy. \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\udf5d\ud83d\udeec Feel free to reach out to her with any news or updates she may have missed.  \ud83d\udce9<\/p>

Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner energy and environment writers Callie Patteson (@CalliePatteson<\/a>) and Maydeen Merino (@MaydeenMerino<\/a>). Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you\u2019d like to sign up, click here<\/a>. If signing up doesn\u2019t work, shoot us an email, and we\u2019ll add you to our list.<\/p>

TRUMP PROVIDES DPA FUNDING TO SUPPORT AND BOOST COAL: President Donald Trump is expected to announce millions in funding to support and boost coal-fired power plants and coal exports. <\/p>

Trump plans to provide $425 million in Defense Production Act funding to support coal plants across the country and $75 million to help construct a coal export terminal in California. <\/p>

Trump has previously used the DPA in April to boost domestic production of oil products, natural gas, coal, and the deployment of large-scale energy and grid-related infrastructure. <\/p>

As part of the announcement, the president will also provide about $200 million in Energy Department grant funding to build two new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia and to restart a plant in Maryland. The DOE has been at the forefront of keeping aging coal plants from retiring as part of a move to prevent blackouts during peak winter and summer seasons. <\/p>

The president is expected to be joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. The administration\u2019s action is part of a broader effort to tackle energy demand and cost with fossil fuel sources.\u00a0Read more by Maydeen here<\/a>.<\/p>

DOE AND JAPAN PARTNERSHIP ON AI: The Department of Energy announced a $1 billion partnership with Japan as part of the administration\u2019s Genesis Mission initiative. <\/p>

As a reminder: Trump signed an executive order last November to launch the \u201cGenesis Mission,\u201d an initiative led by the DOE aimed at conducting scientific research and development on artificial intelligence.<\/p>

The DOE\u2019s partnership with Japan will bring together twelve DOE National Laboratories, a DOE Office of Science User Facility, and twelve Japanese research institutions to focus on quantum information science, fusion energy, biotechnology, advanced materials, particle physics, and autonomous laboratory systems.<\/p>

\u201cFor generations, DOE\u2019s National Laboratories have set the global standard for scientific excellence, delivering breakthroughs that transformed industries, advanced human knowledge, and strengthened prosperity around the world,\u201d DOE Under Secretary for Science and Genesis Mission Lead Dr. Dar\u00edo Gil said in a statement. <\/p>

\u201cBy combining their unparalleled capabilities with Japan\u2019s world-class scientific institutions, we are helping define how science will be conducted in the age of AI,\u201d he continued. <\/p>

OIL PRICES FALL AMID LATEST DE-ESCALATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST: Oil prices were down by more than 3% this afternoon, as hopes for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz were reignited after Israel and Lebanon agreed to their own ceasefire.<\/p>

Israel and Lebanon agreed<\/a> to the ceasefire late yesterday, which could help advance negotiations between Washington and Tehran. A recent Wall Street Journal report<\/a> also indicated that Trump has privately told aides he is reluctant to restart a full-scale war with Iran, despite heightened tensions and increased clashes in recent days. <\/p>

However, the president has reportedly said he would consider ending the existing ceasefire deal with Iran if American troops are killed. <\/p>

The news appears to have given traders a boost of confidence that a deal is on the horizon, sending oil prices back to the low $90s. Just after 2 p.m. EDT, Brent Crude had dropped 3.24% and was priced at $94.74 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate was also down 3.61%, selling at $92.55 a barrel. <\/p>

Still, some analysts are warning caution given how the conflict has gone so far. <\/p>

\u201cWe have seen many rounds of calm in the past that ended with a return to escalation,\u201d Samer Hasn from XS.com said in a note obtained<\/a> by the Wall Street Journal. <\/p>

\u201cUnless we receive a signed, written, and binding agreement, we should expect ongoing escalation that will maintain the strait\u2019s closure and drive oil prices higher,\u201d Hasn said. <\/p>

LITHIUM STARTUP TO BUILD \u2018BATTERY MECCA\u2019 IN TEXAS: A lithium start-up company, backed by General Motors, is planning to build a massive factory in East Texas, with the hopes of onshoring the domestic supply chain for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes \u2013 a crucial component of any lithium-ion battery. <\/p>

The details: The start-up, EnergyX, confirmed<\/a> to the Financial Times that it will be building its factory in Hooks, Texas, and that it could be open as early as 2028. This is right next to the company\u2019s Project Lonestar lithium plant and the Red River Army Depot. EnergyX controls around 50,000 acres of lithium mining rights in a region stretching across Texas to Florida. <\/p>

\u201cThe location is really critical,\u201d EnergyX CEO Teague Egan told the outlet. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the bigger vision I\u2019m calling Battery Mecca.\u201d<\/p>

LFP cathodes are made with lithium, iron, and phosphate, and are a crucial part of batteries.<\/p>

Currently, EnergyX has enough capacity to produce around 250 metric tons of lithium carbonate at its Lonestar facility each year. With the new factory, the start-up will significantly expand its operations to be able to produce 15,000 metric tons of LFP cathodes annually. <\/p>

The venture, which is being developed alongside battery materials firm Wildcat Discovery Technologies, will take quite a bit of capital. EnergyX estimates it will cost $230 million. The companies are hoping to support their project with funds from the Department of Energy. Recently, they applied for a $500 million grant dedicated for expanding critical mineral processing and battery manufacturing in the U.S. <\/p>

TEXAS ELECTRICITY DEMAND SOARS: Electricity demand in the Lone Star state surged by nearly five times the national average, as data center developers have rushed to build in the state, according to new data obtained by Reuters. <\/p>

The data, released<\/a> by Hitachi Energy today, shows that the Texas grid, managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, saw the largest jump in electricity demand out of any grid system in the U.S. over the course of six months ending in March. Specifically, ERCOT\u2019s power demand grew by 9%. The state also saw the largest share of new power added to its grid. <\/p>

Between October 2025 and March of this year, roughly 28 gigawatts of new power generation was added to the national grid. ERCOT and MISO account for roughly half of this new generation, which was primarily made up of solar and battery storage.  <\/p>

MILESTONE IN THE WAR ON DATA CENTERS: Residents in a city near Los Angeles have become the first in the country to place a ban on data centers. <\/p>

As part of California\u2019s primary elections on Tuesday, nearly 86% of voters in Monterey Park voted in favor<\/a> of a measure that would ban data centers citywide to \u201cprotect air quality, drinking water resources and public health\u201d and \u201cprevent impacts to electricity and water rates.\u201d <\/p>

Public pushback has been growing against data center expansion, with measures across the country placing restrictions on the tech facilities. Many communities have raised concerns about how data centers will affect their energy bills, water supply, noise pollution, and much more. <\/p>

According to BallotPedia<\/a>, there are five measures in California, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin aimed at limiting or prohibiting data center development. <\/p>

ICYMI \u2013 A WATER WARNING FOR D.C.: The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority introduced new water conservation recommendations ahead of the summer season. <\/p>

DC Water yesterday released measures for customers to save water this summer. It recommends that customers wash full loads of laundry, turn off faucets while brushing their teeth, keep their showers short, and many other measures. <\/p>

The measures follow the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments\u2019 Drought Coordination Committee issuing its second-most serious level drought warning in its four-tiered Regional Drought Response Plan. <\/p>

It has been the driest year in the district since 2002, according to the National Weather Service. The city had 23.31 inches of precipitation in total that year, compared to 16.65 inches so far this year.<\/p>

Read more about the district\u2019s efforts to conserve water by Washington Examiner\u2019s Max Grinstein here<\/a>. <\/p>

RUNDOWN <\/p>

Politico<\/a> Oil industry warns Trump administration of price spikes within weeks<\/p>

The Associated Press<\/a> Takeaways from how water pollution in Iowa can deflate summer fun<\/p>

Reuters<\/a> US Senate faces tough vote on nationwide E15 gasoline sales expansion<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/DOE-e1779306299575.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595380-1780583120", "title":"Arizona attorney general relaunches 2020 election case against Trump allies", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4595380%2Farizona-attorney-general-relaunch-2020-election-case%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is planning to secure a new indictment against several allies of President Donald Trump accused of participating in efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, reviving a high-profile case that had been dismissed on procedural grounds.  The new indictment would reassert allegations that Trump advisers, attorneys, and Republican activists […]", "description":""

Arizona<\/a> Attorney General Kris Mayes is planning to secure a new indictment<\/a> against several allies of President Donald Trump<\/a> accused of participating in efforts to overturn the state\u2019s 2020 election<\/a> results, reviving a high-profile case that had been dismissed on procedural grounds. <\/p>

The new indictment would reassert allegations that Trump advisers, attorneys, and Republican activists participated in a scheme to submit false documents claiming Trump had won Arizona\u2019s 2020 presidential election<\/a> despite former President Joe Biden\u2019s<\/a> victory in the state. <\/p>

The filing comes after a Maricopa County judge threw out the original indictment in May 2025, ruling prosecutors failed to adequately instruct grand jurors on provisions of the federal Electoral Court Act before seeking charges. The Arizona Supreme Court refused to take up the attorney general's appeal, prompting Mayes\u2019s office to take the case back to a new grand jury rather than abandon it.\u00a0<\/p>

At the time of the initial indictment, Mayes said the charges demonstrate her office\u2019s commitment to holding accountable those who attempted to interfere with Arizona\u2019s election process. She called the alleged conduct an effort to undermine the will of Arizona voters. <\/p>

Mayes had petitioned the Arizona Supreme Court to review the case, but the high court turned down her request in a ruling released Thursday. <\/p>

The original 2024 indictment charged<\/a> 18 defendants, including former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani<\/a>, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows<\/a>, and Trump campaign operative Mike Roman, as well as 11 Republicans who signed documents declaring themselves Arizona\u2019s legitimate electors. <\/p>

At the time of the 2024 indictment, a spokesman for Giuliani called the indictment a \u201ccontinued weaponization of our justice system,\u201d according to the Washington Post<\/a>. <\/p>

Trump was not charged but was identified in court filings as an unindicted coconspirator. <\/p>

Prosecutors alleged the defendants conspired to create and transmit fraudulent electoral certificates to Congress as part of a broader effort to reverse Biden\u2019s victory. <\/p>

The grand jury\u2019s approach to the indictment led the panel to be labeled \u201cunusually aggressive,\u201d according to reporting by Politico<\/a>. Jurors took an unusually active role in the investigation, pressing prosecutors for additional witnesses and pursuing charges against some individuals who had previously been told they were not targets being probed.\u00a0<\/p>

TODD BLANCHE ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION FRAUD BUST IN OHIO<\/a><\/p>

Defense attorneys have argued that the prosecution is politically charged and criminalizes protected political activity. Republican lawmakers and Trump allies made similar arguments following the original indictment, accusing Mayes, a Democrat, of using the legal system to target political opponents. The defendants have consistently denied wrongdoing. <\/p>

Arizona is one of several battleground states where prosecutors pursued the so-called fake electors strategy that emerged after the 2020 election. While some related prosecutions in other states have stalled or been dropped, Mayes has pledged to press forward with the Arizona case, setting up another legal battle.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25078696571301.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594891-1780582104", "title":"Starmer to meet with family of Henry Nowak after blaming Musk for unrest", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4594891%2Fstarmer-meet-family-henry-nowak-blame-musk%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to meet with the family of murdered student Henry Nowak, after blaming billionaire Elon Musk for the unrest around his death. Unrest in the U.K. continued another day following the release of the police body camera footage showing Nowak’s final moments. Starmer’s office announced that the prime […]", "description":""

United Kingdom<\/a> Prime Minister Keir Starmer<\/a> is set to meet with the family of murdered student Henry Nowak, after blaming billionaire Elon Musk<\/a> for the unrest around his death.<\/p>

Unrest in the U.K. continued another day following the release of the police body camera footage showing Nowak's final moments. Starmer\u2019s office announced that the prime minister would be meeting with the murdered student\u2019s family in a private meeting at 10 Downing St. Starmer has repeatedly appealed to the call from Nowak\u2019s father that his son's murder should not stoke hate, with the Labour leader condemning political rivals for demanding reforms in policing in the face of the killing.<\/p>

Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch also met with Nowak\u2019s family.<\/p>

\u201cThey have asked that we work across political parties and religions to rebuild trust in the police. That trust has been broken because of what happened, and I agree with them on that,\u201d she said after the meeting.<\/p>

\"We must also be prepared to examine, carefully and seriously, religious practices or exemptions that permit the carrying of dangerous weapons in public, and other activities that are not conducive to the public good,\" Badenoch said. \"We also need to examine where the law needs to change.\"<\/p>

Starmer\u2019s focus on Thursday, however, was casting blame on Musk for the protests and riots that broke out following the release of the body cam footage, which showed police ignoring the dying Nowak\u2019s pleas for help.<\/p>

\u201cWe also need to assert who we are as a country because Musk again has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division,\u201d Starmer said. \"That is not who we are in Britain.\"<\/p>

\u201cIn Britain we are reasonable, tolerant people,\u201d he added. \"When we have a terrible case like Henry\u2019s case, Henry Nowak, we react calmly as his family has done.\"<\/p>

Starmer was joined by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who portrayed Musk as the leader of a benevolent foreign influence operation. <\/p>

\"Musk's actions are a coordinated campaign of foreign interference in British democracy by a rogue American tech billionaire who seems hellbent on injecting poison directly into our domestic politics,\u201d Davey said.<\/p>

\"Let's not forget this is a man who has repeatedly used his platform to incite violence on Britain's streets,\" he added.<\/p>

Nowak, an 18-year-old university student, was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, late last year with a Sikh ceremonial blade. Police bodycam footage confirmed the most inflammatory details of reports about the murder, with police initially siding with Digwa after he accused the wounded Nowak of racism. The responding officers ignored Nowak\u2019s pleas for several minutes, going so far as to handcuff him as he lost consciousness and died.<\/p>

Nigel Farage\u2019s<\/a> right-wing Reform Party has led the way in denouncing the police and government\u2019s handling of the killing, portraying it as the natural conclusion of racial sensitivity training police officers receive, which Farage denounced as \u201ctwo-tier policing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

While praising the \u201cdignified\u201d response of Nowak\u2019s family, Farage argued the public should react differently \u2014 \u201cwith pure cold rage.\u201d<\/p>

He backed up this sentiment in response to Labour\u2019s criticism on Wednesday, suggesting the protests and riots on Tuesday highlighted the need for reform. Farage warned that the outrage and protests were \u201cin danger of getting considerably worse\u201d if action wasn\u2019t quickly taken.<\/p>

Much of the Labour Party\u2019s response to Nowak\u2019s murder has been condemning Farage and Reform, accusing them of \u201cpoliticizing\u201d the tragedy and going against the family\u2019s wishes.<\/p>

One of the most potent conduits of public anger has been Musk\u2019s X, allowing British users an unimpeded outlet to voice their rage. Posts attacking the police, racial sensitivity training, and the government have garnered hundreds of thousands of likes. They\u2019ve even drawn the personal attention of Musk himself, who has frequently posted about the matter.<\/p>

\u201cThe West has created an utterly evil state religion where an accusation of \u2018racism\u2019 is the gravest offense that can be committed, even worse than rape or murder!\u201d Musk wrote in a Wednesday post that garnered over 325,000 likes. \u201cSo if police show up at a crime scene and a British boy is bleeding out and an immigrant says the British boy is racist the cops will cuff the dying British boy.\u201d<\/p>

UK POLICE CLASH WITH PROTESTERS OVER MURDER OF HENRY NOWAK<\/a><\/p>

Statements by the police and government drew viral and overwhelmingly negative responses, while users posted memes mocking official responses. A major refrain from commentators was to echo variations of \u201cI don\u2019t think you have, mate,\u201d the response of one of the officers captured in bodycam footage after the dying Nowak said he had been stabbed.<\/p>

\u201cOne of your officers has been receiving death threats? I don\u2019t think he has, mate,\u201d one user said<\/a> in response to a statement from Hampshire Police, garnering nearly 44 times more likes than the statement.\u201c\u2018Police are getting bricks thrown at their heads!\u2019 \u2018I don\u2019t think they are mate,\u2019\u201d another viral post<\/a> said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26152633806609.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595006-1780581600", "title":"Sanctimonious Scott Pelley finds out no one is indispensable", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4595006%2Fsanctimonious-scott-pelley-no-one-indispensable%2F", "byline":"Joe Concha", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. Chuck Todd. Jim Acosta. Don Lemon. Terry Moran. Katie Couric. […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

Chuck Todd. Jim Acosta. Don Lemon<\/a>. Terry Moran. Katie Couric. Joy Reid<\/a>. These are the former \"journalists\" who are no longer employed\u00a0by their respective networks and have been relegated\u00a0to the wilderness\u00a0of podcasting from their opulent homes.<\/p>

Scott Pelley<\/a> may be joining this dubious list.<\/p>

Now a former\u00a060 Minutes\u00a0correspondent for CBS<\/a>, Pelley made the miscalculation that so many in this business have in recent years: He thought he was indispensable. His contract made him rich. Likes and reposts from his social media posts made him feel powerful. He felt he could challenge his bosses during staff meetings or even publicly.<\/p>

We saw this play out in 2023 after Chris Licht was hired by CNN with a mission to move the network back to the center. As part of that effort, candidate Donald Trump<\/a> was invited to participate in a town hall moderated by Kaitlan Collins. This did not sit well with CNN talent at all, even to the point that Anderson Cooper took to the air the night after the event in an attempt to embarrass the network president.<\/p>

\"I get it. It was\u00a0disturbing,\" Cooper said directly to viewers.\u00a0\"The man you were so disturbed to see last night, that man is the front-runner for the Republican nomination for president. You have every right to be outraged today, angry, and never watch this network again,\u00a0but do you think staying in your silo and only listening to people you agree with is going to make that person go away?\"<\/p>

That's right. Cooper actually first called Trump's appearance \"disturbing\" before telling viewers it was OK if they never watched again. He wasn't reprimanded. Licht was fired not long after.<\/p>

The same revolt happened at the network formerly known as MSNBC when it hired former Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Top-paid talent, including Rachel Maddow, Chuck Todd, Joe Scarborough, and Mika Brzezinski, all went on the air to voice their disdain of having a pro-Trump voice on the network.<\/p>

\u201cThe fact that Ms.\u00a0McDaniel\u00a0is on the payroll at NBC News, to me, that is inexplicable,\u201d\u00a0Maddow\u00a0said on her 9 p.m. show. \u201cAnd I hope they will reverse their decision.\u201d<\/p>

They did. McDaniel was gone 24 hours later. <\/p>

Pelley chose a similar path after his new boss at 60 Minutes, Nick Bilton, invited him for a private dinner to discuss the direction of the news magazine. Pelley rejected that invitation, instead opting to wait for Bilton's first staff meeting to attack him in front of colleagues.<\/p>

According to multiple reports, Pelley screamed at Bilton, accusing him of \"murdering 60 Minutes.\" Pelley also attacked Bilton's credentials in essentially hijacking the meeting. \u201cWhat qualifies you to be in this position?\u201d Pelley asked.<\/p>

One day later, Pelley was fired.<\/p>

\"Yesterday\u2019s performative display of hostility-enacted in front of the staff instead of in a civil, private conversation demonstrated that you have no interest in contributing to the future success of the show,\u201d Bilton wrote in an exit letter to Pelley.\u00a0\"Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you. I therefore write on behalf of CBS News, Inc. to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately. Enclosed is your formal termination letter.\"<\/p>

Good for Bilton. Because if he had allowed Pelley to stay after such a condescending, disrespectful tirade, the entire network would see him as a pushover. And it sets an unmistakable tone: If you, as an employee, have some kind of disagreement with the executive management, have that discussion privately. Work it out. Be an adult.<\/p>

Pelley thought he was above all of that. <\/p>

Pelley has led the charge in \"murdering\" 60 Minutes for years. Here's a classic example of that regarding the cover-up of former President Joe Biden's <\/a>cognitive decline.<\/p>

\"Late Thursday, we met President Biden at the White House,\" Pelley said on 60 Minutes on Oct. 15, 2023. \"It had been a rough week, and we could see it on him. Mr. Biden will be 81 next month. And he has said that when he's tired, his lifelong stutter can creep back in. But he wedged us into his schedule to express his commitment to Israel after the massacre of more than 1,000 civilians eight days ago.\"<\/p>

Lots to unpack here: For starters, Biden had off days for nearly 40% of his presidency. His schedule oftentimes contained maybe one or two items before shutting down early in the afternoon. So when Pelley said Biden wedged him into his schedule on Oct. 12, it wasn't exactly a packed itinerary.<\/p>

A look at Biden's schedule shows he received the daily briefing at 10:30 a.m. to start his day. He later made the short flight to Philadelphia for a speech in the afternoon before leaving for one of his homes in adjacent Delaware to start another long weekend before 5 p.m.<\/p>

So why would he portray Biden as a hardworking president with so little time on his schedule?<\/p>

Because he's not a journalist, he's an activist.<\/p>

Another example: In 2025, Pelley interviewed Moms for Liberty, a nationwide group of concerned mothers who are staunchly against sexually explicit books being in schools of children as young as elementary school. Moms for Liberty's goal is common sense: Let's get our children back to the basics of reading, writing, science, and math, where the United States lags well behind other industrialized\u00a0countries despite massive spending, and away from woke diversity, equity, and inclusion teachings.<\/p>

But the Pelley we saw during his sycophantic interview with Biden suddenly morphed into a pious interrogator during his interview with Moms for Liberty founder Tiffany Justice.<\/p>

\"They often dodged questions with talking points,\" Pelley narrated before going back to the interview.\u00a0<\/p>

Per the transcript:<\/p>

Pelley: \"You're being evasive.\"<\/p>

Justice: \"Twenty-one percent of\u2026\"<\/p>

Pelley (interrupting): \"What ideology\u2026\"<\/p>

Justice (attempting to continue): \"Hispanic students are reading on\u2026\"<\/p>

Pelley (again interrupting): \"You're being\u2026\"<\/p>

Justice: \"\u2026grade level.\"<\/p>

Pelley (interrupting a third time): \"\u2026evasive. What ideology are the children being indoctrinated into? What is your fear?\"<\/p>

Justice: \"I think parents' fears are realized. They're looking at these books where sexual discussions are happening with their children at younger and younger ages.\"<\/p>

Pelley (narrating): \"Tiffany Justice read from sexually explicit books written for older teens but found in a few lower schools. Most people wouldn't want them in a lower school. But in a tactic of outrage politics, Moms for Liberty takes a kernel of truth and concludes these examples are not rare mistakes but a plot to sexualize children.\"<\/p>

That's not Mike Wallace's 60 Minutes. That's MS Now dressed up as 60 Minutes. By narrating his response, Justice has no ability to respond. And Pelley's conclusion isn't a fact \u2014 it's a highly subjective opinion.<\/p>

But the real tell was Pelley's commencement speech at Wake Forest University in 2025 after Trump won the presidency for a second time.<\/p>

\"This moment, this morning, our sacred rule of law is under attack. Journalism is under attack, universities are under attack, freedom of speech is under attack,\" Pelley declared dramatically as if he was auditioning for the next Aaron Sorkin political drama. \"An insidious fear is reaching through our school, our businesses, our homes, and into our private thoughts. The fear to speak in America.\"<\/p>

The irony, of course, is that Pelley was able to say these words without any hindrance or censorship whatsoever. And how exactly is \"an insidious fear\" reaching into private thoughts?<\/p>

It's this kind of cheesy, theatrical performance by a 60 Minutes correspondent and former anchor of the CBS Evening News, a chair once occupied by an actual newsman in Walter Cronkite, that helped turn the longtime news magazine into just another program with an agenda.<\/p>

IN FOCUS: THE MILITARY NEEDS MORE INNOVATIVE RISK TAKERS<\/a><\/p>

Bari Weiss was hired to change the culture at CBS News. Pelley thought he could be arrogant and intransigent. He was wrong.<\/p>

The next stop is a podcast from a kitchen.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-bwarbzsnb-1780538029282-e1780539231486.jpg?1780573467&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595330-1780581470", "title":"Trump urges Congress to ‘save college sports’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4595330%2Ftrump-bipartisan-law-college-sports%2F", "byline":"Mabinty Quarshie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump implored congressional lawmakers on social media to pass the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act before the end of the summer to “save college sports.” “College Sports, a Great American Institution that produces our many Athletes, Leaders, and Olympic Dominance, is a total ‘mess,’ and everyone is saying that it must be fixed,” Trump […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> implored congressional<\/a> lawmakers on social media to pass the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act<\/a>\u00a0before the end of the summer to \"save college<\/a> sports.\"<\/p>

\"College Sports, a Great American Institution that produces our many Athletes, Leaders, and Olympic Dominance, is a total 'mess,' and everyone is saying that it must be fixed,\" Trump wrote in a Thursday afternoon Truth Social post<\/a>.<\/p>

\"I urge the House and Senate to come together to pass a final Bipartisan Law, that I can sign this summer, that reflects the views and input of both Chambers,\" he added. <\/p>

Sens. Ted Cruz<\/a> (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell<\/a> (D-WA) have taken the lead on the legislation that would end the regulatory chaos surrounding college sports. <\/p>

The Protect College Sports Act would include regulations on player transfers and payments, rules on midseason coach movement, and bar professional players from coming back to the NCAA.<\/p>

\"This Law resolves many of the most urgent issues challenging our Universities and Student-Athletes, stops the chaos and, most importantly, it may be the last chance to save College Sports, and Colleges themselves, before it's too late,\" Trump wrote in defense of the legislation. <\/p>

The\u00a0Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> previously announced its opposition to the bill,<\/a> citing the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais\u00a0ruling, which weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and subsequently led Republicans in Southern states to enact new congressional maps that eliminated several majority-black districts.<\/p>

\"The Congressional Black Caucus believes institutions that profit from Black talent and Black communities have a responsibility to stand with those communities when their fundamental rights are under attack,\" Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), the CBC chairwoman, wrote in a letter<\/a> to Cruz and Cantwell. \"Silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality\u2014it is complicity.\"<\/p>

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS VOWS TO BLOCK COLLEGE SPORTS REFORM OVER SOUTHERN STATES\u2019 REDISTRICTING<\/a><\/p>

Trump's post did not address the CBC's opposition to the bill or how Congress could overcome it, although he thanked several lawmakers for their work on the legislation.<\/p>

\"I\u2019d like to thank Senators Ted Cruz, Eric Schmitt, Maria Cantwell, and Chris Coons, among others, for introducing the Protect College Sports Act,\" he wrote. \"The House has worked long and hard on this issue as well, and I am very grateful to Speaker Mike Johnson and Leader Steve Scalise for their work to fix this very major problem.\" <\/p>

Molly Parks contributed to this report. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26108712459309-e1780308306826.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594904-1780580218", "title":"Three Republicans buck GOP as Senate defeats attempt to block Trump ‘anti-weaponization’ fund", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4594904%2Fsenate-vote-trump-anti-weaponization-fund%2F", "byline":"David Sivak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Senate Republicans defeated language to block the creation of the Justice Department’s “anti-weaponization” fund, but not without three defections from swing-state senators and hours of suspense on the chamber floor. The Thursday vote, brought by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), was the first in a prolonged fight centered on the $1.776 billion settlement fund. […]", "description":""

Senate Republicans defeated language to block the creation of the Justice Department\u2019s \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund, but not without three defections from swing-state senators and hours of suspense on the chamber floor.<\/p>

The Thursday vote, brought by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-NY), was the first in a prolonged fight centered on the $1.776 billion settlement fund. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a> assured lawmakers this week that it would no longer move forward<\/a> following a bipartisan uproar, but he refused to commit that to writing, and President Donald Trump has since given conflicting messages on its future.<\/p>

Had the amendment passed, it would have jeopardized a larger bill on immigration enforcement. The vote hung open for well over three hours as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) huddled with a group of Republicans. Later, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), both of whom are opposed to the fund, could be seen consulting with the parliamentarian on their own amendment language.<\/p>

Ultimately, Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Jon Husted (R-OH), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) broke with Republicans, but the defections were not enough for the amendment to pass. All three are up for reelection this cycle in battleground states.<\/p>

Republicans are using a filibuster-skirting process to pass $70 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and one of its sister agencies, but senators can propose an unlimited number of amendments before the final vote, including on unrelated or tangentially related matters.<\/p>

Specifically, the Senate was voting on whether to send the enforcement bill back to committee with instructions to block the fund, a way of drafting the amendment that meant it only required a simple majority to be adopted.<\/p>

Thune urged his colleagues to oppose \u201ccorrosive\u201d amendments that undermine the underlying bill, noting that Blanche testified under oath, but there is bipartisan interest in eliminating the fund, or at least placing guardrails on it to prevent people convicted or accused of attacking Capitol police on Jan. 6, 2021, from being compensated.<\/p>

Rank-and-file Republicans prepared their own language on the settlement fund, including Cassidy and Tillis, who has vowed to oppose final passage without it. But most will be at a 60-vote threshold, giving leadership some wiggle room.<\/p>

Tillis immediately brought his forward after the Schumer amendment failed, and in a sign of discomfort, 11 other Republicans joined him in voting \"yes.\" The provision, which would redirect the $1.8 billion to fraud prevention at the Justice Department, simultaneously turned off Democrats, meaning it failed on the Senate floor.<\/p>

Thune could also neutralize any successful amendments at the end of the process with a \u201cwrap-around\u201d that reverts the immigration bill to its original text. That approach would require near-unanimity among Republicans.<\/p>

The Senate will vote on amendments directly related to immigration enforcement, including one to require ICE officers to wear body cameras. Others will touch on affordability or Trump\u2019s East Wing ballroom.<\/p>

PARTY LEADERS WRESTLE WITH ANOTHER \u2018CANDIDATE QUALITY\u2019 ELECTION<\/a><\/p>

Republicans ultimately declined to provide money<\/a> to the Secret Service for the ballroom, but Democrats hope to make it a political wedge for Republicans and use it as fodder on the campaign trail.<\/p>

If the Senate is able to pass the immigration enforcement bill later on Thursday, the House could follow suit as soon as Friday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154667179131-e1780583660717.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595371-1780580144", "title":"WATCH LIVE: Crews turn pump on to refill Reflecting Pool after renovations", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4595371%2Fwatch-live-crews-pump-refill-reflecting-pool-renovations%2F", "byline":"Keely Bastow", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Crews have begun refilling the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington after weeks of renovations. “We cleaned it. We fumigated it,” President Donald Trump said of the Lincoln Memorial. “We had 10 major truck dumpsters of garbage taken out. Can you believe it?” The pool’s basin was resurfaced with a blue coating. Trump […]", "description":""

Crews have begun refilling the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington<\/a> after weeks of renovations.<\/p>

\u201cWe cleaned it. We fumigated it,\u201d President Donald Trump<\/a> said of the Lincoln Memorial. \u201cWe had 10 major truck dumpsters of garbage taken out. Can you believe it?\u201d<\/p>

The pool's basin was resurfaced with a blue coating. Trump called the color \"American flag blue.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26139614898335.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595133-1780579331", "title":"Ayatollah says Iran has ‘defeated’ US as Trump, Rubio acknowledge he’s playing active role in regime", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4595133%2Fayatollah-iran-defeated-us-trump-rubio-active%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In the months since Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei became the supreme leader following the assassination of his father, he has been characterized by the U.S. government as an ineffectual leader, and possibly even dead. But in the last several days, that rhetoric has pivoted — concurrent with a surprise statement on Thursday from the ayatollah, declaring […]", "description":""

In the months since Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei<\/a> became the supreme leader following the assassination of his father, he has been characterized by the U.S. government as an ineffectual leader, and possibly even dead.<\/p>

But in the last several days, that rhetoric has pivoted \u2014 concurrent with a surprise statement on Thursday from the ayatollah, declaring victory over \"imperialism, led by the U.S.\" and its \"military base called Israel.\"<\/p>

\"The malicious enemy has been defeated in its confrontation with the Armed Forces,\" Khamenei wrote<\/a> in the statement, which was published and read out by Iranian state media. \"Since it has received a decisive blow both in military combat and in [Iran's] public squares and streets, it\u2019s experiencing a profound, significant humiliation.<\/p>

\"The enemy has focused its schemes in hybrid warfare on two points: the resilience of the Iranian people and trying to create errors in the assessments of the country's officials,\" the ayatollah said. \"The instrument it\u2019s using for both is sowing the seeds of doubt, despair, fear, mistrust, and discord.\"<\/p>

The supreme leader<\/a> called for Iranians to show \"steadfastness\" and \"clear-sightedness\" to thwart enemies' \"sinister scheme\" by \"refraining from echoing the enemy's narrative.\"<\/p>

The Thursday declaration of victory from Tehran carried a bellicose tone. But just days prior, President Donald Trump offered a rather friendly assessment of the supreme leader, saying the Iranian people \"have a lot of respect for him.\"<\/p>

\"I\u2019d like to meet him,\" Trump told the New York Post in a Tuesday interview. \"I\u2019d love to meet everybody. I would like to meet him and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.\"<\/p>

The ayatollah has not appeared in public<\/a> since he was injured in a bombing of the Council of Experts at the beginning of the war. Khamenei has not delivered any addresses in person, on video, or via audio recording. His speeches, including the Thursday declaration of victory, are disseminated by Iranian state media organs.<\/p>

In the same interview, Trump confirmed that the ayatollah is \"involved, absolutely\" in the affairs of the regime \u2014 countering previous rhetoric from the U.S. government that framed Khamenei as iced out of power by the establishment.<\/p>

Back in March, Trump hand-waved Khamenei as a \"lightweight\" who \"isn't going to last.\" Asked directly if the ayatollah was even alive, the president said he was \"probably alive in some form.\" Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the \"so-called not-so supreme leader\" was \"scared,\" \"injured,\" and \"on the run\" because he \"lacks legitimacy\" within the Iranian government. Other statements from the White House reported that intelligence officials suspected the ayatollah of being a closeted homosexual.<\/p>

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, affirmed there are \"indications out there that [Khamenei] is increasingly engaging at some level.\"<\/p>

TRUMP BLASTS REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED AGAINST HIM IN WAR POWERS RESOLUTION: 'UNPATRIOTIC'<\/a><\/p>

\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen him publicly,\u201d Rubio said, explaining the supreme leader has been in contact with the U.S. through an extensive network of intermediaries. \"And I would imagine given what\u2019s happened to multiple leaders in that system, being very public is probably not something that\u2019s recommended for them internally.\"<\/p>

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Wednesday that reports of Iran and the United States pausing communications<\/a> are \"false and erroneous.\"<\/p>

\"The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today,\" the president said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26144494874370.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595109-1780578505", "title":"New York City to increase security screenings downtown ahead of World Cup", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fsports%2F4595109%2Fnew-york-increase-security-downtown-world-cup%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York officials on Thursday sought to reassure residents and visitors that the city is prepared for the security challenges posed by the 2026 FIFA World Cup, unveiling a plan that includes increased police deployment, National Guard support, drone surveillance, cyber threat analysis, and extensive transit security measures. Speaking at a press briefing, Gov. Kathy […]", "description":""

New York<\/a> officials on Thursday sought to reassure residents and visitors that the city is prepared for the security challenges posed by the 2026 FIFA World Cup,<\/a> unveiling a plan that includes increased police deployment, National Guard<\/a> support, drone<\/a> surveillance, cyber<\/a> threat analysis, and extensive transit security measures.<\/p>

Speaking at a press briefing, Gov. Kathy Hochul<\/a> (D-NY) and New York City<\/a> Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> emphasized that preparations have been underway for years, arguing that New York's experience hosting high-profile events, ranging from the U.S. Open to the United Nations'<\/a> General Assembly, has positioned the city to handle an estimated influx of roughly 100,000 additional daily transit riders on match days.<\/p>

Hochul highlighted several security measures already taking place in the city's transit system. According to Hochul, more than $150 million in state funding has gone to transit law enforcement. She also touted the installation of 33,000 security cameras, including cameras in every subway car and expanded platform barriers at nearly 150 subway stations.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019ve been planning for this for years, table-topping this exercise as we\u2019re ramping up our police presence \u2014 more transit police, NYPD, state police, our National Guard, Joint Task Force Empire Shield,\u201d Hochul said.<\/p>

The governor also announced that drones will be deployed around critical transportation infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, and transit hubs.<\/p>

When asked directly whether officials were concerned that the World Cup would make New York a target for terrorism, Hochul said security agencies are continuously monitoring threats.<\/p>

\u201cWe work with federal, state, and local partners to monitor online threats incessantly,\u201d she said.<\/p>

She pointed to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, cyber analysts, and intelligence-sharing efforts between agencies, while urging the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.<\/p>

\u201cYou\u2019ll see more of a police presence, but also know that behind the scenes, our cyber analysts and experts are focused on this with every fiber in their being,\u201d Hochul said.<\/p>

New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell said officials have conducted more than 30 interagency tabletop exercises over the past year, simulating scenarios including blackouts, flash floods, coastal storms, and crowd surges.<\/p>

The city\u2019s Emergency Operations Center will remain activated throughout the tournament, allowing agencies to coordinate responses in real time.<\/p>

MTA Chair Janno Lieber said the agency will increase patrols throughout the subway system and Midtown Manhattan while monitoring its camera network in real time.<\/p>

\u201cThere are going to be plenty of eyes and ears on the ground,\u201d Lieber said.<\/p>

Officials also confirmed that security screening will be implemented at Penn Station and at World Cup shuttle bus locations. A city official said the screenings will likely involve magnetometers and be \u201cmore detailed than just a bag check.\u201d<\/p>

Despite the heightened security posture, officials repeatedly sought to frame the tournament as a celebration rather than a disruption.<\/p>

\u201cNo city is better prepared than New York,\u201d Hochul said. \u201cNo city knows how to handle crowds, extra riders, intercept criminals, online threats [better].\u201d<\/p>

More than 1.2 million people are expected<\/a> to visit New York and New Jersey during the tournament, bringing in a projected $3.3 billion through tourism, hospitality, and related sectors.<\/p>

HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY<\/a><\/p>

At the same time, some travelers and athletes are struggling to acquire U.S. visas before the tournament.<\/p>

The Iranian soccer chief said<\/a> the team's visa applications have not been approved. Iran's first match is in 11 days.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26141583952864.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595233-1780577896", "title":"Todd Blanche announces $50 million fraud bust in Ohio", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4595233%2Ftodd-blanche-announce-50-million-fraud-bust-ohio%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche unveiled indictments on Thursday against multiple individuals in Ohio accused of stealing over $50 million in government funds. Blanche unsealed charges against 14 defendants, including state employees, during a press conference. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Director Mehmet Oz accused the suspects of defrauding taxpayers, including by corrupting publicly funded […]", "description":""

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a> unveiled indictments on Thursday against multiple individuals in Ohio accused of stealing<\/a> over $50 million in government funds.<\/p>

Blanche unsealed charges against 14 defendants<\/a>, including state employees, during a press conference.\u00a0Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Director Mehmet Oz<\/a> accused the suspects of defrauding taxpayers, including by corrupting publicly funded home healthcare and autism programs. Much of the alleged fraudulent activity occurred in Columbus, home to large Somalian, Nepalese, and Bhutanese populations.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Ohio is facing some of the most significant fraud schemes in the country,\u201d Blanche said<\/a>. \u201cIt has crippled our taxpayer-funded programs and robbed the American purse for too long. Under the leadership of our great president and vice president, the days of the brazen theft that we\u2019ve seen of taxpayer dollars, abusing the generosity of the American taxpayer, is over.\"<\/p>

A slew of other top officials attended the briefing, with FBI Director Kash Patel<\/a> unveiling a new <\/a>\u201cTop 10 most wanted fraudsters\u201d list, and Andrew Ferguson, vice chairman of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, announcing Hawaii\u2019s Medicaid fraud control unit was decertified<\/a> due to concerns it has systemically failed to crack down on scammers.\u00a0<\/p>

As part of enforcement actions in Ohio, Kelly Loeffler, director of the Small Business Administration, announced suspensions for over 27,000 Ohio borrowers who she said were tied to over $1 billion in suspected Paycheck Protection Program fraud, or the illegal abuse of pandemic-era government relief loans. Oz said<\/a> the government is suspending 49 Ohio home healthcare providers who've been identified as high-risk to the Medicaid program. He granted a six-month moratorium for all new home healthcare services and hospices in the state, and launched a state-specific Medicaid fraud \u201cwar room.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Officials said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is expanding partnerships with the federal government in \u201chistoric ways\u201d to target scammers, including through a new data-sharing agreement<\/a> that provides the fraud division access to corporate registrant data held by the state of Ohio. The data will be used in proactive data analysis to identify ownership links between clinics, labs, and billing entities that fraudsters use and hide behind to obscure control over fraud schemes, according to Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald.<\/p>

Oz said<\/a> the Columbus area generates one-third of the\u00a0$1.5 billion flowing from home healthcare services in the state. The figure is three times \u201cwhat you\u2019d expect,\u201d he said, suggesting that foreign-born populations are responsible for generating the fraud by bringing questionable practices common in their home countries to the area.\u00a0<\/p>

SENATE REPUBLICANS WANT ASSURANCE ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND IS DEAD FOR GOOD<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThere's a road very close to where we are, 288 home health care facilities in that several block area on that one road,\u201d the CMS administrator told reporters. \u201cIt defies belief. Some of these buildings were vacant. You wouldn't put anybody up in those buildings, not certainly the place that would house home healthcare.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThis is a mecca for Somalian populations, it's a hub for Nepalese and Bhutanese populations,\u201d he added. \u201cThese are insular groups, but we are naive to think that practices that were felt to be commonplace in other parts of the world wouldn't come to this great country if we didn't pay attention to some of the program integrity issues, which were ignored en masse with the prior [Biden] administration.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2279486057.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594901-1780577751", "title":"Stephen A. Smith: California is Democrats’ worst nightmare", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4594901%2Fstephen-a-smith-california-democrats-worst-nightmare%2F", "byline":"Kiara Moore", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith says that California is sending a warning signal to Democrats nationwide.  “If people in a blue state like California are entertaining seriously about putting Republicans in charge gubernationally and mayorally, could you imagine what other states in this union are contemplating doing?” Smith said Wednesday on The Stephen A. Smith […]", "description":""

Sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith<\/a> says that California is sending a warning signal to Democrats nationwide. <\/p>

\u201cIf people in a blue state like California<\/a> are entertaining seriously about putting Republicans in charge gubernationally and mayorally, could you imagine what other states in this union are contemplating doing?\u201d Smith said Wednesday on The Stephen A. Smith Show on SiriusXM.<\/p>

Smith argued that growing voter frustration in California, a state long considered a Democratic stronghold, should alarm Democratic leaders across the country. <\/p>

Many Californians have voiced concerns regarding the cost of living, fuel prices, taxes, and overall affordability and have begun demanding change from political leadership.<\/p>

\u201cCould you imagine what an indictment that is against Democrats everywhere?\u201d he said. <\/p>

California has been a Democratic fortress for decades. Democrats have maintained the majority of the state\u2019s legislature since 1996, <\/a>when Republicans last controlled the California Assembly.<\/p>

As Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton and Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt<\/a> gain traction, California is shaping up to be a closely watched political test case during the 2026 primaries.<\/p>

\u201cThese are Republicans in a blue state like California,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAnd right now you\u2019re seeing the names of two Republicans making noise as if they\u2019re about to be the next governor and the next mayor of the state of California in the city of Los Angeles<\/a>,\u201d Smith said. <\/p>

Smith also criticized California\u2019s current leadership, pointing to prominent Democrats like Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a>(D-CA) and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass<\/a>. <\/p>

Newsom, who has served as governor since 2019, has been viewed as one of the Democratic Party\u2019s most visible figures and is now a potential 2028 presidential candidate. However, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times, California voters believe that Newsom is channeling his energy into his presidential ambitions rather than focusing<\/a> on the state's internal issues. <\/p>

Bass has also faced scrutiny over homelessness and public safety concerns. As homelessness has been the most visible concern for Los Angeles residents, Bass has stated <\/a>that addressing the crisis is her main priority. <\/p>

TRUMP ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF TRYING TO STEAL CALIFORNIA PRIMARY: \u2018DUMOCRATS ARE AT IT AGAIN\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Smith argued that voters are now responding less to political ideology and more to everyday economic pressures, suggesting that Democratic messaging often fails to connect with voters. <\/p>

\u201cPlay to win,\u201d Smith said. \u201cTalk about affordability. Talk about crime. Talk about homelessness. Talk about inflationary concerns. Talk about the kind of things that affect the American people\u2019s wallet because that\u2019s what they care about.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP17035277175097-e1780583636809.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595105-1780576857", "title":"Trump could keep Todd Blanche atop DOJ even if Senate confirmation stalls", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4595105%2Ftodd-blanche-could-stay-doj-if-senate-stalls%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Deputy White House chief of staff Dan Scavino predicted Wednesday that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s Senate confirmation would move “very quickly,” offering the clearest indication yet that the administration intends to seek Senate approval for one of President Donald Trump’s closest legal allies. Scavino announced Wednesday that the president plans to nominate Blanche to […]", "description":""

Deputy White House<\/a> chief of staff Dan Scavino predicted Wednesday that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a>\u2019s Senate confirmation would move \u201cvery quickly,\u201d offering the clearest indication yet that the administration intends to seek Senate<\/a> approval for one of President Donald Trump\u2019s closest legal allies.<\/p>

Scavino announced Wednesday that the president plans to nominate Blanche to serve as attorney general permanently after months leading the Justice Department<\/a> in an acting capacity following the firing of former Attorney General Pam Bondi<\/a> in April. But if Blanche encounters trouble on Capitol Hill, a little-known Biden administration<\/a> precedent could provide the White House with another option.<\/p>

That option centers on former acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, who remained atop the Labor Department<\/a> for nearly two years despite lacking the votes for Senate confirmation. Because Su\u2019s nomination remained pending before the Senate, the Government Accountability Office concluded she could continue serving in an acting capacity beyond the normal deadlines laid out by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.<\/p>

Republicans blasted the arrangement at the time as an end run around the Senate\u2019s advice-and-consent role. Now, the same precedent could benefit Trump if Blanche\u2019s nomination becomes politically difficult or never reaches a final vote.<\/p>

The nomination already faces stiff opposition from Democrats amid the recent fallout and condemnation of last month's proposed \"anti-weaponization fund\" for victims of past government abuses, a $1.8 billion proposal that stemmed from Trump's settlement with the IRS over the leak of his tax returns, which he sued over prior to becoming president again. Blanche told lawmakers the DOJ no longer plans to move forward<\/a> with the fund, but Democrats have maintained skepticism after he refused to put his promise in writing this week.<\/p>

Still, Blanche enters the confirmation process with one significant advantage: he has already been confirmed by the Senate once. Senators approved him as deputy attorney general on March 5, 2025, by a 52-46 vote, with no Republicans opposed.<\/p>

Despite Blanche's prior Senate confirmation as deputy attorney general, some Republicans are already signaling they want answers before committing to support his promotion.<\/p>

Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Punchbowl News he has not yet decided whether he will back Blanche. Cornyn's time in the Senate will end in January 2027 after he lost last month in the Texas Senate primary to Trump-backed state Attorney General Ken Paxton.<\/p>

\u201cThe problem with the office of attorney general is that there\u2019s basically, well, you are a member of the president\u2019s Cabinet,\u201d Cornyn said. \u201cBut you\u2019re also the chief law enforcement officer for the country. And you\u2019re not the president\u2019s lawyer. So I\u2019ll be asking some questions about getting commitments on that.\u201d<\/p>

Sen. Thom Tillis<\/a> (R-NC) struck a more favorable tone in comments to the Washington Examiner this week, crediting Blanche with helping defuse tensions surrounding President Donald Trump\u2019s criticism of former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.<\/p>

\u201cTodd was instrumental in kind of de-escalating the whole Powell matter,\u201d Tillis said, referring to the DOJ's prior inquiry into Powell earlier this year.<\/p>

But Tillis reiterated that his concerns about Blanche's views on the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot remain a \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d for any nominee.<\/p>

\u201cOutside of that, I mean, he\u2019s got good credentials \u2014 people are going to hammer him because he was the president\u2019s personal attorney, but I\u2019m just more about getting through the J6 stuff,\u201d Tillis said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a gray area for me. Either he equivocated and said harming these Capitol police officers was an OK thing, or he didn\u2019t, and we\u2019ll find that in the due diligence.\u201d<\/p>

Even as the nomination moves forward, Blanche can continue serving as acting attorney general while awaiting Senate action.<\/p>

\u201cIn most cases, the Vacancies Act does not permit someone to serve as both an acting officer and a nominee for the same position at the same time,\u201d Thomas Berry, director of the Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute, wrote in a post on X. \u201cBut Blanche can continue to serve as acting AG while he is the nominee for the position because he is serving under a separate statute, specific to acting AGs, that has no such limitation.\u201d<\/p>

Berry added that Blanche would likely qualify even under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act because he was previously confirmed by the Senate as deputy attorney general.<\/p>

TRUMP EXPECTED TO NOMINATE TODD BLANCHE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL<\/a><\/p>

Blanche has previously taken an expansive view of presidential authority over Justice Department appointments that, so far, has caused friction with the federal judiciary. After a court-appointed U.S. attorney in New York was removed earlier this year, Blanche wrote on X, \u201cJudges don\u2019t pick U.S. Attorneys, @POTUS does. See Article II of our Constitution. You are fired, Donald Kinsella.\u201d<\/p>

For now, all indications point to a traditional confirmation fight. But if Blanche\u2019s path narrows, Republicans may find themselves relying on the same procedural playbook they once criticized Democrats for using with Su.<\/p>

David Sivak contributed to this report.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25178580793637.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594874-1780576162", "title":"Supreme Court upholds FCC’s ability to penalize AT&T and Verizon", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsupreme-court%2F4594874%2Fsupreme-court-upholds-fcc-ability-penalize-att-verizon%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Supreme Court handed the Federal Communications Commission a victory on Thursday, upholding its ability to penalize telecommunications companies by finding that its scheme for levying fines is constitutional. The high court ruled 8-1 in favor of the federal agency in the consolidated cases FCC v. AT&T and Verizon Communications v. FCC. Chief Justice John Roberts penned the […]", "description":""

The Supreme Court<\/a> handed the Federal Communications Commission<\/a> a victory on Thursday, upholding its ability to penalize telecommunications companies by finding that its scheme for levying fines is constitutional.<\/p>

The high court ruled<\/a> 8-1 in favor of the federal agency in the consolidated cases FCC v. AT&T and Verizon Communications v. FCC<\/a>. Chief Justice John Roberts penned the majority opinion finding that the FCC's penalty scheme does not violate the companies' Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial. The high court found that AT&T and Verizon did not have to pay the more than $100 million in fines for selling customers\u2019 location data to third parties, agreeing with the FCC that the fine was presented to the companies as a preliminary finding, rather than a binding fine that created a debt to be paid.<\/p>

\"The FCC\u2019s forfeiture proceedings fit comfortably within these precedents,\" Roberts wrote for the majority. \"The orders at issue did not settle the carriers\u2019 legal obligations because, stated simply, they did not create an obligation to pay. And the orders did not reflect the ultimate determination of any fact because, before the carriers could have been made to pay, the Government was required to prove its case to a jury.\"<\/p>

Justice Clarence Thomas was the lone dissenter, writing in his solo opinion that he would have sided with AT&T and Verizon because the companies could not have known the fines were not binding when they were issued.<\/p>

\"AT&T and Verizon did what courts ordinarily encourage: They paid under protest and filed suit to get their payments back,\" Thomas wrote. \"Today, the Court punishes AT&T and Verizon for complying with a government order that they in good faith believed was obligatory, diligently preserving their objection to that order, and then litigating that objection so effectively as to cause the Government to change its position years later. I respectfully dissent.\"<\/p>

During oral arguments in April, multiple justices questioned the FCC's apparent retreat from its previous position that the fines were binding. Despite vocal concerns from Justices\u00a0Neil Gorsuch\u00a0and Brett Kavanaugh that the FCC may have misled AT&T and Verizon about whether the fines were binding without a court order, all of the justices, except Thomas, sided with the FCC in the end.<\/p>

Thursday's ruling preserves one of the FCC's most powerful enforcement mechanisms against telecommunications companies, and it comes two years after the Supreme Court struck down the Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s<\/a> method of enforcing fines.<\/p>

THE MAJOR SUPREME COURT DECISIONS REMAINING FOR THIS TERM<\/a><\/p>

The Supreme Court has 23 opinions it has yet to release in cases it heard over its current term. The remaining rulings are expected to be released over the next several weeks, with the term set to conclude by the end of June or early July.<\/p>

The high-profile cases yet to be ruled on by the Supreme Court include disputes over President Donald Trump's ability to fire independent agency heads, state laws barring biological men from women's sports, and Trump's birthright citizenship executive order.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2264463784.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594897-1780575237", "title":"Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder endorses Kenyan McDuffie for DC mayor", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4594897%2Feric-holder-endorse-kenyan-mcduffie-dc-mayor%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Barack Obama‘s attorney general is wading into the Washington, D.C., mayoral race with an endorsement for Democratic candidate Kenyan McDuffie. Eric Holder, the former top prosecutor and current chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, is the latest establishment Democrat to back the more centrist McDuffie, who has followed the political track taken […]", "description":""

Former President Barack Obama<\/a>'s attorney general is wading into the Washington, D.C.<\/a>, mayoral race with an endorsement for Democratic candidate Kenyan McDuffie<\/a>. <\/p>

Eric Holder, the former top prosecutor and current chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, is the latest establishment Democrat to back the more centrist McDuffie, who has followed the political track taken by current Mayor Muriel Bowser <\/a>late in her term. McDuffie's bid contrasts with his socialist opponent, councilwoman Janeese Lewis George of Ward 4, who has emulated New York <\/a>Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>'s campaign style.<\/p>

\"Kenyan McDuffie served with me at the Department of Justice during my time as Attorney General under President Obama,\" Holder wrote<\/a>. \"He demonstrated there the integrity, judgment and commitment to justice that have defined his career. On the DC Council, he has carried those values forward. He has worked to make DC safer, to hold people accountable and to protect the rights of all District residents.\"<\/p>

McDuffie worked in Obama's Department of Justice<\/a> under Holder as a federal prosecutor in the Civil Rights Division. Lewis George also has a prosecutorial background, serving as a prosecutor in the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. With their backgrounds on the prosecutorial side of justice, the two opponents have largely sparred over public safety.<\/p>

The two candidates have differed on the hot public safety topic of the D.C. youth curfew<\/a>, something Lewis George has staunchly opposed expanding, while McDuffie has fiercely defended alongside Bowser. More recently, McDuffie hit Lewis George over her idea of opening safe injection sites <\/a>in the district.<\/p>

McDuffie has also argued<\/a> for expanding opportunities to recruit local residents into law enforcement positions, reinvesting in local community safety programs, and recruiting more Metropolitan Police Department officers. Lewis George has pushed for preventive-focused \"Community Hubs\" in each ward, where residents could access government resources, and has also campaigned on expanding the MPD's cadet program and providing childcare benefits for officers.<\/p>

As McDuffie boasts the backing of several centrist<\/a> Democrats, Lewis George has the backing of several unions<\/a>, including, as of Tuesday, the D.C. Firefighters<\/a> Association, IAFF Local 36.<\/p>

JANEESE LEWIS GEORGE BACKS SAFE INJECTION SITES IN DC FOR DRUG USE<\/a><\/p>

\"Janeese Lewis George understands the importance of respecting collective bargaining, listening to front-line first responders, and working collaboratively to solve challenges,\" Local 36 President David Hoagland said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>

The D.C. mayoral primary will be held on June 16. McDuffie and Lewis George are both running as Democrats, and in deep-blue D.C., the Democratic primary winner is all but certain to be the general election winner. There are no Republicans running, but there is one Green Party candidate.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP26019663954879.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595120-1780575128", "title":"Chuy Garcia’s successor faces independent challengers after nomination scheme", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4595120%2Fchuy-garcia-successor-independent-challenger%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Democratic nominee handpicked to succeed retiring Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is facing an unusually crowded field of independent challengers after a succession plan that drew criticism is starting to unravel. Patty Garcia, the longtime chief of staff to the Illinois congressman bearing the same last name, secured the Democratic nomination for the deep blue […]", "description":""

The Democratic<\/a> nominee handpicked to succeed retiring Rep. Jesus \u201cChuy\u201d Garcia is facing an unusually crowded field of independent<\/a> challengers after a succession plan that drew criticism is starting to unravel.<\/p>

Patty Garcia, the longtime chief of staff to the Illinois congressman bearing the same last name, secured the Democratic nomination for the deep blue 4th Congressional District in Illinois<\/a> after Garcia announced his retirement, only after the filing deadline had effectively closed off the possibility of a competitive Democratic primary<\/a>. <\/p>

Now, several independent candidates are attempting to block her path to Congress, arguing voters were denied a meaningful choice when Garcia\u2019s retirement and his aide\u2019s candidacy were orchestrated in tandem. <\/p>

Among those mounting independent bids are Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macias. The candidates have cited frustration with what critics called a political \u201ccoronation\u201d as a motivating factor behind their campaigns. <\/p>

The race stems from a political maneuver that generated national attention last fall. Garcia, a progressive Democrat who has represented the district since 2019, filed paperwork to seek reelection before unexpectedly withdrawing on the day of the candidate filing period closing. His chief of staff then entered the race and became the lone Democrat positioned to qualify for the ballot. <\/p>

The move sparked backlash within the Democratic Party. A few days after his retirement announcement and the chief of staff\u2019s filing in November, the House voted to disapprove of Garcia\u2019s actions. Garcia defended his decision, citing family and health considerations and insisting he followed Illinois election law. <\/p>

Patty Garcia went on to win the Democratic nomination unopposed in March and entered the general election as the favorite in a district that covers large portions of Chicago\u2019s<\/a> Southwest Side and nearby suburbs.<\/p>

Sigcho-Lopez and Macias would have preferred to run as Democrats, but were shut out by the congressman and his chief of staff\u2019s scheme. Instead, the pair collected signatures to file nominating petitions, a move Patty Garcia is now trying to block. <\/p>

SARAH BEDFORD: CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS COULDN\u2019T FIND A SINGLE CANDIDATE WITH CHARISMA OR CREDIBILITY<\/a><\/p>

Independents are also causing a stir down the ballot, as gubernatorial candidate and former Republican strategist Collin Colbert is under scrutiny for his nominating petition.\u00a0Colbert said he wanted to provide a more moderate approach to the election between Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker<\/a> (D-IL) and Republican nominee Darren Bailey.<\/p>

Aaron Del Mar, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor running alongside Darren Bailey, filed objections with the Illinois State Board of Elections challenging roughly 20,000 signatures Colbert submitted to appear on the ballot. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ap22207624026738-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595186-1780574710", "title":"Lufthansa employees injured in a Boeing nose gear incident at Frankfurt airport", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4595186%2Flufthansa-employees-injured-boeing-nose-gear-incident-frankfurt-airport%2F", "byline":"Associated Press", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"BERLIN (AP) — German airline Lufthansa says several employees were injured after the nose gear of a Boeing aircraft unexpectedly retracted, before passengers were set to board a planned flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles. The carrier said the incident involving the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner occurred shortly after noon Thursday while it was parked at […]", "description":""

BERLIN (AP) \u2014 German airline Lufthansa says several employees were injured after the nose gear of a Boeing aircraft unexpectedly retracted, before passengers were set to board a planned flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.<\/p>

The carrier said the incident involving the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner occurred shortly after noon Thursday while it was parked at the gate, with only crew members and ground staff on board.<\/p>

MAN WHO RAN IN FRONT OF FRONTIER PLANE DIED BY SUICIDE: MEDICAL EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

\u201cSeveral employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention,\u201d Lufthansa said in a statement.<\/p>

The company, in an email, said it and relevant authorities were investigating the circumstances of the incident.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26155545286597-e1780589603542.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4595122-1780574424", "title":"On This Day: Congress moves to declare independence as the British bear down on Charleston", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F4595122%2Fon-this-day-congress-moves-declare-independence%2F", "byline":"Salena Zito", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. June 4, 1776 In Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress debates […]", "description":""

The following is an installment of \u201cOn This Day,\u201d a series celebrating America\u2019s 250th anniversary<\/a> by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.<\/p>

June 4, 1776<\/p>

In Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress<\/a> debates Richard Henry Lee\u2019s resolution calling for the American colonies to declare independence<\/a> from Great Britain.<\/p>

As it shifts into high gear, the push for a total separation from King George III has gone from an ideal to reality. Most of the days in Philadelphia are spent debating the merits of independence, setting the stage for the creation of the United States.<\/p>

Within a week (June 11th) the U.S. Congress forms a special five man committee, called the Independence Committee. This group, which includes Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, drafts a statement of separation.<\/p>

ON THIS DAY: WASHINGTON RETURNS TO NEW YORK, READY FOR BATTLE<\/a><\/p>

On the same day, members of the Continental Congress received news that a massive British fleet was arriving in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.<\/p>

The Revolutionary War has escalated, stretching from Canada to South Carolina.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Turnbull-painting.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594825-1780574100", "title":"Jill Biden skirts substance for softballs as birthday book tour comes to DC", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwashington-secrets%2F4594825%2Fjill-biden-skirts-substance-softballs-book-tour-dc%2F", "byline":"Rob Crilly", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Welcome to Thursday’s edition of Washington Secrets. We have all the chat from last night’s love-in with Jill Biden, and a key Republican leader shrugs off last night’s war powers vote. When Jill Biden took the stage in Washington on Wednesday evening to discuss her new memoir, she knew she was in for an easy […]", "description":""

Welcome to Thursday's edition of Washington Secrets. We have all the chat from last night's love-in with Jill Biden, and a key Republican leader shrugs off last night's war powers vote.<\/p>

When Jill Biden<\/a> took the stage in Washington on Wednesday evening to discuss her new memoir<\/a>, she knew she was in for an easy ride, waving to friends and colleagues as she sat down.<\/p>

Quite how easy only became clear when Paola Ramos, an MS Now contributor who once worked for Biden, asked her first question.<\/p>

\"My gosh,\" she said, trying to quiet the thunderous applause. \"I wonder if they even know that it's your birthday?\"<\/p>

The questions only became softer from there.<\/p>

Even so, she still managed to stoke a growing feud within the Democratic Party by claiming she had always been honest about her husband's ability to do the job, and by describing the immediate aftermath of that wreck of a debate in 2024, which ended any chance he had of contesting the election.<\/p>

The audience lapped up every word.<\/p>

It was not surprising, given that they were Biden supporters to a woman. Or they were people who worked with the former first lady.<\/p>

Biden pointed and waved to staff she had known from her office in the East Wing, or former colleagues from Northern Virginia Community College, where she taught English.<\/p>

And she saved special greetings for Hedieh Ghaffarian, the chief floral designer at the White House.<\/p>

\"I don't want to get you in trouble, but Hedieh does like incredible, incredible beautiful flowers,\" said Biden. \"And some days when I'd have a bad day, I'd walk into my bedroom, and there would be like a bouquet that just took my breath away, and you made life so much better for me.<\/p>

\"Hedieh, I love you.\"<\/p>

Let's hope the Trumps \u2014 her current employers \u2014 weren't watching the livestream from the sold-out event at the Sixth and I Synagogue in Washington.<\/p>

Yet beyond the love-in, there were moments of real candor.<\/p>

Ramos described working in Biden's office in 2010 and 2011, before asking whether it had all been worth it: \"Knowing everything that you now know, knowing the way in which things unfolded in 2024, knowing all of the pain that you carried, and particularly that summer, would you still choose the same path forward?\"<\/p>

No, came the emphatic answer.<\/p>

\"It was so painful,\" she said. \"What Joe and I went through in 2024 when he left the race, and I have to say it wasn't for me and for Joe that I felt the pain. It was for our children.\"<\/p>

The main purpose of the event was to sell books and, of course, airbrush the former first lady's legacy. But she also made news, clapping back at Andrew Bates, her husband's former spokesman, who said this was not the time to be reopening wounds from the 2024 campaign.<\/p>

She said there was only one chapter on the pain of the end of the campaign, but many more about the life of a first lady.<\/p>

\"So I want to say to Andrew, call me up and say it to my face, buddy,\" she said.<\/a><\/p>

There were other interesting nuggets. Her husband still talks to Kamala Harris, despite clear hints in the book about tension between the two in 2024.<\/p>

\"I mean, she called Joe the other day,\" said Biden. \"I mean, they're still friends, you know? They talk.\"<\/p>

A single thread ran through the evening, just as it runs through her book. How much did she know about her husband's decline, and did she cover it up?<\/p>

Ramos touched on it ever so delicately towards the end of their conversation, asking about the role of first lady and whether love could have blinded her to her husband's shortcomings. <\/p>

\"Well, you know, I love Joe. He's the love of my life,\" she said. \"But would I lie for him? No. I mean that goes to the essence of who I am as a person.\"<\/p>

With her key message delivered, there was just time for a chorus of \"Happy Birthday.\"<\/p>Rep. Houchin: No news in Iran vote

Secrets had breakfast with Rep. Erin Houchin<\/a> (R-IN) on Thursday morning. She holds a position in party leadership as House Conference Secretary.<\/p>

She played down the significance of Wednesday's vote when the House passed a resolution to block<\/a> President Donald Trump from ordering further strikes on Iran. Four Republicans sided with Democrats.<\/p>

Houchin said it still had to go to the Senate before shrugging off the actions of a small number of Republicans.<\/p>

\"I don't see this as any news that the Democrats and a few House Republicans might vote the way they did,\" she said. \"My view is that we need to allow the president and his team to operate in a manner that they need to to get the job done, and we don't want to have another Afghanistan.\"<\/p>Lunchtime reading

Amid war, Iran\u2019s soccer leader works to get his team to the World Cup<\/a>: Iran has already been forced to switch its base from American soil to Mexico. Now Mehdi Taj says the team still doesn't have visas ... with the first game just 11 days away.<\/p>

Which party will recover first from its current self-harm?<\/a> Michael Barone says this week's primaries show Democrats and Republicans are intent on fighting the same old battles.<\/p>

You are reading Washington Secrets, a guide to power and politics in D.C. and beyond. It is written by Rob Crilly, who you can reach at secrets@washingtonexaminer.com<\/a> with your comments, story tips, and suggestions. If a friend sent you this and you\u2019d like to sign up, click here<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2278952149.jpg?w=594" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4590241-1780573631", "title":"China, or why Pentagon-Israel tech agreement must exclude top US secrets", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4590241%2Fchina-pentagon-israel-tech-allies-exclude-top-us-secrets%2F", "byline":"Tom Rogan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In its technological dynamism, Israel underlines the striving ingenuity of its small 10.2 million-strong population and Jewish culture. As a close Israeli ally, the United States should seek mutual advantage from this talent. It bears noting, then, that the House Armed Services Committee has introduced legislation under the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that would […]", "description":""

In its technological dynamism, Israel <\/a>underlines the striving ingenuity of its small 10.2 million-strong population and Jewish culture. As a close Israeli ally, the United States should seek mutual advantage from this talent.<\/p>

It bears noting, then, that the House Armed Services Committee has introduced legislation<\/a> under the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Department of War<\/a> to significantly expand technology cooperation with Israel. These efforts can be mutually beneficial to both nations. But only if they are siloed from the most advanced Pentagon research and development programs. Absent that siloing, the proposed cooperation will undermine U.S. national security and should be rejected by Congress.<\/p>

The central problem is that Israel has too often and without U.S. approval shared highly classified U.S. national defense information with China<\/a>. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been particularly egregious<\/a> in allowing China to access high-tech Israeli research in areas such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors.<\/p>

Asked for comment on this specific concern, the House Armed Services Committee referred the Washington Examiner to a statement<\/a> from Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL). That statement did not address China-related counterintelligence concerns.<\/p>

To be clear, Democrats are wrong to oppose this proposal because of Israel's wars against Hamas and Hezbollah. Their strategic interests may sometimes diverge<\/a>, but Israel and the U.S. ultimately share common enemies in Iran and jihadist groups of many different stripes. The U.S.-Israel alliance and Israel's proven track record of technology innovation make it a highly desirable partner for defense cooperation. Areas of particular U.S.-Israeli benefit for additional cooperation include offensive and defensive cyber capabilities, finding hidden enemies, penetrating terrorist networks, and developing more affordable, scalable weapons systems.<\/p>

Again, however, this cooperation must be tethered to safeguards to ensure that the most advanced U.S. military technology remains only in U.S. hands. This should not be a controversial assertion. It is exactly why, for example, the U.S. has not shared its F-22 fighter jet and B-21 bomber technology with other nations. The risks of an enemy learning how these systems work or how to replicate them are simply too great.<\/p>

Unfortunately, the proposed legislation does not appear to safeguard these security interests.<\/p>

Requiring the Pentagon to appoint an executive official to \"expand and accelerate bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation,\" it would seemingly weaken the guardrails that protect the most classified technology's \"special access programs.\" It explicitly calls for Pentagon action to engage with entities such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Missile Defense Agency in order \"to align efforts and avoid duplication.\" The risk here is that by accessing the most advanced U.S. military research and capabilities, Israel could then trade or accidentally leak that information to U.S. adversaries. Consider, for example, how much China might be willing to invest in the Israeli economy in return for U.S. research on quantum computing, AI, or next-generation air defense systems. Consider what that might mean for the defense of U.S. forces against China in an already highly precarious air defense environment<\/a>.<\/p>

The problem is that Israel, much more than other close allies such as the U.K. or Australia, has made just these kinds of deals in the past. In his assessment of this proposal, former CIA operations officer Sam Faddis observes<\/a>, \"I can tell you from personal experience that [my listed] cases are simply the tip of the iceberg.\" Ask any FBI counterintelligence agent and they will tell you the same thing.<\/p>

BRITISH GCHQ SPY CHIEF APPEASES CHINA'S AGGRESSION<\/a><\/p>

Congress should not reject this proposal out of hand. Bounded by necessary safeguards, bolstered U.S.-Israeli technology sharing offers the prospect of better protecting both nations in an increasingly dangerous world.<\/p>

But just as Israel and every other nation pursues their own interests first and foremost, so must the U.S. do the same.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/iStock-1384267138-e1780587921330.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594967-1780572869", "title":"Kemp warns Lance Bottoms’s anti-data center approach dangerous for Georgia: ‘Moratoriums on growth’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4594967%2Fkemp-warn-lance-bottoms-anti-data-center%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) on Wednesday cautioned Georgians against embracing Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, warning her position on data centers threatens the state’s economy. Kemp weighed in on the heated governor’s race, which will feature Bottoms against either Lt. Gov. Burt Jones or businessman Rick Jackson on the Republican side in November, […]", "description":""

Outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp<\/a> (R-GA) on Wednesday cautioned Georgians <\/a>against embracing Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, warning her position on data centers threatens the state\u2019s economy.<\/p>

Kemp weighed in on the heated governor\u2019s race, which will feature Bottoms against either Lt. Gov. Burt Jones or businessman Rick Jackson on the Republican side in November, during an interview<\/a> with Bloomberg Television. The term-limited governor expressed concern about Bottoms\u2019 proposal to impose a moratorium on data center development if she wins the election, arguing that Georgia has the energy capacity it needs to grow responsibly, without raising electricity rates for residents.<\/p>

\u201cThat's just an insane position to take, because you know, I was down in Early County, Georgia, it's one of the poorest counties in the United States of America, and they, as soon as I got out of the car, were coming to me, going, \u2018Please help us with our data center, we want to build a data center here,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201c\u2018We know that will provide good-paying jobs for our community,\u2019 because they just had a sawmill shut down, and they know that it'll be good for helping them reduce property taxes.<\/p>

Kemp said he is against putting data centers everywhere, explaining he is not for \u201cpushing them in communities where the local governments and the people don't want it.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cBut there are many places around the state where people do want it, and that's where we need to work with them,\u201d Kemp added. \u201cSo, I think it's irresponsible for Keisha Lance Bottoms to say freeze construction ... wanting to put moratoriums on growth and business and driving the economy.\"<\/p>

His comments come as Georgia has become one of the fast-growing markets for data centers in the country. Critics, such as Bottoms, believe the state has \u201cabsolutely moved too fast\u201d on data centers and express fears that they are draining natural resources such as water and raising utility bills. Bottoms told WANF-TV<\/a> in April that \u201cAs governor, I\u2019m going to ask for a moratorium,\u201d and said she wanted a report to assess the situation before moving forward with further\u00a0projects.<\/p>

\u201cWhen you have communities that are saying I'm concerned about this happening in my community, I'm concerned about it happening in my backyard, you have to listen to that,\u201d she said during another interview<\/a> with the Ledger-Enquirer in early April. \u201cIf I had the privilege of being elected governor, I am going to ask for a pause in construction on data centers throughout the state. Give us an opportunity to understand exactly where we are. Are we on the right track, or do we need to scale back?\u201d<\/p>

Georgia ranks fourth globally in data centers, with $4.6 billion in AI-related venture capital invested across 368 deals, according to<\/a> the American Edge Project. Amazon, Google, and Meta have been attracted to the Peach State, while QTS holds a 99-acre data center campus in northwest Atlanta. The state\u2019s largest city has a bigger percentage increase in data construction than anywhere else in the country, according to CBRE<\/a>.<\/p>

Kemp said this week that the state\u2019s energy grid holds the capacity to support the growth, pushing back on concerns that data centers will drain the supply. He said that Georgia power companies are on track to lower rates and return money to taxpayers, even as they continue to build out to meet demand.<\/p>

30% OF GEORGIA'S DATA CENTERS TRACED TO 2018 TAX BREAK<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI know that is hard to believe, because that is not happening anywhere else in the rest of the country, which is why our story is so compelling,\u201d the governor said.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWe've got a great rate structure from Georgia Public Service Commission,\u201d he added. \u201cThe Georgia General Assembly, along with our power producers like Georgia Power, have put a structure in that as we build the generation out, and they're going to do that by half of what they have now, just in the next less than 10 years, which is pretty incredible that a state can do that to meet the demands of its customers, but also making them pay for that build out and tying that into rates long term.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26114656535696.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594905-1780572122", "title":"Trump uses wartime powers to spend $700 million to boost coal plants and exports", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4594905%2Ftrump-defense-production-act-boost-coal-plants-exports%2F", "byline":"Maydeen Merino", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act and other authorities to provide $700 million in funding to support and boost the coal industry as part of the administration’s broader effort to meet rising energy demand. Trump made three funding announcements in the Oval Office on Thursday to support current and future coal plants, coal […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> invoked the Defense Production Act<\/a> and other authorities to provide $700 million in funding to support and boost the coal<\/a> industry as part of the administration's broader effort to meet rising energy<\/a> demand.<\/p>

Trump made three funding announcements in the Oval Office on Thursday to support current and future coal plants, coal export terminals, and to restart existing coal plants. The president was joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin<\/a>, and several governors and members of Congress.<\/p>

The announcement is part of the administration\u2019s broader efforts to expand the use of fossil fuels to help meet rising energy demand caused by artificial intelligence and electrification. The administration is seeking to lower energy prices hiked up by the war in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>

Specifically, the president will provide $425 million in DPA funding to support 13 coal plants across the country, including in West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Arizona. The DPA, a 1950 law, gives the president the authority to influence domestic industries for national defense purposes.<\/p>

The president is also providing $75 million in DPA funding for the construction of an export terminal, known as the West Gateway Terminal, in Oakland, California. <\/p>

The White House said the export terminal is expected to support the coal industry in western states such as Wyoming and Utah.\u00a0<\/p>

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R), who attended the White House event, told the Washington Examiner that the United States \"can burn coal better\" than other countries.<\/p>

\"And it is the most secure, plentiful, reliable, dispatchable source of electric generation in the country,\" he said. <\/p>

Gordon said the export terminal in Oakland would be key to the industry for exports to Asian nations. Wyoming exports to about 20 different states, and countries such as Japan and Taiwan are clamoring to obtain the state\u2019s coal sources, he said. The governor took a trip in May to Japan and Taiwan, where coal exports<\/a> were a topic of discussion.\u00a0<\/p>

Environmental groups have fought for years against the proposed terminal in California. The Natural Resources Defense Council told Bloomberg<\/a> that the terminal would pollute local communities.<\/p>

\u201cWhat\u2019s next \u2014 a taxpayer bailout to build new phone booths?\u201d said Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at the NRDC. \u201cPropping up coal billionaires with taxpayer money is one more way for the Trump administration to put polluters first and put the rest of us at risk. The best thing for the air, the climate, and our utility bills is to let these plants retire peacefully.\u201d<\/p>

Gordon said that if local authorities or the state of California oppose the coal export terminal, the state will sue.\u00a0The administration invoked the DPA<\/a> in April to boost domestic production of oil products, natural gas, and coal, as well as the deployment of large-scale\u00a0energy\u00a0and grid-related infrastructure.<\/p>

Trump also plans to announce about $200 million in Energy Department grant funding to build two new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia and to restart a plant in Maryland.<\/p>

The DOE, over the past year, has been at the forefront of keeping aging coal plants operating to prevent blackouts during peak summer and winter seasons. The department has issued nearly 19 emergency orders to prevent facility closures, including the closure of five coal-fired power plants.<\/p>

Separately, the EPA has proposed revising Wyoming\u2019s 2014 regional haze Federal Implementation Plan, which would have resulted in the closure of the Dave Johnston Unit 3 power plant in Converse County.<\/p>

DC WATER RECOMMENDS RESIDENTS REDUCE WATER USAGE AS REGION SEES DROUGHT WATCH<\/a><\/p>

National Mining Association President and CEO Rich Nolan expressed support for the president\u2019s use of the DPA to boost coal production.<\/p>

\"Coal generation shields consumers from the impacts of volatile energy prices and supply challenges; it's a vital piece of a sound energy strategy designed to meet the challenge of today's AI-driven demand growth in the context of the conflict in the Middle East,\u201d Nolan said in a statement on Thursday.<\/p>

\u201cThe administration is supporting that strategy with decisive action at home to ensure that upgrades to existing energy assets are made, and at our ports to ensure that U.S. coal can answer the world's needs,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26042797748620.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594742-1780571537", "title":"Mamdani teams up with progressive allies for basketball-themed campaign ad ahead of Knicks game", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4594742%2Fmamdani-progressive-allies-basketball-campaign-ad%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is expanding his political operation beyond City Hall, releasing a new campaign featuring a slate of progressive allies running in competitive New York congressional primaries as he seeks to grow his socialist coalition in the House of Representatives. The advertisement highlights Mamdani’s growing role as a political kingmaker in […]", "description":""

New York City <\/a>Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> is expanding his political operation beyond City Hall, releasing a new campaign featuring a slate of progressive allies running in competitive New York congressional primaries<\/a> as he seeks to grow his socialist coalition in the House of Representatives<\/a>.<\/p>

The advertisement highlights Mamdani\u2019s growing role as a political kingmaker in New York, where 13 congressional districts are located wholly or partially within the city\u2019s five boroughs.<\/p>

The ad opens with Mamdani catching a basketball and declaring<\/a>, \u201cWe know anything\u2019s possible with a great team.\u201d<\/p>

He then passes the ball to congressional candidate Brad Lander, who says, \u201cI\u2019ll block billionaires from buying our elections.\u201d<\/p>

The ball moves to congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, who promises, \u201cI\u2019ll defend New York by abolishing ICE.\u201d<\/p>

State Assemblymember Claire Valdez follows, saying, \u201cI\u2019ll stand up against bad landlords and greedy corporations.\u201d<\/p>

The spot concludes with Mamdani and the candidates standing together and urging voters: \u201cGet out and vote. This is the team. This is our year.\u201d<\/p>

Earlier this week, Mamdani endorsed Lander, the former New York City comptroller who is challenging Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY) in a closely watched Democratic primary. Goldman, a former federal prosecutor, has compiled a reliably Democratic voting record in Congress, but recent polling suggests Lander has opened a significant lead despite Goldman spending more than $1 million of his own money on the race.<\/p>

Lander also ran in the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary for New York City, where he forged an alliance with Mamdani. The two candidates cross-endorsed each other, encouraging voters to support both of them on the ranked-choice ballot, with Lander ultimately placing third behind Mamdani and former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.<\/p>

Announcing the endorsement, Lander took aim at Goldman.<\/p>

\u201cMy opponent couldn\u2019t bring himself to endorse Zohran as the Democratic nominee in the general election, even when the alternative was serial sexual harasser Andrew Cuomo,\u201d Lander wrote on X<\/a>.<\/p>

Avila Chevalier is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), the five-term incumbent who currently chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. She gained attention for helping lead pro-Palestinian protests<\/a> at Columbia University<\/a> and has made foreign policy a central theme of her campaign.<\/p>

Mamdani's endorsement of Chevalier against Espaillat was largely seen as a political gamble. In since-deleted controversial social media posts, Avila Chevalier described former President Joe Biden as a rapist and called for the total abolition of policing<\/a>. She is also polling 14 points behind<\/a> Espaillat.<\/p>

Valdez is running in New York\u2019s 7th Congressional District, a deep-blue Brooklyn-and-Queens seat sometimes referred to as \u201cCommie Corner.\u201d The district is open for the first time in three decades following the retirement of Rep. Nydia Velazquez<\/a> (D-NY).<\/p>

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE'S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso entered the race as the presumed front-runner, backed by Velazquez and armed with deep roots in the district and a lengthy progressive record. But Valdez, a first-term state lawmaker and member of the Democratic Socialists of America<\/a>, has emerged as a serious contender. Mamdani, who remains highly popular in the district, has endorsed her candidacy, helped her raise money, offered strategic guidance, and campaigned alongside her.<\/p>

The basketball-themed ad is expected to air during the NBA Finals<\/a>, which will feature the New York Knicks representing the Eastern Conference and the San Antonio Spurs representing the Western Conference.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP26093410448014.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594856-1780571425", "title":"Sarah Bedford: California Democrats couldn’t find a single candidate with charisma or credibility", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4594856%2Fdemocrats-california-governor-race-shallow-talent-pool-sarah-bedford%2F", "byline":"Britta Miller", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington Examiner investigations editor Sarah Bedford said Democrats in California will be left scrambling to vote for a suitable gubernatorial candidate in November. “Democrats couldn’t nominate anyone with charisma or any type of credibility,” Bedford said on the Hugh Hewitt Show on Wednesday. Bedford said that Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt and California gubernatorial […]", "description":""

Washington Examiner investigations editor Sarah Bedford<\/a> said Democrats in California<\/a> will be left scrambling to vote for a suitable gubernatorial candidate in November<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cDemocrats couldn\u2019t nominate anyone with charisma or any type of credibility,\u201d Bedford said on the Hugh Hewitt Show<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>

Bedford said that Los Angeles<\/a> mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt<\/a> and California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, the latter running on the Republican ticket, are giving Democrats a run for their money.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s baffling because California is such a deeply blue state. They have such a deep bench of Democrats that it\u2019s kind of shocking that they ended up in these two marquee races with two extremely weak standardbearers in Becerra and Bass,\u201d Bedford said.<\/p>

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass<\/a> has been criticized for her handling of the Palisades fire and for how she has handled drugs and homelessness<\/a> in the city.<\/p>

Pratt, her opponent in the Los Angeles mayoral race, has widely played on these criticisms in campaign ads. His artificially<\/a>-generated ads blend pop culture and sarcasm, highlighting the conditions people in the city face.<\/p>

In one video<\/a>, Pratt is portrayed as Batman, protecting the city from the Joker, who is portrayed as Bass. <\/p>

Bass commented on the ad<\/a>, calling it \u201cviolent.\u201d<\/p>

In the gubernatorial race, Xavier Becerra faced backlash over his oversight as secretary of health and human services under former President Joe Biden<\/a>, and is also facing corruption accusations.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>

Billionaire Tom Steyer<\/a> is also running as a Democrat in the governor\u2019s race.<\/p>

TRUMP ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF TRYING TO STEAL CALIFORNIA PRIMARY: \u2018DUMOCRATS ARE AT IT AGAIN\u2019<\/a><\/p>

\u201cWhat you\u2019re left with is two really unappealing Democrats in Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra,\u201d Bedford said. <\/p>

\u201cYou have a state that\u2019s been poorly managed for years, that\u2019s bleeding wealth, that\u2019s bleeding families, [and] home to a growing number of illegal immigrants<\/a> that are draining social services,\u201d she added. \u201cIt\u2019s really kind of astounding.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/govrace.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594745-1780571252", "title":"DeSantis brings national debt plan to Washington as 2028 election season nears: ‘Not about Left, Right’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594745%2Fron-desantis-national-debt-plan-washington%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) warned Wednesday that a pending debt crisis promises to hold sweeping repercussions for citizens of every political stripe, pushing the public to embrace a proposed bipartisan solution. The Florida governor has long pushed for adding a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution as a solution to the $39 trillion national debt, which […]", "description":""

Gov. Ron DeSantis <\/a>(R-FL) warned Wednesday that a pending debt crisis promises to hold sweeping repercussions for citizens of every political stripe, pushing the public to embrace a proposed bipartisan solution.<\/p>

The Florida governor has long pushed for adding a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution as a solution to the $39 trillion national debt, which some pundits warn could trigger<\/a> widespread economic fallout by 2028.<\/p>

DeSantis headed to Washington this week to address the issue amid growing speculation that he is building his national profile to run for president in 2028. The governor has stayed mum on a presidential bid thus far but has notably declined to rule it out.<\/p>Gathering a coalition

The Republican governor pressed for a balanced-budget amendment during an event<\/a> at the American Enterprise Institute, describing it as the \u201cbest vehicle that has a chance of actually coming to fruition that would actually make a generational difference in the trajectory of this country's finances.\u201d DeSantis emphasized the debt crisis as a nonpartisan issue because the balanced-budget amendment will require significant Democratic support to push it across the finish line and be ratified.<\/p>

\u201cUntil the last maybe 10 years, you know, both parties at least claim they were trying to do this,\u201d he said<\/a> of efforts to target the national debt. \u201cIt's kind of fallen out of favor, really, on both sides in many respects, but we're so divided politically as a country that you know we got to stress this is really not about Left, Right, Republican, Democrat.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIf we end up having a big debt crisis, Katie, bar the door,\u201d the governor said, meaning chaos is imminent. \u201cIf you don't have some constraint, then we're basically just acknowledging that we're going to end up having a major crisis on our hands.\u201d<\/p>

The balanced-budget amendment must undergo several phases to be ratified into the Constitution. In the scenario pitched by advocates on Wednesday, 33 states would first pass a measure calling for a convention to propose a balanced-budget amendment. Getting 33 states could serve as leverage to scare Congress, DeSantis said. If one more state joined the effort, it would trigger a constitutional convention, which some politicians are not in favor of.<\/p>

Congress would then come together to craft the amendment and pass it with a two-thirds majority, before sending it back to the states. Three-quarters of the states would then have to ratify the amendment.<\/p>

The process is in its first stage, with 28 states having passed measures thus far, leaders of the Campaign for a Balanced Budget Amendment<\/a> said during the AEI event on Wednesday. Bill Fruth, one of the campaign board members, said that in multiple states, the measures have failed by a mere handful of votes, emphasizing that advocates need to sway only a handful of lawmakers to advance the effort. For instance, Montana failed to pass such a resolution in March by a 27-23<\/a> margin.<\/p>

\u201cFrankly, we lose these states like one vote, two votes, three votes,\u201d Fruth said. \u201cWe could be at 33 right now, if we just had, I could tell you, the six people in six different states who caused us to lose those up to six states, and it's unfortunate how close it was, but we've never had the resources to finish the job.\u201d<\/p>The Trump amendment

Several panelists at the event warned that raising public awareness of the issue remains the biggest challenge to advancing the effort. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich proposed crafting a \u201cTrump amendment\u201d that pushes for a balanced budget to rectify the information gap, arguing that the president\u2019s messaging on the matter could push the matter into the public eye and put pressure on Democrats to back fixing the national debt.<\/p>

\u201cWhy would I say the Trump amendment should be pretty obvious?\u201d he said. \u201cI didn't call it some other name in front of the amendment. I called it the Trump amendment because it would be a legacy matter for him, and it would require him to do nothing, and would give him something to do over time, and it would get you closer to your 34 states.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe fact of the matter is, is that Democrats have to say, 'Yeah, this is really a problem,' and that is, I don't think any of that's going to happen until the public understands this is a problem,\u201d he said. \u201cWe've been running around, me included, saying that the sky is falling as long as I've been around public life. And then people go, 'Well, my 401(k) is good, the stock market's good, all this is good.' So the first thing you have to do is explain the problem, define the problem, and get the public to say it's a problem, and if they say it's a problem, and we have some courageous people who are willing to actually be public servants in office, we can fix it.\u201d<\/p>Swaying state legislatures

DeSantis expressed optimism that a relatively small level of political spending could sway lawmakers, compared to the tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars poured into recent Senate campaigns.<\/p>

\u201cLiterally, you influence a dozen people who've been locally elected across six states, so the money that you need is a small, small fraction, because once you tell your state rep in Idaho, and you tell the folks, 'Hey, to rein Congress in on spending and debt, and you know,\u00a0Rep. John Smith ain't doing it,' they'll start calling, and these guys at the state level, when they start getting hit, like, they're like, \u2018Oh my gosh,'\" he said. \"We're close. We've got a lot of states that want to do this. They need a little bit of prodding sometimes, and the voters need to tell the state representatives that you need to do it.\u201d<\/p>

Fruth sought to emphasize the importance of targeting the national debt, warning of its damning impact on federal entitlement programs, such as Social Security and Medicare. A new analysis<\/a> released this week by the fiscal policy think tank Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found that Social Security recipients could see their monthly income checks cut by $500 by 2032.<\/p>

He told DeSantis and other panelists about an incident in 2005 in which a woman in South Texas warned her city's economy would be at risk if \"Congress doesn't stop borrowing money, and my grandchildren have to pay for it.\"<\/p>

HIGH COSTS AND HURRICANES BEHIND SHUTTERING OF \u2018ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ\u2019 DETENTION CENTER<\/a><\/p>

\u201cHer grandchildren are in the workforce today, and 20 to 25 cents of every dollar they pay in taxes goes to interest on the national debt, and they're going to be saddled with this for the rest of their life,\" he said.<\/p>

\u201cIt's unconscionable, and so when the legislatures understand this, when people understand this fear, it's anger, it's translated to, and those people communicated to the legislators this fear, that's why we got votes,\u201d Fruth added. \u201cWhether Congress passes it or not. I think it'd be ratified within three years, one election cycle. Those legislators that don't vote for it will be voted out of office, and people voted in quick ratification. The fear of the future is very powerful among these people right now.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26096661823402.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594789-1780571227", "title":"Rick Jackson clips Brian Kemp praise in new Georgia gubernatorial race ad", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4594789%2Frick-jackson-brian-kemp-praise-new-georgia-governor-ad%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Georgia gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson is showcasing praise from Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) in a new advertisement as he makes his GOP runoff bid for governor against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. Kemp, the Peach State’s popular but term-limited governor, has so far withheld an endorsement in the race for his successor, despite weighing in on […]", "description":""

Georgia<\/a> gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson<\/a> is showcasing praise from Gov. Brian Kemp<\/a> (R-GA) in a new advertisement as he makes his GOP runoff bid for governor against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones<\/a>.<\/p>

Kemp, the Peach State's popular but term-limited governor, has so far withheld an endorsement in the race for his successor, despite weighing in on the state's GOP Senate primary by backing Derek Dooley<\/a>. Kemp's lack of an endorsement in the gubernatorial race has received more attention after Jackson and Jones became locked in a competitive primary runoff, set for June 16. Adding to the drama in the race is the fact that President Donald Trump<\/a>, who has had a rocky relationship with Kemp, endorsed Jones<\/a>.<\/p>

\"If you like Brian Kemp, you're going to love Rick Jackson,\" Jackson's new ad says.<\/p>

Kemp has not explicitly ruled out the option of making an endorsement in the race, as Jackson and Jones both seemingly vie for his coveted backing. Jackson, a billionaire businessman running as a political outsider, clipped comments Kemp made in a Politico interview and highlighted them in the 30-second ad<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Jackson's been a good supporter of mine. He's a donor, he's got a great story. And I've kind of felt like, for really two years now, that that race is ripe for political outsiders, especially somebody that can self-fund,\" Kemp said in the clipped interview.<\/p>

But these words were not the equivalent of an endorsement, according to Kemp's team.<\/p>

\"The only candidate the governor has endorsed in the runoff elections thus far is Derek Dooley, and any insinuation to the contrary is not true,\" Garrison Douglas, a Kemp adviser, told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

Jackson, who has run a MAGA message campaign without a Trump or Kemp endorsement, placed second in the May 19 primary, earning 32.5% of the vote, as Trump-backed Jones bested the field of GOP candidates with 38.4% of the vote. As Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and state Attorney General Chris Carr fall from the primary field, a Kemp endorsement could help tip the scales in favor of one of the two remaining runoff candidates.<\/p>

Jones has also been trying to tie himself close to the popular governor, releasing an advertisement in late May highlighting how Jones and Kemp have worked together at the helm of the Peach State.<\/p>

\"Governor Kemp and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones have delivered for Georgia together. They've created good-paying jobs, suspended Georgia's gas tax, lowered the state income tax, and are helping Georgia seniors afford to stay in their homes. Burt Jones has worked closely with Brian Kemp and is endorsed by President Trump,\" Jones's 30-second ad<\/a> from late May said.<\/p>

JON OSSOFF AND KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS TEAM UP TO CAMPAIGN AS GOP COMPETITORS HEAD TO RUNOFFS <\/a><\/p>

If Kemp backed Jackson, Kemp and Trump would split their endorsements for a proxy battle between the governor's mansion and the White House. But if Kemp endorsed Jones, it would significantly boost Jones's name, giving him the backing of two Republican politicians who are incredibly popular in the Georgia GOP.<\/p>

Early voting in the primary runoff begins on Monday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP26112722944858.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594870-1780570830", "title":"New York Assembly sends bill to Hochul’s desk to replace ‘mother’ and ‘father’ with ‘gestating’ and ‘non-gestating parent’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F4594870%2Fnew-york-assembly-bill-hochul-gender-neutral-parental-terms%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A new bill passed by the New York state legislature on Tuesday is heading to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk, and it seeks to switch language in several laws to so-called “gender neutral language.”  Should Hochul sign off, “mother” and “father” would be switched to “gestating” and “non-gestating” parent, respectively, and “paternity” and “filiation” would […]", "description":""

A new bill passed by the New York<\/a> state legislature on Tuesday is heading to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul\u2019s<\/a> desk, and it seeks to switch language in several laws to so-called \u201cgender neutral language.\u201d <\/p>

Should Hochul sign off, \u201cmother\u201d and \u201cfather\u201d would be switched to \u201cgestating\u201d and \u201cnon-gestating\u201d parent, respectively, and \u201cpaternity\u201d and \"filiation\" would be changed to \u201cparentage.\u201d For the purpose of family court proceedings, \u201cputative father,\u201d the purported father<\/a> of a child, would be changed to \u201calleged parent.\u201d  <\/p>

The Democratic-controlled Assembly first passed the amendment in March, and the state Senate gave its approval on Tuesday. <\/p>

Now, Hochul has 10 days to either sign the changes into law or veto the legislation. If approved, the changes would take effect Nov. 1.<\/p>

If signed by Hochul, the bill would revise parental terminology across multiple sections of New York law but would not alter existing parental rights, obligations, or family court.<\/p>

Empire State Democrats argue the measure modernizes New York law to reflect the realities of same-sex couples, adoptive families, surrogacy arrangements, and other family structures recognized in the state. The bill\u2019s sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Luis Sepulveda of the Bronx, has argued that the changes are intended to align statutory language with existing court decisions and family practices. <\/p>

Republicans were quick to criticize the legislation, arguing that lawmakers should focus on affordability<\/a>, public safety, and other issues facing New Yorkers rather than rewriting legal terminology. <\/p>

Conner Dunleavy, a Republican candidate challenging the chair of the state Assembly's judicial committee who approved the bill, told the Washington Examiner the state legislature\u2019s move \u201cserves to undermine our families.\u201d He said New York families are facing bigger challenges than legal terminology.<\/p>

\u201c[Their] priorities are totally out of whack,\u201d Dunleavy said. \u201cThey're focused on things like removing the words mother and father from state law and replacing them with ridiculous terms like gestating and non-gestating parent.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt's not addressing our affordability crisis that we definitely have in the state, it's not addressing our record-high taxes, it's not addressing the insane costs of utilities, it's doing nothing to help families, and it's doing everything to erase us from the picture,\u201d he added.<\/p>

Dunleavy said Republicans and New Yorkers should oppose the bill and stop Hochul from signing the bill into law, but said, \u201cif push comes to shove, I would have to guess the governor would sign this into law.\u201d<\/p>

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, who is backed by President Donald Trump, called the effort a \u201cwar\u201d on families<\/a> while also promoting his campaign.<\/p>

\u2018I HAVE NO BREASTS, ONLY SCARS\u2019: DETRANSITIONER CHLOE COLE DELIVERS TESTIMONY AT SENATE HEARING<\/a><\/p>

\u201cDemocrats led by Kathy Hochul have continued their declaration of war on New York families by canceling the loving terms of Mom and Dad and replacing them with \u2018gestating and non-gestating parent,\u2019\u201d he said in a statement, according to<\/a> the New York Post. \u201cThe insanity ends when I\u2019m Governor.\u201d<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to Hochul for comment. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/obgyn_abortion_pregnancy_stock_image-e1780584660990.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593816-1780570800", "title":"It’s time for Congress to end Big Pharma’s war on generics ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593816%2Fcongress-end-big-pharma-war-on-generics-biosimilar-drugs%2F", "byline":"David Marin", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Each day, millions of people pick up a prescription drug from their local pharmacy or mailbox. Most are affordable, with co-pays on average less than $7 for 90% of drugs. But for a growing number of patients, and the employers, unions, or programs such as Medicare that provide their drug coverage, the cost of some […]", "description":""

Each day, millions of people pick up a prescription drug<\/a> from their local pharmacy<\/a> or mailbox. Most are affordable, with co-pays on average less than $7 for 90% of drugs. But for a growing number of patients, and the employers, unions, or programs such as Medicare<\/a> that provide their drug coverage, the cost of some life-saving brand drugs is staggering.<\/p>

The brand drug lobby tells us these sky-high prices are a necessity of the remarkable innovation we enjoy in healthcare. And make no mistake, that innovation is important. But as a growing amount of research shows, for many drugs this is an illusion. The high prices are part of Big Pharma's masterclass in patent loopholes and legal maneuvering. They are waging a war on generic drug competition and artificially keeping prices too high for too long for too many.<\/p>

Fortunately, we know exactly how to fix this crisis of unaffordability<\/a>. Patients don\u2019t have to continue suffering. But we need Congress to do something about it.<\/p>

DRUG PRICE RELIEF IS WITHIN REACH \u2014 BUT ONLY IF WASHINGTON MOVES NOW<\/a><\/p>

The concept here is pretty simple. When there is generic drug competition, brand drugmakers have to compete on price. Employers, government programs, and the pharmacy benefit managers they hire are able to secure better deals or simply include these lower-cost generic medicines on their formularies.<\/p>

This is why brand drugmakers are at war with generics. The longer they can prevent generic drug competition, the longer they can set their own prices.<\/p>

Brand drugs account for 88% of overall drug spending despite only accounting for 10% of prescriptions filled. In contrast, generic drugs and biosimilars saved the healthcare<\/a> system $467 billion in 2024. Within six months of launch, generics can lower costs by as much as 75%.<\/p>

And we know that generics are quickly adopted when they do hit the market. Two years after launch, they dominate with up to 97% market share against brand-name counterparts.<\/p>

The attack on generics is grounded in various abuses of the patent system that extend monopolies long beyond what the law intends.<\/p>

One of many schemes Big Pharma deploys is the patent thicket. When a drug company invents a new drug, a 20-year monopoly can reward their innovation. Everyone agrees that innovation is critical. But brand drug companies use anticompetitive tactics to make minor changes to a drug, unrelated to any real innovation, and that allows them to extend their monopoly period, keeping competition away. Slightly altering a component, adding an already mandatory warning label, or adjusting a pill coating. These are all real examples of \u201cevergreening,\u201d additional patents filed by brand drug companies to protect their profits.<\/p>

Patent thickets on just five drugs cost consumers $16 billion in a single year. A recent report by the Commonwealth Fund found that Novo Nordisk has filed 320 patent applications for its blockbuster GLP-1s<\/a>. Researchers estimate these patents \u2014 154 have already been approved \u2014 will provide 49 years of monopoly protection.<\/p>

When generic companies do make progress and mount a legal challenge, brand drugmakers turn to a litigation tactic. Commonly known as \u201cpay-for-delay\u201d settlements, big-brand drugmakers sue generic manufacturers to stop more affordable drugs from entering the market. As part of the legal process, and often to avoid further costly litigation, the generic competitor agrees to postpone its market entry.<\/p>

These settlements increase prescription drug spending by nearly $12 billion per year, according to a\u202frecent study. Of that,\u202fmore than $3 billion per year comes directly from patients in the form of higher out-of-pocket costs.<\/p>

\u201cProduct hopping\u201d is another game Big Pharma plays. Right before a patent is set to expire, companies discontinue the original version of the medication and aggressively switch patients to a new formulation of the drug with longer monopoly protection. This subverts automatic substitution laws and undermines the ability of PBMs to promote lower-cost alternatives.<\/p>

For big drugmakers, challenging a generic drug is laughably inexpensive. Filing a new patent, or hundreds of them, is far too simple. And litigation costs for generic drugmakers often exceed their expected profits on the lower-cost medicine.<\/p>

RFK JR. CUTS RED TAPE ON BIOSIMILAR DRUGS TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION COSTS<\/a><\/p>

Congress has an opportunity and a responsibility to address these practices and restore competition. Lawmakers can reduce the monopoly period for biologic drugs and allow biosimilar substitution. They can stop drugmakers from using anticompetitive<\/a> practices such as patent thickets. This is not shortchanging innovation \u2014 it\u2019s enforcing the intent of the original laws designed to reward it.<\/p>

Patents should be a shield to protect innovation, not an impenetrable, everlasting wall to protect profits. Let\u2019s reform a system that forces people to sacrifice their health and financial security to grow brand drugmaker profits. End the war on generics.<\/p>

David Marin is the president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/iStock-1202498704.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593563-1780570800", "title":"How Republicans can sway voters with reconciliation 3.0", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593563%2Frepublicans-sway-voters-reconciliation-hospital-pricing%2F", "byline":"Raymond Kordonowy", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Even amid conflict in Iran and rising gas prices, healthcare affordability remains a top voter concern. KFF reports that 64% of adults are worried about affording healthcare costs, including insurance, office visits, and prescriptions.  Republicans looking for a cost-saving, pro-patient item for a “reconciliation 3.0” should start with one of the most obvious distortions in […]", "description":""

Even amid conflict in Iran<\/a> and rising gas prices, healthcare affordability<\/a> remains a top voter concern. KFF reports that 64% of adults are worried about affording healthcare costs, including insurance, office visits, and prescriptions. <\/p>

Republicans looking for a cost-saving, pro-patient item for a \u201creconciliation 3.0<\/a>\u201d should start with one of the most obvious distortions in American medicine: Hospitals get paid more than independent physicians for the same care.<\/p>

That payment mismatch is not a minor accounting problem. It is a business model. Federal rules allow a hospital outpatient department to receive higher reimbursement than an independent physician office for identical services, even when quality, complexity, and patient risk are the same. Once the payment is higher, hospitals have every incentive to buy independent practices, rebrand them as hospital outpatient departments, and send patients a larger invoice.<\/p>

WHITE HOUSE EYEING SECURITY AND SAVE ACT COMPONENTS IN THIRD RECONCILIATION BILL<\/a><\/p>

The predictable result has been consolidation, higher prices, and fewer choices. Nearly 4 out of 5 physicians now work for hospitals<\/a>, health systems, or other corporate entities, and roughly 6 in 10 practices are owned by hospitals or corporate owners. Patients experience this as shrinking access, higher out-of-pocket costs, and the quiet disappearance of the independent physician.<\/p>

Site-neutral payment reform is a straightforward correction: same service, same payment, regardless of whether care is delivered in a hospital-owned clinic or an independent doctor\u2019s office. Medicare should not be used as the cash register for regulatory capture.<\/p>

The price differences are staggering. Routine outpatient services can cost two to four times more when performed in a hospital outpatient department instead of a physician's office. Cancer patients<\/a> are hit especially hard. One recent analysis found that site-neutral payments could save many Medicare cancer patients more than $1,000 in out-of-pocket costs during the first year of treatment while saving Medicare more than $5,500 per patient on average.<\/p>

The virtual hospital experiment makes the case even clearer. Under Medicare\u2019s Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative, certain hospitals were permitted to admit patients as inpatients while delivering much of the care in the patient\u2019s home. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found these patients were treated for common medical conditions, including respiratory, circulatory, renal, and infectious diagnoses; mortality was generally lower than for comparable brick-and-mortar inpatients, and post-discharge Medicare spending was lower for more than half of the top diagnosis-related groups studied.<\/p>

If a hospital can bill Medicare<\/a> as though a patient\u2019s bedroom is a hospital bed, then Congress should ask the next obvious question: Why should only hospitals be allowed to organize and be paid for that model? Much of this market could be served better by physician-supervised virtual care, particularly for stable patients who need monitoring, medication management, home nursing support, and clear escalation pathways \u2014 not a default trip through the emergency department and the hospital corral.\u00a0<\/p>

This does not mean hospitals are obsolete. True hospitals remain essential for trauma, surgery, intensive care, unstable sepsis, complex procedures, and emergency standby capacity. But it does mean Congress should stop confusing the building with the care. The hospital is not the therapeutic ingredient. Too often, it is simply the invoice.<\/p>

Lawmakers already have a road map. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have released a bipartisan framework for Medicare site-neutral reform, and Sen. John Kennedy\u2019s (R-LA) Same Care, Lower Cost Act would move Medicare toward paying the same rate for the same service. Broad site-neutral reform could save taxpayers roughly $150 billion over the next decade, and even narrower proposals have scored tens of billions in savings.<\/p>

HOUSE GOP PLOTTING THIRD RECONCILIATION BILL FOCUSED ON FRAUD AND AFFORDABILITY<\/a><\/p>

That makes site neutrality an ideal reconciliation<\/a> target. Republicans are searching for savings to offset other priorities while telling voters they are serious about reducing waste, fraud, and overspending. Because reconciliation bills can pass the Senate with a simple majority, a reconciliation 3.0 package may be the clearest opportunity this year to act. Site-neutral reform fits the promise perfectly. It cuts a government-created overpayment, lowers costs for patients, and challenges the hospital lobby\u2019s regulatory advantage.<\/p>

The conclusion should be simple: pay for care, not for the sign on the building. Congress should use reconciliation to end this distortion, protect true emergency and safety-net capacity where it is actually needed, and let physicians and patients \u2014 not hospital billing departments \u2014 decide where affordable, high-quality care belongs.<\/p>

Dr. Raymond Kordonowy is a certified clinical lipidologist based in Fort Myers, Florida. He is also the Florida chapter leader of the Free Market Medical Association.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26135583059211-e1779288924458.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4592743-1780570800", "title":"From Holocaust heroes to ‘Albania for Albanians’: A NATO ally’s dangerous crossroads", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4592743%2Falbania-for-albanians-a-nato-allys-dangerous-crossroads%2F", "byline":"Christopher S. Hyland", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Every nation arrives, at intervals, at a threshold where it must choose between two definitions of itself — one open and one closed, one confident and one fearful — and Albania, a small country I have supported for the better part of my life, stands at such a threshold this week. The occasion is the […]", "description":""

Every nation arrives, at intervals, at a threshold where it must choose between two definitions of itself \u2014 one open and one closed, one confident and one fearful \u2014 and Albania<\/a>, a small country I have supported for the better part of my life, stands at such a threshold this week. <\/p>

The occasion is the coast at Zv\u00ebrnec, where a protest<\/a> against the conduct of a private security firm, and against unanswered questions about a fragile lagoon and the ownership of southern land, has become something larger: a contest over what kind of country Albania intends to be. Among the legitimate voices, a slogan has surfaced \u2014 Shqip\u00ebria e shqiptar\u00ebve, jo e tradhtar\u00ebve, \u201cAlbania of the Albanians, not of the traitors\u201d \u2014 offered as patriotism<\/a>.<\/p>

Having worked for three decades on Albanian and Kosovar affairs and for the cause of interfaith understanding across the region, I would respectfully submit that this phrase belongs to no Albanian tradition worth keeping.\u00a0<\/p>

ALBANIA IS THE WORLD\u2019S NEWEST NARCOSTATE THREAT<\/a><\/p>

Its provenance is, in fact, foreign and familiar. It is a single template that the European right-wing has reused for a century, changing only the name in the blank: Deutschland den Deutschen in the Germany of the 1930s; La France aux Fran\u00e7ais in the rhetoric of the National Front; Italia agli italiani; and, immediately across Albania\u2019s southern border, \u201cGreece for the Greeks,\u201d the creed of Golden Dawn. Each presents itself as devotion to the homeland. Each is, on inspection, a claim about who may be excluded from it. The phrase\u2019s second clause \u2014 \u201cnot of the traitors\u201d \u2014 descends from nearer home, from the wartime motto of Balli Komb\u00ebtar. And a nation is right to be cautious when its slogans are inherited from the most ruinous chapter of the 20th century. These are, in the end, among the pathologies that flourish whenever identity is reduced to ideology.\u00a0<\/p>

Albania, of all nations, has reason to know where the closed definition leads, for it has already endured it. From 1944 to 1990, \u201cAlbania for the Albanians\u201d was not a slogan but a system \u2014 sealed borders<\/a>, enforced self-sufficiency, the conviction that a people is safest alone \u2014 and it produced, in the end, only impoverishment and departure. When the system fell, roughly a third of the population emigrated within a single decade, so that today more Albanians live beyond the country\u2019s borders than within them. That diaspora \u2014 in Athens and Thessaloniki, in Rome, Milan, Munich, Geneva, London, and across the United States \u2014 is not a misfortune to be regretted but one of the steadiest foundations of the national economy, and it endures precisely because other societies received Albanians as welcome minorities.<\/p>

A citizen who chants exclusion in Tirana might consider, in candor, what the same principle would mean for his cousin in Athens. The first to suffer under \u201ca nation for its own\u201d are seldom the strangers within a country; they are that country\u2019s own people living everywhere else. <\/p>

There is a better inheritance, and it is the opposite of blood. It is Besa \u2014 the Albanian word of honor, the obligation that binds a host to protect whoever has entered his home \u2014 and its most luminous demonstration is a matter of record, not legend. When the Second World War <\/a>delivered the Jews of Europe to the camps, Albania became the rare occupied nation to finish the war with more Jews within its borders than at its start. In Kruj\u00eb, a 17-year-old named Refik Veseli persuaded his parents, Vesel and Fatima, to conceal the family of the photographer Moshe Mandil. His name stands today among the Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem, and he was one of many.<\/p>

This is the spirit of a land where, for centuries, Muslims and Christians have lived as neighbors and treated hospitality not as a weakness of faith but as its fullest expression \u2014 a conviction rooted in the spiritual dignity of every person. (It should be said plainly, and then set aside, that the antisemitic images lately circulating online about the Zv\u00ebrnec project \u2014 the southern coast cartoonishly wrapped in an Israeli flag because one of its American investors is Jewish \u2014 are a small affront to precisely this history, and merit no more attention than naming them requires.) This inheritance, and not ethnic arithmetic, is the one worth defending.\u00a0<\/p>

On the facts, precision is owed, for precision is the first casualty whenever a slogan takes command. On the 30th of May, masked private guards dragged and beat a demonstrator at the fenced site beside the Narta lagoon, and Albanians were right to be appalled. What followed, however, deserves the greater attention. Within a single day, the state police corrected their initial account, the regional police director in Vlor\u00eb was removed, a guard was arrested, and the developer publicly apologized and terminated its contract with the security company. In the days since, the licenses of two private security firms have been revoked, criminal proceedings have been opened, and the special anti-corruption prosecution has begun to examine how the protected status of the Vjosa \u2014 Narta landscape was altered.<\/p>

The Albanian state, and Prime Minister Edi Rama, deserve to be commended rather than condemned for a correction so swift and so public \u2014 for this is precisely the constitutional reflex, the subordination of force to law, that accession to the European Union<\/a> requires, and that Albania is steadily showing it has acquired. <\/p>

Seen without the distortion, the investment itself is not a calamity but an opportunity, and it answers Albania\u2019s truest need. The country\u2019s deepest wound has never been foreign capital. It has been emigration, the continual loss of its young. A nation keeps its sons and daughters not by sealing its frontiers but by building, at home, the work and the futures for which they now cross the sea.<\/p>

A substantial tourism investment on the Riviera \u2014 financed by American partners and by Gulf Arab capital, with Qatari investors prominent among the backers \u2014 promises construction, employment, infrastructure, and a rightful place for Albania in the legitimate global economy. Honest questions remain, and they ought to be answered in the open: the ecology of a delicate coastline, the transparency of how title to the land was transferred, and the rights and property of the Greek-minority families of the south. These are matters to be resolved under law, by a confident and constitutional state \u2014 and not occasions for conspiracy, nor pretexts for the imported grammar of exclusion. <\/p>

What is emerging in this corner of the Balkans, for those willing to see it, is something more hopeful than a quarrel over a shoreline. It is the prospect of an Albania that completes its passage into the European Union, that takes its place, with Kosovo and its neighbors, in a Balkan Commonwealth founded upon constitutional democracy, religious pluralism, and reconciliation, and that offers the world a Muslim-majority<\/a> society at ease with its Jewish friends and its Christian neighbors alike \u2014 a disposition that complements, indeed extends, the spirit of the Abraham Accords. Such an Albania has no need of a borrowed slogan, for it already possesses a better word of its own.<\/p>

ALBANIA DOES NOT DESERVE EU MEMBERSHIP UNDER EDI RAMA<\/a><\/p>

Let the courts hold the guilty to account. Let the prosecutors pursue every environmental and legal question wherever it honestly leads. Let the developer meet the highest standard of transparency and care. And let the legal system itself rise, with judicious resolve and an unhurried fidelity to due process, to the full gravity of the occasion before it. None of this requires a scapegoat, and none of it requires fear.<\/p>

The Albania I have been honored to support is the Albania of Besa and of moral clarity \u2014 the country that sheltered the stranger when much of Europe surrendered him, and whose destiny lies not behind sealed borders but at the open threshold of Europe. It has kept its word before. It can keep it now. <\/p>

Christopher S. Hyland is a veteran diplomatic adviser specializing in Balkan affairs, Iranian political dynamics, democratic transitions, and interfaith dialogue. He served as deputy national political director for Ethnic Constituencies of the Bill Clinton Presidential Campaign. He was the originator or chairman of 11 Clinton Presidential Transition Conferences, including the first-ever convenings on Eastern Europe, Indian Country, and The Politics of Inclusion.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25290661920610.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4589881-1780570800", "title":"Your phone has no Fourth Amendment", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4589881%2Fyour-phone-has-no-fourth-amendment%2F", "byline":"Jay Rogers", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Your bank account has less constitutional protection than your phone. That isn’t a rhetorical point. It’s the practical result of 50 years of Supreme Court doctrine, and the Arctic Frost investigation is what it looks like when the government uses that doctrine at full extension against sitting members of Congress. The Fourth Amendment required the […]", "description":""

Your bank account has less constitutional<\/a> protection than your phone. That isn't a rhetorical point. It's the practical result of 50 years of Supreme Court<\/a> doctrine, and the Arctic Frost investigation is what it looks like when the government uses that doctrine at full extension against sitting members of Congress<\/a>.<\/p>

The Fourth Amendment required the government to get a warrant, with particularity about what was being sought and probable cause reviewed by a neutral judge, before accessing private \"papers.\" The Founders were specific about papers because correspondence and financial records were the personal data of 1791. James Otis Jr. argued in 1761 that British general warrants, which gave royal officials unlimited search authority without naming what they were looking for, were the worst abuse of colonial power. The Fourth Amendment was written so that those warrants would never happen again. Papers meant financial records. The warrant protected them.<\/p>

Two Supreme Court decisions dismantled a significant portion of that protection. United States v. Miller in 1976 and Smith v. Maryland in 1979 established the third-party doctrine: Information you share with a bank or phone company loses Fourth Amendment protection because you \"voluntarily\" conveyed it to a third party. The government can compel those records without a warrant. In a digital economy<\/a> where every financial transaction leaves an institutional record, that reasoning empties the amendment of most of its practical force.<\/p>

Arctic Frost is the most dramatic recent example of where this leads. The FBI opened that investigation in April 2022 to examine the alleged fake electors scheme. It became the basis for special counsel Jack Smith's criminal case against President Donald Trump. Senate Judiciary Committee oversight revealed hundreds of subpoenas targeting more than 400 Republican organizations and individuals, phone data collected from at least nine sitting senators, and the physical seizure of Rep. Scott Perry's (R-PA) cellphone. None of it required a particularized warrant. The third-party doctrine covered the phone metadata. Administrative subpoena authority covered the documents. FBI Director Kash Patel subsequently dismantled the unit responsible, CR-15, and fired the agents involved. The constitutional architecture that made all of it possible is still in place.<\/p>

The Supreme Court has pushed back at the edges. Riley v. California in 2014 required a warrant to search a cellphone incident to arrest. Carpenter v. United States in 2018 required a warrant for historical cell-site location data. Neither holding reaches financial records. Administrative subpoenas from the Securities and Exchange Commission, IRS, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, and FinCEN compel financial institutions to produce customer records without prior judicial approval. The account holder may or may not be notified. The Founders<\/a> required probable cause supported by oath. The administrative subpoena requires neither.<\/p>

I advise ultra-high-net-worth families whose financial data is distributed across custodians, advisers, fund administrators, and tax professionals. Every one of those institutions is a third party under Miller and Smith. None of those records has meaningful Fourth Amendment protection from a properly formatted government demand. When clients ask about financial privacy, I tell them the truth: the government can get most of it without going to a judge first.<\/p>

WASHINGTON\u2019S WARNING ABOUT FACTIONS MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER<\/a><\/p>

Beyond administrative subpoenas, federal agencies have purchased personal financial and location data from commercial data brokers on the theory that buying voluntarily sold information requires no warrant at all. That mechanism operates entirely outside the judicial review process, allowing agencies to acquire financial intelligence about specific individuals without any court involvement or subject notification. The Stored Communications Act and the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 represent the last serious legislative effort to impose warrant standards on government access to financial records. Both predate the digital economy. Both need updating.<\/p>

Congress has the authority to fix this. The Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 represents the last serious effort to impose warrant standards on administrative access to personal financial records. It hasn't been updated for a digital economy. The Founders wrote \"papers\" into the amendment because financial records were the infrastructure of private life. In 2026, that infrastructure<\/a> lives on third-party servers, and the warrant requirement supposed to protect it covers your phone but not your bank account.<\/p>

Jay Rogers is a financial professional with more than 30 years of experience in private equity, private credit, hedge funds, and wealth management. He has a BS from Northeastern University and has completed postgraduate studies at UCLA, UPENN, and Harvard. He writes about issues in finance, constitutional law, national security, human nature, and public policy.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/istock-598912704-e1780341266435.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594814-1780570716", "title":"‘Scott Pelley is updating his LinkedIn, hoping and begging’: Joe Concha ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2F4594814%2Fpelley-updating-linkedin-hoping-begging-joe-concha%2F", "byline":"Kiara Moore", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha criticized former CBS 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley after his dismissal from CBS News.  “When you look up three words in the dictionary, whether it’s ‘sanctimonious,’ whether it’s ‘arrogant,’ whether it’s ‘self-entitled,’ in every instance, you will see a photo of Scott Pelley next to that definition,” Concha said on […]", "description":""

Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha<\/a> criticized former CBS 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley<\/a> after his dismissal from CBS News. <\/p>

\u201cWhen you look up three words in the dictionary, whether it\u2019s 'sanctimonious,' whether it\u2019s 'arrogant,' whether it\u2019s 'self-entitled,' in every instance, you will see a photo of Scott Pelley next to that definition,\u201d Concha said on Fox News\u2019s Hannity on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>

Pelley\u2019s firing on Tuesday was the result of a contentious exchange with new network leadership on Monday, calling for his immediate termination. Pelley forcefully criticized new executive producer Nick Bilton and accused editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of \u201cmurdering\u201d the long-standing program, according to multiple reports.<\/p>

\u201cThe next time you have an in-person meeting with your fellow staff members and your boss, during that meeting, stand up and tell the boss that he\u2019s murdering the company. Then go even further and tell the boss that he does not have the qualifications to work there in the first place,\u201d Concha said. <\/p>

Multiple sources<\/a> confirmed that Pelley hijacked the meeting with Bilton and berated him in front of staff. <\/p>

\u201cScott Pelley, who seems to think he\u2019s the next Mike Wallace meets Walter Cronkite, two legends of CBS past, now he\u2019ll be doing a podcast from his kitchen,\u201d Concha said. \u201cNow he\u2019s updating his LinkedIn page right now, hoping and begging that MS Now, or MSNBC, or whatever they call that insane asylum, will hire him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

60 MINUTES HOST SCOTT PELLEY FIRED AFTER ACCUSING CBS CHIEF OF \u2018MURDERING\u2019 SHOW<\/a><\/p>

According to reports from People, Rachel Maddow, host of the Rachel Maddow Show on MS Now, has spoken in solidarity with Pelley, saying she \u201chopes he lands at MS Now.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIf Rachel Maddow says 'hire this guy,' we hear about the president of MS Now, or all the executives there. Rachel Maddow runs that network; she has the power apparently and now she will make sure, I guess, Scott Pelley joins there,\u201d Concha said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP582577088235-e1780580363869.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594873-1780570263", "title":"DC Water recommends residents reduce water usage as region sees drought watch", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4594873%2Fdc-water-recommends-residents-reduce-water-usage-region-drought-watch%2F", "byline":"Max Grinstein", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority introduced new water conservation recommendations on Wednesday as the city heads into its driest summer in decades. These measures follow a drought watch warning by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Drought Coordination Committee. The council, comprised of elected officials from 24 local governments, now recommends “voluntary […]", "description":""

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority introduced new water conservation recommendations on Wednesday as the city heads into its driest summer in decades.<\/p>

These measures follow a drought watch warning by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments\u2019 Drought Coordination Committee. The council, comprised of elected officials from 24 local governments, now recommends<\/a> \u201cvoluntary water conservation through wise water use.\u201d A warning is the second-most serious level in the council\u2019s four-tiered Regional Drought Response Plan.\u00a0<\/p>

According to the National Weather Service, 2026 has been the driest year on record for the district since 2002. The city had 23.31 inches of precipitation in total that year, compared to 16.65 inches so far this year.<\/p>

DC Water recommends that customers wash full loads of laundry, turn off faucets while brushing their teeth, and keep their showers short, among other measures.<\/p>

The city currently sources most of its water from the Potomac River, snaking down from the Allegheny Mountains. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Washington Aqueduct<\/a>, completed in 1863, supplies that water to customers in Washington, Arlington County, and Falls Church, Virginia.<\/p>

\u201cThe Potomac River is our only source of water, and if severe drought conditions threaten that source, we have no other alternatives today,\u201d said DC Water CEO<\/a> and General Manager David L. Gadis.<\/p>

DOJ SUES DC WATER OVER MASSIVE POTOMAC RIVER SEWAGE SPILL<\/a><\/p>

DC Water launched the Purify Water DC<\/a> initiative in 2025 to strengthen and diversify the city\u2019s supply resilience. The utility approved $21 million of seed funding at the time to study trial solutions for the region\u2019s water vulnerability.<\/p>

Washington region\u2019s driest year on record was 1930, when there was just 21.66 inches<\/a> of precipitation. The Potomac River was so low<\/a> in some areas north of the city that residents could drive their cars directly over the riverbank.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Arlington-Memorial-Bridge.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594886-1780570091", "title":"John Bolton reaches plea deal in classified documents case: Report", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4594886%2Fjohn-bolton-plea-deal-classified-documents-case%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former national security adviser John Bolton has reportedly agreed to plead guilty to a classified documents charge stemming from his handling of sensitive government records after leaving the first Trump administration. Bolton is expected to plead guilty to one count of illegal retention of sensitive national security documents and to pay a fine exceeding $2 […]", "description":""

Former national security adviser John Bolton<\/a> has reportedly agreed to plead guilty to a classified documents charge stemming from his handling of sensitive government records after leaving the first Trump administration<\/a>.<\/p>

Bolton is expected to plead guilty to one count of illegal retention of sensitive national security documents and to pay a fine exceeding $2 million under the agreement, according<\/a> to a report from CNN. A conviction on the charge carries a potential sentence of zero to 60 months in prison. The CNN reporting appeared to be supported by an update on the criminal case docket, which included a notice of a scheduled rearraignment of Bolton coming on June 26.<\/p>

Prosecutors charged Bolton last October after alleging he retained diary entries and other records from his time in the White House<\/a>.<\/p>

The indictment accused him of transmitting and retaining national defense information, including by sharing more than 1,000 pages documenting his day-to-day activities through a personal email account with two unauthorized individuals who have long been suspected to be his wife and daughter. Bolton was originally charged with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information.<\/p>

The case stems from an FBI<\/a> investigation that was reopened during the Biden administration<\/a> after suspected Iranian<\/a> hackers breached Bolton\u2019s email account, leading investigators to discover diary-style entries containing highly classified information from his tenure as national security adviser.<\/p>

TRUMP EXPECTED TO NOMINATE TODD BLANCHE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL<\/a><\/p>

A spokeswoman for the DOJ declined to comment.<\/p>

President Donald Trump<\/a> had long criticized Bolton over his 2020 memoir and argued he should face prosecution for allegedly disclosing classified information, though the case was investigated and handled by career prosecutors and investigators during the previous administration.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Bolton.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593534-1780567200", "title":"Michael Bloomberg’s war on vaping puts criminals over consumers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593534%2Fmichael-bloomberg-fda-flavored-vape-criminals-over-consumers%2F", "byline":"Martin Cullip", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has taken to one of his own news channels to deliver a broadside against flavored vaping products. This diatribe is remarkable for its flagrant contradictions, staggering lack of self-awareness, and complete lack of understanding about harm reduction. Bloomberg warns that the Food and Drug Administration’s recent authorization of flavored […]", "description":""

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg<\/a> has taken to one of his own news channels to deliver a broadside against flavored vaping products<\/a>. This diatribe is remarkable for its flagrant contradictions, staggering lack of self-awareness, and complete lack of understanding about harm reduction.<\/p>

Bloomberg warns that the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s recent authorization<\/a> of flavored vaping products will \u201cprove deadly for kids.\u201d He paints a lurid picture of an America supposedly on the verge of societal collapse, with predatory companies handing out mango-flavored addiction to children on every street corner. The Trump administration and the FDA must reject this prohibitionist theater and help smokers trying to kick their deadly habit.\u00a0<\/p>

Bloomberg seemingly cannot fathom the simple fact that the problems he describes are the result of the very prohibitionist policies he has spent years funding and promoting around the world.<\/p>

TOBACCO INDUSTRY MONEY CAUSES MAHA-MAGA RIFT<\/a><\/p>

Bloomberg has reportedly poured $1.6 billion into organizations campaigning against vaping and other safer nicotine products through heavily funded advocacy groups, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and discredited international bodies such as the World Health Organization<\/a>. An entire industry has emerged dedicated to falsely portraying smoke-free nicotine products as though they are no different from cigarettes. While claiming to fight Big Tobacco, these Bloomberg-funded campaigns have only ended up protecting the cigarette trade.<\/p>

The central flaw in Bloomberg\u2019s fact-free argument is his refusal to distinguish between smoking and nicotine use. Smoking kills because of combustion. It is the inhalation of toxic smoke from burning tobacco that causes cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and countless other illnesses. Smoke-free nicotine products dramatically reduce those risks because they eliminate combustion entirely.<\/p>

This is a position supported by a growing body of scientific evidence and acknowledged by numerous public health authorities. Vaping<\/a> products, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products are not risk-free, but they are far safer than cigarettes and have proven enormously popular worldwide among adults seeking alternatives to smoking. <\/p>

Bloomberg dismisses flavors as cynical marketing tools aimed at children, but research consistently shows that nontobacco flavors play an important role in helping adults switch away from combustible cigarettes. Adult smokers seeking to quit prefer flavors that, quite understandably, do not remind them of smoking. Unsurprisingly, flavor bans, which make the experience of quitting cigarettes needlessly dull and difficult, increase cigarette smoking.<\/p>

Bloomberg also has a woefully limited understanding of the consequences of prohibition. He acknowledges that illegal flavored vaping products are flooding into the U.S. from China<\/a> and elsewhere. But rather than recognizing this as the predictable outcome of restrictive policies, he bizarrely presents it as an argument for even more prohibition.<\/p>

The widespread illicit vape market in the United States exists precisely because legal pathways have been obstructed by excessive FDA regulation and flavor bans championed by Bloomberg-funded groups. Consumers did not stop wanting flavored products because regulators disapproved of them. Demand remained, and the black market stepped in to meet it.<\/p>

That is how prohibition always works. Bloomberg\u2019s preferred policies hand vast market opportunities to criminal networks while depriving consumers of regulated choices.<\/p>

History repeatedly shows that attempts to prohibit widely demanded substances never eliminate use. They merely shift supply into illicit markets where products are unregulated, untaxed, and often more dangerous. <\/p>

The Bloombergs of the world never learn from these terrible mistakes and relentlessly push prohibition. None of this means youth access should be ignored. Age restrictions, enforcement against underage sales, product standards, and sensible regulation are all valid policy recommendations. But there is a vast difference between responsible regulation<\/a> and prohibitionist zealotry.<\/p>

ILLICIT VAPES FLOODED OUR BORDERS. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS FIGHTING BACK<\/a><\/p>

A rational policy would prioritize reducing smoking-related disease by encouraging adults who smoke to switch to safer alternatives while enforcing strict controls on youth access. Bloomberg\u2019s approach does the opposite. It seeks to suppress the very products most capable of displacing cigarettes while fueling illicit markets in the process.<\/p>

Far from solving the problem, Bloomberg\u2019s preferred policies are helping exacerbate it. The more aggressively he and his allies seek to suppress safer nicotine innovation, the clearer it becomes that they are fighting not merely against life-saving products, but against reality itself.<\/p>

Martin Cullip is an international fellow at The Taxpayers Protection Alliance's Consumer Center and is based in South London, U.K.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AP25063590150297-scaled-e1780510675237.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4591685-1780567200", "title":"Small oil producers need relief from Washington’s one-size-fits-all regulations", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4591685%2Fsmall-oil-producers-relief-washington-regulations%2F", "byline":"Wayne Christian", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"America is at an energy crossroads. For years, the Obama and Biden administrations layered on a steady stream of malicious regulations, permitting delays, and compliance mandates that made it harder to produce American energy. While President Donald Trump works to roll back much of that, the reality is that producers have spent decades trying to […]", "description":""

America is at an energy<\/a> crossroads.<\/p>

For years, the Obama and Biden administrations<\/a> layered on a steady stream of malicious regulations, permitting delays, and compliance mandates that made it harder to produce American energy. While President Donald Trump<\/a> works to roll back much of that, the reality is that producers have spent decades trying to keep up with an ever-expanding federal regulatory machine, and it's taken its toll.<\/p>

To address some of that, Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) have both introduced the Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act in their respective chambers. Their legislation, if passed, would create a more targeted compliance framework for small and marginal oil and gas producers. Their idea is simple: a family-owned operator running a handful of wells should not be regulated the same way as a multinational company operating thousands.<\/p>

One of the clearest examples is methane regulation under the Clean Air Act. In practice, these rules often apply the same monitoring, reporting, and equipment standards to low-producing marginal wells as they do to major industrial facilities. That is not targeted regulation<\/a>. It is a one-size-fits-all approach that does not reflect how this industry works.<\/p>

All of that red tape adds up. Paperwork, consultants, equipment upgrades, and permitting delays might be manageable for large operators, but for small producers, they can mean the difference between staying in business and shutting in a well for good.<\/p>

At the same time, demand for energy continues to grow, and it is not slowing down. Meeting that demand requires production from everyone: major companies<\/a>, independent operators, and small family-run producers who keep marginal wells producing long after others have walked away.<\/p>

In Texas, those marginal wells still matter. They support jobs, generate tax revenue, and help keep rural communities alive. Individually, they may not produce much, but collectively they remain an important part of our energy supply. When regulations push those wells out of production, the impact extends far beyond the lease and into local economies.<\/p>

That is exactly why the Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act matters. It recognizes that not every well is the same and not every operator should be treated the same. There should be a distinction between large-scale industrial facilities and marginal wells where compliance costs can easily exceed production value.<\/p>

The Clean Air Act framework was built around large stationary sources, not hundreds of thousands of low-volume wells spread across states such as Texas<\/a>. That mismatch matters because regulations do not operate in isolation. They accumulate over time, adding compliance costs, paperwork, monitoring requirements, and operational burdens that disproportionately weigh on small producers.<\/p>

ESG ISN\u2019T DYING. IT\u2019S GETTING VOTED OUT<\/a><\/p>

Large operators can often spread those costs across thousands of wells. A family-owned producer operating a handful of marginal wells cannot. When compliance costs exceed the value of production, wells are shut in, investment shifts elsewhere, and domestic energy production declines.<\/p>

That outcome serves no one. At a time when energy demand continues to rise, policymakers should look for ways to keep economically viable production online, rather than creating barriers that make it harder for small operators to continue producing affordable<\/a> American energy.<\/p>

Wayne Christian is a statewide elected official serving as a commissioner on the Railroad Commission of Texas, the nation's premier oil and gas regulatory agency, which oversees energy production in America's leading oil- and natural gas-producing state.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP23346770412468.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594725-1780566663", "title":"Democrats aren’t running hearings — they’re filming TikToks: Joe Concha", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594725%2Fdemocrats-turn-hearing-into-audition-reel-joe-concha%2F", "byline":"Britta Miller", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha slammed Democrats for spending more time bashing Republicans than working to solve problems.  “They look like children,” Concha said on Fox News’s Fox & Friends First on Thursday.  Concha said that Democrats have no interest in getting to the truth, but rather “simply draw attention to themselves.” A Capitol Hill […]", "description":""

Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha<\/a> slammed Democrats<\/a> for spending more time bashing Republicans<\/a> than working to solve problems. <\/p>

\u201cThey look like children,\u201d Concha said on Fox News\u2019s Fox & Friends First on Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>

Concha said that Democrats have no interest in getting to the truth, but rather \u201csimply draw attention to themselves.\u201d<\/p>

A Capitol Hill<\/a> hearing on Wednesday got heated when Democratic leaders clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> in front of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.\u00a0<\/p>

Rep. Sarah Jacobs (D-CA), a Democratic congresswoman from California<\/a>, called out Rubio for not admitting that President Donald Trump<\/a> is losing the Iran<\/a> war, \"just like you couldn't admit that the shoes the president bought you were too big.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re talking about shoes, are you guys kidding me? Is this the Foreign Affairs Committee, or is this like a circus?\u201d Rubio said.<\/p>

\u201cThese hearings are the biggest waste of time in politics in the social media<\/a> area,\u201d Concha said.<\/p>

Concha said Democrats use these hearings to create viral moments for themselves.<\/p>

\u201cDemocrats come into these hearings in an attempt to make clips of themselves yelling at somebody like Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, with prewritten notes. You notice how they're always looking down? Reading something probably written by their staffers so they can take those clips and put it up on TikTok<\/a>,\u201d Concha said.<\/p>

Concha said the attention Democrats get from these hearings is simply an attempt to fundraise. He noted the same thing happened on Wednesday to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin<\/a>, when, in an outburst, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) called Mullin a racist and told him to shut up.<\/a><\/p>

Concha criticized Democrats for pulling the attention away from an otherwise big announcement from Mullin: The primary border<\/a> wall, stretching from the Pacific to the Gulf of America, will be completed by June 2027.<\/a><\/p>

RUBIO GROWS EXASPERATED WITH DEMOCRATS AT HEATED HOUSE HEARING<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThat should be a very, very big story that the wall would be finished in that fashion, and all we\u2019re seeing is clips,\u201d Concha said. <\/p>

\u201cThis is just one big show at this point.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/rubio.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594726-1780566296", "title":"WATCH LIVE: Scott Bessent returns to Capitol Hill for second day of budget testimony", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594726%2Fwatch-live-scott-bessent-returns-capitol-hill-budget-testimony%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday for his second day of testimony on President Donald Trump’s proposed budget.  BESSENT CLARIFIES THREAT AGAINST BILL PULTE: HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO ‘KICK HIS A**’ Bessent will field questions from members of the House Ways and Means Committee at 10 a.m., following […]", "description":""

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent<\/a> will head to Capitol Hill<\/a> on Thursday for his second day of testimony on President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> proposed budget<\/a>. <\/p>

BESSENT CLARIFIES THREAT AGAINST BILL PULTE: HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO \u2018KICK HIS A**\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Bessent will field questions from members of the House Ways and Means Committee<\/a> at 10 a.m., following his testimony Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

The Treasury head\u2019s previous testimony was highlighted by sparring with members of Congress over previous statements he had made about Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte<\/a>, who was recently named acting director of national intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154561742144.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594713-1780565257", "title":"Social security checks could decrease by hundreds of dollars in every state by 2032: Report", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Ffinance-and-economy%2F4594713%2Fsocial-security-checks-decrease-hundreds-dollars-every-state-2032%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Millions of Americans could see their Social Security benefits reduced by hundreds of dollars per month if Congress fails to address the program’s looming funding shortfall, according to a new analysis that warns benefit cuts would affect retirees in every state by 2032.  The analysis, released by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, estimates […]", "description":""

Millions of Americans could see their Social Security<\/a> benefits reduced by hundreds of dollars per month if Congress<\/a> fails to address the program\u2019s looming funding shortfall, according to a new analysis that warns benefit cuts would affect retirees in every state by 2032. <\/p>

The analysis, released by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget<\/a>, estimates that Social Security beneficiaries would face an automatic 24% reduction in monthly payments if the program\u2019s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance trust fund becomes insolvent at the end of 2032. The average retiree would lose roughly $500 per month in benefits under that scenario. <\/p>

The report found that \u201cno state would be spared\u201d from the cuts, which would affect between 10% and 23% of residents depending on the state. Among the largest are Connecticut, where beneficiaries would lose an average of $556, New Hampshire at $553, and Delaware at $549. Maryland retirees would see an average reduction of $541 per month. <\/p>

The warnings come as Social Security faces growing financial pressure from an aging population and a shrinking ratio of workers paying into the system compared with beneficiaries drawing retirement benefits. Social Security has relied on trust fund reserves in recent years because benefit obligations have exceeded payroll tax revenue.\u00a0<\/p>

The depletion of the trust fund would not mean Social Security stops sending checks altogether. Payroll tax revenue would continue to flow into the program, allowing benefits to continue at a reduced level. Under the latest projections, ongoing revenue would recover roughly three-quarters of scheduled benefits after the trust fund is exhausted. <\/p>

The Social Security Administration\u2019s most recent trustees report <\/a>projected that the retirement trust fund would be able to pay full benefits through 2033 before reserves are depleted, while more recent analyses have suggested insolvency could occur by the end of 2032. <\/p>

JULY SOCIAL SECURITY DIRECT PAYMENT WORTH $994 GOES OUT IN 28 DAYS<\/a><\/p>

More than 69 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and many retirees depend on the program as a primary source of income. A survey cited in the report found that nearly three-quarters of retirees rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, while roughly four in 10 depend on it entirely. <\/p>

Lawmakers have long debated potential solutions, including raising payroll taxes, increasing or eliminating the cap on taxable earnings, reducing future benefits, or adopting a combination of revenue increases and spending changes.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP23285408697854-e1779822449323.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594577-1780564688", "title":"Which party will recover first from its current self-harm?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F4594577%2Fwhich-party-will-recover-first-from-current-self-harm%2F", "byline":"Michael Barone", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Tuesday saw the usual first-week-of-June gaggle of state primary elections. It’s a feature of the American federal system that states choose when to hold primary and local elections.  Back in the 1850s, as historian Roy Franklin Nichols noted, there was an election in all but one or two of the 24 months in the two-year […]", "description":""

Tuesday saw the usual first-week-of-June gaggle of state primary elections. It\u2019s a feature of the American federal system that states choose when to hold primary and local elections.\u00a0<\/p>

Back in the 1850s, as historian Roy Franklin Nichols noted, there was an election in all but one or two of the 24 months in the two-year congressional election cycle. From the results, in those pre-polling days, politicos and pundits drew conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of the Democratic<\/a> and Republican<\/a> political parties and their various candidates.<\/p>

Congress<\/a> in 1872 set a single date for congressional elections, but the proliferation of primaries in the early 20th century gave us, once again, elections scheduled around the calendar. Primary elections don\u2019t always give clues about the parties\u2019 general election strength. But they do tell us something about the state of mind of the followers of both parties, and they sometimes bring forward candidates with the capacity for future national leadership.<\/p>

This year\u2019s primaries seem to be providing little in the way of good news for both parties\u2019 futures. Both parties\u2019 primary electorates seem focused on fighting the same old battles they have been fighting since Donald Trump<\/a> clinched the Republican Party presidential nomination 121 months ago.\u00a0<\/p>

Republican primary voters have been obediently following the orders of a president who must leave office two and a half years from now. Democratic primary voters seem focused on endorsing whoever denounces him most vitriolically. <\/p>

Thus, 75% of Louisiana Republicans rejected Sen. Bill Cassidy<\/a> (R-LA) on May 16, 55% of Kentucky's 4th District Republicans rejected Rep. Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY) on May 19, and 64% of Texas runoff primary voters rejected Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) on June 2. In that last case, the votes went to Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a>, who was impeached (but not convicted by the Texas House) and whose wife of 38 years is suing him \u201con biblical grounds.\u201d<\/p>

Loyalty to a president whose idiosyncratic preoccupations \u2014 resurrecting tariffs, restricting Iran \u2014 are opposed by largely nonoverlapping segments of the Republican electorate sweeps all before it, for the moment.\u00a0<\/p>

Democratic primary voters appear on the verge of endorsing candidates who most vibrantly radiate contempt for Trump, despite problematic signs in their own profiles. Democrats in New Jersey\u2019s 12th Congressional District nominated Adam Hamawy, an unrepentant witness<\/a> for the \u201cblind sheik\u201d in his trial for trying to blow up the World Trade Center in 1993, and who worked for an al Qaeda front in Bosnia in 1994.\u00a0<\/p>

Democrats in Maine are in the process<\/a> (through early voting) of giving their nomination on June 9 to \u201coysterman\u201d Graham Platner<\/a> for the Senate next Tuesday, despite his Nazi tattoo and his sexually explicit messaging. And, judging from the most recent polling<\/a>, Democrats in Michigan may be on the verge of nominating<\/a> Abdul El Sayed despite his support from anti-American influencer Hasan Piker\u00a0and doubts about his claims<\/a> <\/a>to have worked as a physician.\u00a0<\/p>

MICHAEL BARONE: THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ENDS IN EMPTY RESERVOIRS AND HOMELESS TENTS<\/a><\/p>

America\u2019s political parties are the oldest and third-oldest in the world: Democrats dating from 1832 and Republicans from 1854, and they have both had their troubles before \u2014 though rarely simultaneously.\u00a0<\/p>

And they are not in as much trouble as some of Europe\u2019s oldest political parties, with Britain\u2019s Conservatives (who date from 1846), Germany\u2019s Social Democrats (1875), and British Labour (1900) tumbling down to percentages in the low double digits in recent elections. Some of those parties have been overtaken in polls by recently created populist parties such as Britain\u2019s Reform<\/a>\u00a0and Germany\u2019s AfD<\/a>.<\/p>

Some have applauded those developments and cheered for the old parties\u2019 downfalls. American liberals have tried jiggering electoral systems with a view to derailing Republicans, with ranked choice voting in Maine and Alaska (and New York City and Washington, D.C.), all-party primaries in Washington and California, and Democrats withdrawing in favor of theoretically independent candidates in Nebraska and Kansas.\u00a0<\/p>

Critics have pointed to polls showing more respondents identifying as independents, even though in actual elections, historically low percentages of voters split their tickets. Rules encouraging mail-in voting and allowing ballot harvesting have raised legitimate suspicions about the legitimacy of counts. California allows votes postmarked on Election Day to be counted later, which is why officials there say they may take four or five weeks to determine who wins close races.<\/p>

There is a temptation to write off our current parties as hopelessly addled by loyalty to, or hatred of, Trump. But history advises caution. You can argue, as I have, that both parties these days seem engaged in self-harm, and the only question is which one will hurt itself more by poor candidate choices and tactical blunders. But worse things can happen in electoral democracies, and have.\u00a0<\/p>

A century ago, the horrors of what was then called the Great War were followed by an antidemocratic upheaval. Riots in St. Petersburg in 1918 removed a nascent representative government and produced a communist tyranny that spread over much of the earth and lasted more than 70 years. A comic opera march on Rome in 1922 imposed Fascism in Italy for 22 years. Street thuggery in Weimar-era Berlin led to Hitler\u2019s Nazi dictatorship, a world war that killed millions, and the Holocaust.<\/p>

MICHAEL BARONE: CAN TRUMP HANDLE THE WORLD THAT HE HAS CHANGED?<\/a><\/p>

America\u2019s political parties, old even then, did better. The Democratic Party, always a coalition of people considered not ordinary Americans but capable of notable majorities, collapsed in 1918-20 through Woodrow Wilson\u2019s foreign policy and economic misrule. But Republicans, with a core of people considered ordinary Americans but not yet a majority, were there to provide competent governance in the 1920s.<\/p>

Similarly, when Republican support collapsed from 1930 to 1934 due to the Great Depression, the Democrats were capable of providing leadership capable of governing. But just as Democrats recovered from collapse in 1920 and won again, so Republicans recovered from collapse in 1932 and were capable of winning again, although that was hidden by Franklin Roosevelt\u2019s success as leader of what was in fact a bipartisan war government.<\/p>

The enduring character of America\u2019s historical parties has provided and can provide again an alternative to antidemocratic or anti-republican alternatives that may emerge, as they did in Europe a century ago. In the meantime, there may be a premium for the party that emerges first from what some might call its version of Trump derangement syndrome.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26144834770175-e1780578852747.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594580-1780564329", "title":"Freedom250 says fuel leak on National Mall was smaller than initially reported", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594580%2Ffreedom250-fuel-leak-national-mall-smaller%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Organizers for Freedom250 disputed a story claiming over 30 gallons of fuel spilled onto the National Mall last month, saying the actual amount was about 2.5 gallons. NBC News reported on Monday that during Freedom250’s “Rededicate 250” prayer service last month, over 30 gallons of fuel spilled out of commercial generators onto the National Mall. […]", "description":""

Organizers for Freedom250<\/a> disputed a story claiming over 30 gallons of fuel spilled onto the National Mall<\/a> last month, saying the actual amount was about 2.5 gallons.<\/p>

NBC News reported<\/a> on Monday that during Freedom250's \"Rededicate 250\" prayer service last month, over 30 gallons of fuel spilled out of commercial generators onto the National Mall. A spokesperson told the outlet that the spill was due to the generators being targeted by vandals, and the matter is under investigation.<\/p>

However, the organization disputed a key detail of the story on Wednesday, telling<\/a> Axios that the leak was from a 30-gallon fuel tank, but that only about 2.5 gallons leaked from this source. It added that the spill site had been fully cleaned up.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to Freedom250 for comment.<\/p>

Freedom250 is the White House's response to America250, the Congress-established group tasked with organizing celebrations for the United States's 250th birthday. Competition between the two has intensified as Independence Day approaches, heightening confusion among artists and potential watchers alike.<\/p>

WHITE HOUSE DISTANCES ITSELF FROM FREEDOM 250 AMID CONCERT CONTROVERSY<\/a><\/p>

Freedom250 has stressed its non-partisan nature, but many critics of the Trump administration aren't buying it. Further complicating matters are issues of funding, financial transparency, and the sense of a rivalry between it and America250. The White House has openly distanced itself<\/a> from the body after artists began distancing themselves from it over the attached political stigma.<\/p>

The fuel spill at the National Mall was one of the biggest PR blows for Freedom250, and a full three days passed between the initial report of 30 gallons spilling and the counterclaim that only about 2.5 gallons spilled.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26125744501718.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593729-1780563600", "title":"Why were parents kept in the dark about California school district’s partnership with a US-Islamic relations council?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593729%2Fcalifornia-san-juan-unified-cair-partnership-parents%2F", "byline":"Reuven H. Taff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"As a parent whose children attended San Juan Unified schools in Northern California, I was stunned to learn that between 2022 and 2024, the district accepted nearly $360,000 from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. This was not a small donation quietly placed into a general education fund. An investigative report by Defending Education found that […]", "description":""

As a parent whose children attended San Juan Unified schools<\/a> in Northern California, I was stunned to learn that between 2022 and 2024, the district accepted nearly $360,000 from the Council on American-Islamic Relations<\/a>.<\/p>

This was not a small donation<\/a> quietly placed into a general education fund. An investigative report<\/a> by Defending Education found that the district\u2019s relationship with CAIR appears to have included memoranda of understanding, ongoing communication with district staff, and programs connected to students.<\/p>

In one of numerous emails between CAIR and the school district cited in the report, CAIR representatives told district officials they had launched a six-week leadership development program at Starr King K-8 and hoped to expand it to other schools through a memorandum of understanding with the district.<\/p>

THE PARTY OF NAZI ACCUSERS IS AWFULLY SILENT ABOUT JEW HATRED AFTER NYC SYNAGOGUE TERRORIZED<\/a><\/p>

The report also raises concerns about student privacy. According to documents cited in the report, CAIR requested student names, and district personnel provided them. San Juan Unified\u2019s own website states: \u201cSan Juan Unified does not collect or share information about a student\u2019s or family\u2019s immigration status. Student records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and are only released with a valid court order or subpoena.\u201d<\/p>

What makes this situation especially troubling is not only what it reveals about one organization and one school district but what it suggests about how such relationships are managed more broadly in public education<\/a>. I served as the principal of an elementary school in the greater Washington, D.C., area for seven years. During my tenure, our school regularly partnered with outside organizations and private donors. Those partnerships benefited students and enriched educational opportunities. But such relationships require transparency and public accountability, particularly when they involve formal agreements, student programs, access to student information, or substantial sums of money.<\/p>

Parents should not have to learn about these arrangements through investigative reports. They should be informed when decisions are made to partner with outside organizations or donors and should know who approved those relationships, what obligations were created, what safeguards were put in place, and how students were protected. Transparency is not an obstacle to public education; it is what parents have a right to expect.<\/p>

Whether one views CAIR favorably or unfavorably is ultimately beside the point. When a public school district enters into formal agreements with an outside organization, receives hundreds of thousands of dollars, and permits programs connected to students<\/a>, parents and taxpayers deserve a full accounting. Public trust depends on openness, not secrecy.<\/p>

The details outlined in the report leave several important questions unanswered: What exactly was this money funding? What role did CAIR play in student programs? Who approved these agreements, and why were parents never informed?<\/p>

These are basic questions about transparency, accountability, and public trust. The lack of answers would be concerning, no matter which organization was involved. The fact that the organization was CAIR only underscores the need for answers.<\/p>

So why should Californians<\/a> care about a public school district's financial relationship with CAIR?<\/p>

Because although CAIR presents itself as a civil rights organization, questions about its leadership, affiliations, and public statements have come under scrutiny.<\/p>

Those issues have been examined by researchers at George Washington University's Program on Extremism. The researchers noted that CAIR-Ohio Director Khalid Turaani participated in an event that included Majed al Zeer, a Hamas official whom the U.S. government designated as a terrorist<\/a> for his role in Hamas fundraising efforts.<\/p>

Broader concerns about CAIR\u2019s leadership and public messaging intensified after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, when CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad made comments that drew widespread criticism.<\/p>

Awad said, \u201cI was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles.\u201d<\/p>

He also stated that Israel \u201cdoes not have that right to self-defense.\u201d<\/p>

Awad\u2019s colleague, Turaani, declared in March 2026: \u201cI wish we get rid of Israel once and for all and that our region is safe.\u201d<\/p>

For many Jewish families, statements like these are deeply troubling. At a time of rising antisemitism<\/a>, they raise serious questions about the judgment to partner with an organization associated with such statements.<\/p>

Against that backdrop, the more pressing question is why a California public school district would enter into such agreements with no public transparency. That question becomes clearer when looking at what is \u2014 and is not \u2014 on the district\u2019s own website.<\/p>

After reading the report, I went to the San Juan Unified website expecting to find public information about outside funding partnerships and support for district programs. I found no donation page, no partnership section, and no explanation of how outside organizations can contribute to the district. <\/p>

If that does not raise red flags, it should. <\/p>

Parents are entitled to know when school districts enter into formal agreements with outside organizations, who approved them, and what role those organizations played.<\/p>

THE GAZA GENOCIDE MYTH: TIME TO PUT AN END TO MODERN BLOOD LIBEL<\/a><\/p>

San Juan Unified should immediately release every memorandum of understanding, agreement, reporting requirement, and communication tied to this funding \u2014 and explain why parents<\/a> and taxpayers were kept in the dark.<\/p>

The public deserves answers in full daylight \u2014 and it deserves them now.<\/p>

Reuven H. Taff, a past president of the Sacramento Board of Rabbis, is rabbi emeritus of Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento. His commentaries have appeared in CalMatters, the Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and other publications.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/98bf372f1e4b146601c91f60f2af4953-e1780517715950.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593397-1780563600", "title":"We’ve seen the data center hysterics before", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593397%2Fdata-center-hysterics-seen-before%2F", "byline":"Alex Pfeiffer", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In the mid-1970s, a group of environmental activists created the Clamshell Alliance, a group dedicated to opposing the Seabrook nuclear power plant in New Hampshire. In their 1977 “Declaration of Nuclear Resistance,” they declared an “immediate and permanent halt to the construction and export of nuclear power plants” as they are “wasteful” and an “economic […]", "description":""

In the mid-1970s, a group of environmental<\/a> activists created the Clamshell Alliance, a group dedicated to opposing the Seabrook nuclear power plant<\/a> in New Hampshire. In their 1977 \"Declaration of Nuclear Resistance,\" they declared an \"immediate and permanent halt to the construction and export of nuclear power plants\" as they are \"wasteful\" and an \"economic catastrophe.\"<\/p>

Sound familiar?<\/p>

A new moral panic seems to be sweeping across the American political landscape. In at least 14 states, legislators have introduced bills to freeze the construction of data centers. More than a hundred local communities have enacted their own moratoriums. In March, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the AI Data Center Moratorium Act<\/a>, which would halt all new construction exceeding twenty megawatts nationwide until Congress passes comprehensive federal AI legislation \u2014 a framework that they and other Democrats have been instrumental in blocking.<\/p>

FOREIGN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS ARE FUELING THE ANTI-DATA CENTER MOVEMENT<\/a><\/p>

Ocasio-Cortez claims that we need to \u201cstop the expansion of these data centers until we have a framework to adequately address the existential harm AI poses to our society. We must choose humanity over profit.\u201d<\/p>

The Clamshell Alliance, fortunately, failed in stopping the construction of the Seabrook nuclear plant.<\/p>

As a result, Seabrook produces power for nearly 8% of New England\u2019s electricity needs. It has allowed Massachusetts<\/a> to decrease carbon emissions while reducing costs for consumers.<\/p>

The emotionally driven anti-nuclear power forces lost that battle, but they won the war.<\/p>

In 1974, American utilities ordered more than 40 nuclear reactors in a single year. By 1978, the last new order had been placed. It would be three decades before another followed. After Three Mile Island in 1979, 67 planned reactors were canceled in under a decade. Of the 253 reactors ordered over the life of the American nuclear program, nearly half were abandoned. The industrial base that had made construction feasible \u2014 suppliers, skilled tradespeople, engineering firms \u2014 dispersed and disappeared. When the country finally attempted to build again at the Vogtle plant in Georgia, decades later, the project ran years behind schedule and billions over budget. After letting hysteric opposition stop building \"temporarily,\" America had lost the capacity to build.<\/p>

The consequences of that lost capacity are still compounding. American nuclear generation has been effectively frozen at about 19% of the electricity mix since the late 1980s. Our nuclear reactors are aging, and the country that once led the world in nuclear technology now struggles to complete a single project on time.<\/p>

While America\u2019s nuclear capacity stalled, China has been building<\/a>. It now operates 61 nuclear reactors with 39 more under construction, approving 10 or more new units every year since 2022. While our nuclear capacity has been stalled for decades, China intends to double its generation in the coming years.<\/p>

This is what it looks like to stop building. The pause isn\u2019t temporary, and the rest of the world won\u2019t wait for America to catch up. We\u2019ve seen what happened with nuclear power, and now the data center panic is heading down the same path. Already, half of the planned U.S. data center builds in 2026 have been delayed or canceled. Formal moratoriums would lock these delays in permanently.<\/p>

As with nuclear energy, the \u201cexistential fear\u201d driving the call for these moratoriums is unfounded.<\/p>

Consider the Stratos project in Box Elder County, Utah. The site is 40,000 acres of unincorporated ranchland in Hansel Valley, a stretch of country the county describes as difficult to farm and sparsely populated. The developer, working with a firm owned by Kevin O\u2019Leary and Utah's Military Installation Development Authority, plans to generate all power on-site using a natural gas pipeline that already runs through the property. The facility will not connect to the local grid. It will not raise anyone's electricity bill<\/a>. The water comes from existing water rights already attached to the land, historically used for agricultural irrigation.<\/p>

The developers claim, and the state has not disputed, that the facility's net water draw will actually be lower than the agricultural use it replaces, producing what the governor's office calls a \"net benefit to the Great Salt Lake watershed.\" The nearest building would sit about 10 miles from the Great Salt Lake.<\/p>

Still, more than 3,700 people filed protests with the Utah Division of Water Rights. The constantly concerned Sierra Club called the project \"irresponsible and dangerous.\" A county commission meeting grew so heated that one commissioner told the crowd to \"grow up\" before the board finally approved the project. A referendum effort is now underway to reverse the decision.<\/p>

The furor over the Stratos project has been replicated nationwide. In the small town of Festus, Missouri<\/a>, several city council members lost their jobs over approving a data center that is slated to create 150 jobs.<\/p>

What would it mean if these anti-building forces succeed?<\/p>

DON\u2019T BELIEVE THE HYPE: NO NEED TO PANIC OVER DATA CENTER ENERGY USE<\/a><\/p>

Well, let\u2019s think about the top issue for voters: the economy. Stopping the data center<\/a> buildout will bring the AI boom to a halt and, alongside it, the hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. investment and hundreds of thousands of jobs being created. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the sort of union that Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez claim to support, loves data centers. It has noted that their buildout is creating a \"new generation of IBEW jobs.\"<\/p>

America has faced this choice before: give in to hysterical panic over building or embrace a prosperous future enabled by new technology. I hope voters and their elected officials, from the county level to the halls of Congress, recognize the stakes and make the right choice.<\/p>

Alex Pfeiffer is a former deputy assistant to President Donald Trump and White House principal deputy communications director.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Feat.USChinaAI2.052026-e1780507823501.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4592716-1780563600", "title":"Iraq’s militias aren’t disarming. They’re rebranding", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4592716%2Firaqi-militias-arent-disarming-theyre-rebranding%2F", "byline":"Heyrsh Abdulrahman", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Recent reports suggesting that Iraqi militias are preparing to disarm have generated optimism in Washington. If true, it would represent a significant step toward restoring state authority and reducing the influence of armed groups that have operated outside government control for years. The problem is there is little evidence that genuine disarmament is actually taking […]", "description":""

Recent reports suggesting that Iraqi militias<\/a> are preparing to disarm have generated optimism in Washington. If true, it would represent a significant step toward restoring state authority and reducing the influence<\/a> of armed groups that have operated outside government control for years.<\/p>

The problem is there is little evidence that genuine disarmament is actually taking place.<\/p>

The first question policymakers should ask is simple: Who is making these pledges, and who is not?<\/p>

IRAQ IS BEING CAPTURED, AND WASHINGTON IS LETTING IT HAPPEN<\/a><\/p>

Several figures associated with the Sadrist trend have publicly signaled a willingness to lay down weapons or further integrate into state institutions. Yet many of the most powerful Iran-aligned<\/a> factions that emerged from the Badr movement and other entrenched militia networks have made no comparable commitment.<\/p>

That alone should encourage skepticism.<\/p>

More importantly, many of Iraq\u2019s militia leaders <\/a>understand that power is not measured solely by weapons. It is measured by influence, political leverage, economic networks, and control over state institutions. A militia commander who exchanges fatigues for an Iraqi military uniform while continuing to answer to militia leadership has not disarmed. He has simply changed clothes.<\/p>

That is not disarmament. It is rebranding.<\/p>

Reports from Baghdad suggest that militia headquarters remain open, organizational flags remain visible, and the networks<\/a> that have shaped Iraq\u2019s political and security landscape for years continue to function. The public narrative may be changing, but the underlying power structures appear largely intact.<\/p>

This should be particularly relevant for Tom Barrack, who now holds one of the most influential positions in shaping the Trump administration\u2019s approach toward Iraq and Syria.<\/p>

Barrack should be careful not to mistake political messaging for genuine reform. Iraq does not need another round of symbolic gestures designed to reassure foreign governments while preserving the status quo. It needs measurable change.<\/p>

Real disarmament means weapons are surrendered, independent command structures are dismantled, and armed groups are brought fully under the authority of the Iraqi state.<\/p>

But even that is not enough.<\/p>

The larger issue is accountability.<\/p>

For years, Iraqis have watched powerful political and armed actors accumulate influence, expand economic empires, and operate with near-total impunity. If today\u2019s disarmament discussion<\/a> does not address corruption, political intimidation, misuse of public resources, and past abuses, then it risks becoming little more than a public relations exercise.<\/p>

Many Iraqis remain skeptical for precisely that reason. They have heard promises before. What they have rarely seen are consequences.<\/p>

The obvious question is whether these announcements are driven by security concerns or financial ones. For years, access to U.S. dollar flows has been one of Baghdad\u2019s most sensitive pressure points. The timing of these disarmament claims is difficult to ignore. If militia leaders believe symbolic gestures can persuade Washington that meaningful reforms are underway, they may view public declarations of \u201cdisarmament\u201d as a relatively inexpensive way to secure economic relief and greater financial flexibility without surrendering real power.<\/p>

Genuine reform requires more than statements. It requires verifiable action.<\/p>

The real test is not whether militia leaders issue press releases. The real test is whether militia headquarters close, weapons are surrendered, illicit networks are dismantled, and those responsible for corruption<\/a> and abuses are held accountable.<\/p>

Iraq\u2019s future will not be secured through carefully crafted announcements or symbolic gestures. Lasting stability requires functioning institutions, an independent judiciary, equal application of the law, and a government willing to assert authority over all armed actors regardless of their political influence.<\/p>

AMERICA MUST STOP BANKROLLING IRAN THROUGH IRAQ<\/a><\/p>

Until that happens, Washington should view claims of militia disarmament with caution.<\/p>

The real question is not whether Iraq\u2019s militias<\/a> are disarming. It is whether they are simply finding a new way to keep the power they already have.<\/p>

Heyrsh Abdulrahman is a Washington-based senior intelligence analyst and former Kurdistan Regional Government official. His commentary and analysis have been featured in leading U.S. and international publications.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Iraqi-militia.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594598-1780562888", "title":"Mikie Sherrill vilifies ICE while downplaying dangerous violence of Delaney Hall protesters", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4594598%2Fmikie-sherrill-vilifies-ice-downplaying-violence-delaney-hall-protesters%2F", "byline":"Christopher Tremoglie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Scores of violent, criminal left-wing protesters assaulted law enforcement officers at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, earlier this week. However, Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) used the incident to demonize law enforcement officers instead.  After hours of violent attacks on Delaney Hall, organized and instigated by masked left-wing agitators, Sherrill did what Democrats do in […]", "description":""

Scores of violent, criminal left-wing protesters assaulted law enforcement officers at Delaney Hall<\/a> in Newark, New Jersey, earlier this week. However, Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) used the incident to demonize law enforcement officers instead.\u00a0<\/p>

After hours of violent attacks on Delaney Hall, organized and instigated by masked left-wing agitators, Sherrill did what Democrats do in these situations: blame law enforcement. Instead of criticizing, denouncing, or demanding accountability of the violent perpetrators, she used her platform to vilify and demonize Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, as so many other Democrats have done over the last two years.<\/p>

Consider Sherrill\u2019s despicable words in an X post from Sunday morning<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cLast night, masked individuals at Delaney Hall attacked the barrier in the protected protest area and began aggressive and dangerous actions against Newark and New Jersey State Police, including throwing projectiles, utilizing the barriers as weapons, and lighting tires on fire in the street,\u201d Sherrill posted. \u201cThese actions put both peaceful protestors and law enforcement in danger. The police were not in protective gear; they had been on location since early in the morning ensuring protestors and counter protestors had areas to exercise their rights safely. As these dangerous actions took place, additional support was needed to protect civilians and law enforcement.\u201d<\/p>

Note to Mikie Sherrill: the federal law enforcers arresting criminal illegal immigrants are the good guys. The criminals she described as engaging in dangerously violent antics, endangering innocent people, are the bad guys.\u00a0<\/p>

Naturally, one would think Sherrill would rightfully identify the criminals who engaged in these activities as the wrongdoers, right? And admit they were the enemy and should be held accountable for their crimes? It is what any sane, objective, decent, honorable, truthful, and logical person would do. <\/p>

But not Sherrill. Instead, after listing all the dangerous crimes committed by the left-wing foot soldiers stationed outside Delaney Hall in Newark, for some reason, she vilified and demonized ICE officers.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cMy number one priority will always be public safety, and I remain dedicated to protecting constitutional rights,\u201d Sherrill said. \u201cWe simply cannot let ICE surge into our community.\u201d<\/p>

Huh?<\/p>

It was a comment that should make everyone\u2019s blood boil. After listing a sequence of events in which agitators endangered innocent people, she mentions another group (ICE officers) that had nothing to do with the incidents.<\/p>

Furthermore, Sherrill\u2019s words should raise numerous red flags. With her comment, she showed her commitment to prioritizing the work of the Left\u2019s pro-illegal immigration foot soldiers, no matter the dangers, havoc, and destruction they cause. She gave them free rein to do whatever they want, to endanger whomever they please, and to destroy whatever they desire, so long as it is in the name of anti-ICE endeavors.<\/p>

Sherrill\u2019s remarks, as horrific as they were, should come as no surprise to any objective person today. They reflect the rabid embracement by liberals, Democrats, and others on the Left of the term I coined, \u201cradical illegal immigration ideology.\u201d As she continued with her statement, Sherrill reinforced her commitment to ensuring chaos, not protecting the welfare of people in New Jersey or the law enforcement officers who protect Sherrill, her family, and millions of other New Jersey residents.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO SIT FOR AMERICANS AND STAND FOR VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AT DELANEY HALL<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI do not know why these individuals attacked or what they wanted to accomplish, but I refuse to let these dangerous actions detract from New Jersey\u2019s dedication to ensuring public safety, keeping people safe from ICE, and that the people detained inside Delaney Hall are treated with dignity,\u201d Sherrill said, expressing falsehoods about the motives of the rioters while once again demonizing ICE.<\/p>

People like Mikie Sherrill are fanatics. It is time to stop sugarcoating this or mincing words. Like the rest of her left-wing brethren, Sherrill demonstrated that\u00a0liberals, Democrats, and others on the Left will excuse anything, even dangerous, violent crime, when it comes to protecting their desire to prioritize radical illegal immigration ideology. Any innocent people injured, hurt, or even killed in these processes are acceptable collateral damage to people like Sherrill.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-btpm7zqw2-1780573430544-e1780573509489.jpg?1780562736&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594607-1780562470", "title":"Trump blasts Republicans who voted against him in war powers resolution: ‘Unpatriotic’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594607%2Ftrump-blasts-four-republicans-voted-war-powers-resolution-unpatriotic%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump on Thursday ripped four “bad” Republicans who joined Democrats in passing legislation that effectively forces the president to end American military operations in Iran. The House passed legislation to “remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized” by Congress, delivering a high-profile foreign policy defeat to the president. The […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> on Thursday ripped four \u201cbad\u201d Republicans<\/a> who joined Democrats<\/a> in passing legislation that effectively forces the president to end American military operations in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>

The House passed legislation to<\/a> \"remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized\" by Congress, delivering a high-profile foreign policy defeat to the president. The Senate passed similar legislation a few weeks ago. <\/p>

TRUMP SUFFERS DEFEAT AS FOUR HOUSE REPUBLICANS BACK REMOVING US FROM HOSTILITIES WITH IRAN<\/a><\/p>

\"Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers, right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran,\" Trump said in a Truth Social post<\/a>. \"Who would do such an unpatriotic thing. They know where the negotiations stand.\"<\/p>

Iran backed out of negotiations with the United States on Monday, just short of a week after U.S. and Iranian negotiators agreed to extend the ceasefire for two months. On Tuesday, U.S. and Iranian forces traded \"self-defense\" strikes, in which the U.S. struck Qeshm Island, to which Iran responded with attacks targeting U.S. assets in Kuwait.<\/p>

Still, Trump condemned the vote, backing U.S. military action as a step toward victory. <\/p>

\"The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome,\" he said in his post. \"They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that\u2019s a whole other story - They\u2019re GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves.\" <\/p>

Reps. Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Warren Davidson (R-OH) were the four Republicans to join Democrats. Davidson was a new addition to the GOP members who backed limiting Trump's Iran war powers last month.<\/p>

The president has already endorsed<\/a> Davidson and Barrett in the midterm elections, both of whom are looking to keep their seats. Neither congressman faces any GOP challengers.<\/p>

Massie had already broken from his party earlier this year and made himself an enemy of the president, which ultimately cost him reelection.<\/p>

TRUMP FACES A STRING OF LOSSES AFTER RIDING HIGH OVER THE GOP<\/a><\/p>

Barrett and Fitzpatrick told the Washington Examiner that they had made clear to the White House where they stand on the conflict.<\/p>

The\u00a01973 War Powers Resolution<\/a>\u00a0limits a president\u2019s power to allow military action to 60 days before having to seek authorization from Congress. The law does allow the president to grant himself a one-time 30-day extension, subject to limitations on offensive operations. The Iran war has extended well past the 90-day mark.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154726409062.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594597-1780561234", "title":"Israel and Lebanon announce a new ceasefire, but Hezbollah signaled it won’t cooperate", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4594597%2Fisrael-lebanon-new-ceasefire-hezbollah-cooperation-uncertain%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Israel and Lebanon announced the renewal of a ceasefire upon certain conditions, but the continued non-engagement of Hezbollah in the talks makes the group’s cooperation uncertain. The ceasefire renewal, which effectively functions as a new attempt at a ceasefire, came as a result of the third round of trilateral talks between the U.S. State Department, […]", "description":""

Israel<\/a> and Lebanon<\/a> announced the renewal of a ceasefire upon certain conditions, but the continued non-engagement of Hezbollah in the talks makes the group's cooperation uncertain.<\/p>

The ceasefire renewal, which effectively functions as a new attempt at a ceasefire, came as a result of the third round of trilateral talks between the U.S. State Department, an Israeli delegation, and a Lebanese government delegation in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and Wednesday. The new ceasefire agreement added clear steps for Hezbollah<\/a> to take, which included its exit from southern Lebanon and a cessation of fire against Israel. As with the previous ceasefire announcements, Hezbollah is unlikely to abide by the agreement, given its continued exclusion from talks. The group has repeatedly voiced its intention not to abide by any ceasefire agreement without the complete withdrawal of Israeli military troops from southern Lebanon.<\/p>

\"As a result of the U.S.-led negotiations, Israel and Lebanon agreed to the implementation of a ceasefire. The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hizbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector,\" a joint statement<\/a> from the three negotiating parties read.<\/p>

\"The two sides agreed with the guidance of the United States to swiftly advance the creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors,\" it added \u2014 a new stipulation of the ceasefire framework.<\/p>

The statement was openly hostile toward Hezbollah, saying, \"All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or\u202fnon-state actor, to hold Lebanon\u2019s future hostage.\"<\/p>

The comment was an obvious slight against Hezbollah, which has established effective control over much of Lebanon for decades. Even in its degraded state, the militant group is still several times more powerful than the Lebanese government. The statement also condemned Iran's attacks on countries in the Middle East, and \"ongoing activities that undermine stability throughout the Middle East, whether through support for proxies and all other\u202facts of aggression.\"<\/p>

After the ceasefire was made public, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem called negotiations \"shameless\" and said the deal is a \u201csurrender and defeat.\"<\/p>

The three negotiating parties established that they would reconvene the week of June 22 for further talks.<\/p>

Though a ceasefire in Lebanon was announced in April, it has essentially only existed on paper. Hezbollah and Israel have continued attacks against each other unabated, with each blaming provocations from the other as the reason for their attacks.<\/p>

Further casting doubt on the viability of the new ceasefire announcement were comments from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday. He said Israel's operations in Lebanon would continue unabated, and that residents from southern Lebanon wouldn't be able to return home.<\/p>

The failure of a ceasefire in Lebanon has thrown the viability of a continued ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran in question. Earlier this week, Tehran said it would withdraw from negotiations altogether unless a true ceasefire was implemented in southern Lebanon, sparking a flurry of diplomatic activity to manage the situation.<\/p>

The issue of Lebanon has emerged as a key friction point between the U.S. and Israel, with President Donald Trump<\/a> confirming on Wednesday that he cursed out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> in a phone call over Israel's actions in Lebanon.<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

\u201cYou\u2019re f***ing crazy. You\u2019d be in prison if it weren\u2019t for me. I\u2019m saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,\u201d Trump reportedly told Netanyahu, according to sources speaking with Axios, which was confirmed on Wednesday. At one point, he added, \u201cWhat the f*** are you doing?\u201d<\/p>

The Israeli military advanced north of the Litani River for the first time since it withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 last month, taking the historic Beaufort crusader castle.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26153496920192.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594599-1780560178", "title":"New World screwworm confirmed in Texas, threatening cattle industry", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594599%2Fnew-world-screwworm-confirmed-texas-threatening-cattle-industry%2F", "byline":"Claire Carter", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Department of Agriculture confirmed on Wednesday that the New World screwworm fly has been detected in Texas, marking the first time the parasite has threatened America’s cattle industry since 1966.  Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the flesh-eating larvae was detected in a calf in Zavala […]", "description":""

The Department of Agriculture<\/a> confirmed on Wednesday that the New World screwworm<\/a> fly has been detected in Texas<\/a>, marking the first time the parasite has threatened America\u2019s cattle industry since 1966.\u00a0<\/p>

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins<\/a> said the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the flesh-eating larvae was detected in a calf in Zavala County, Texas, roughly 50 miles from the Mexican border<\/a>, adding that her department is \u201ctaking immediate action\u201d to mitigate the spread.<\/p>

MINNESOTA SCORES MASSIVE CONTRACT TO HELP TEXAS GET SCREWWORM CRISIS UNDER CONTROL<\/a><\/p>

A 12-mile quarantine zone has been established, barring any warm-blooded animal, including pets, from entering from outside the perimeter. Rollins said there have been no other detections and that the larvae do not pose a threat to the food supply, emphasizing the detection has been contained.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cOur food supply is 100% safe. This potential New World Screworm detection is being fully contained and is not a harm to the American food supply or consumer safety,\u201d Rollins said in a statement posted to X<\/a>.<\/p>

Rollins added that additional resources have been sent to the farm in La Pryor, Texas, to provide support in containing the fly, telling producers to be \u201cvigilant and watchful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Screwworms pose a serious threat<\/a> to the cattle industry, as well as other animals, because the fly\u2019s 10- to 30-day lifespan gives way for an infestation to spread quickly throughout a herd. Screwworms lay eggs in warm-blooded animals\u2019 open wounds and orifices, which then hatch into parasitic maggots that feed on the animals\u2019 tissue. <\/p>

Reports of a screwworm infection were first reported Tuesday in a 5-year-old goat in Mexico\u2019s Coahuila state, which put Rollins and the cattle industry on alert. She said then that \u201cthere\u2019s no doubt that this is a very, very serious threat to our livestock.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

A potential outbreak could cost Texas livestock producers hundreds of millions of dollars, and hit the state\u2019s economy with over $1.8 billion in losses, according to estimates by the Agriculture Department. <\/p>

The New-World screwworm first entered the United States in 2025, but USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins said in a press release that officials were able to \u201cbuy time\u201d and prepare for the threat of a larger outbreak.<\/p>

FLESH-EATING MAGGOTS CALLED NEW WORLD SCREWWORM MOVE THROUGH MEXICO TOWARD US<\/a><\/p>

Rollins said the recent detection is a result of open border policies under the Biden administration that allowed illegal cattle trading across borders. <\/p>

\u201cUnfortunately, the open-border policies of the last administration and the resulting illicit cattle movement throughout Mexico have caused NWS to potentially reach our side of the border,\u201d Rollins said. \u201cBUT, there is no one better than Texas and our live stock producers to have in this fight.\u201d<\/p>

Guidelines for what to do if a screwworm is on your animals can be found on the USDA's webpage<\/a> dedicated to the larvae.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP25237540501545_b2486d.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594352-1780560000", "title":"Midterm Countdown: The most expensive midterm ever?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594352%2Fmidterm-countdown-expensive%2F", "byline":"David Sivak, Haris Alic and Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"This story is part of a series of monthly snapshots from the Washington Examiner, titled Midterm Countdown, gauging the state of the 2026 election cycle. Scroll down to the bottom of the story for the latest prediction market odds of who is going to win. The 2022 midterm elections shattered spending records, with campaigns and outside groups […]", "description":""

This story is part of a series of monthly snapshots from the Washington Examiner, titled Midterm Countdown<\/a>, gauging the state of the 2026 election cycle. Scroll down to the bottom of the story for the latest prediction market odds of who is going to win.<\/p>

The 2022 midterm elections shattered spending records, with campaigns and outside groups pouring more than $16.7 billion<\/a> into state and federal races, according to Open Secrets. There are already early signs that 2026 could surpass it.<\/p>

Republicans and their allies spent more than $100 million trying to save Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), only to watch Attorney General Ken Paxton defeat him in a primary. The spending blitz underscored just how much money both parties are willing to deploy in high-stakes races.<\/p>

Democrats are setting records of their own. Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has already raised more than $40 million<\/a>, while Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee in Maine, has hauled in more than $16 million<\/a> in his bid to unseat Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).<\/p>

The spending surge extends beyond the Senate. Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-KY) primary became the most expensive in history after outside groups and political organizations flooded the race with money. Outside groups spent more than $30 million on ads alone to oust Massie, who lost to Trump-backed Ed Gallrein. <\/p>

With control of Congress likely to hinge on a handful of races, strategists in both parties expect campaign spending to reach unprecedented levels as November approaches.<\/p>Candidate quality

The 2026 election<\/a> is shaping up to be another test of how much \u201ccandidate quality<\/a>\u201d matters to voters, and the answer could very well decide which party controls Congress<\/a> next year.<\/p>

Democrats are poised to nominate Graham Platner as their candidate for Senate in Maine despite a \u201csexting\u201d scandal<\/a> that has raised fresh doubts about his ability to defeat five-term incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).<\/p>

In Texas, Republicans have grudgingly embraced<\/a> Ken Paxton after they tried, and failed, to prop up four-term incumbent Cornyn. Paxton has been dogged by corruption allegations and an affair that led to his 2023 impeachment in the Texas House.<\/p>

The Paxton and Platner races are hardly the only ones hinging on voters\u2019 willingness to overlook a candidate\u2019s flaws. In the House, both parties are dealing with candidates accused of affairs, insider trading, and more.<\/p>Democrats flirt with going independent

Democrats<\/a> searching for a path back into deeply Republican<\/a> states are increasingly embracing a strategy that would have once been politically unthinkable: quietly sidelining their own nominees in favor of independent<\/a> candidates they believe have a better shot at winning.<\/p>

From Nebraska to Alaska to Montana, Democratic operatives and aligned groups are showing growing openness to candidates who avoid the Democratic label altogether, reflecting mounting concern inside the party that the brand itself has become toxic in some conservative states.<\/p>

In Nebraska, Democratic officials have effectively aligned themselves with independent Dan Osborn rather than fully consolidating behind Democratic nominee Cindy Burbank, who has signaled she could eventually leave the race. Similar conversations are unfolding around independent Senate candidate Seth Bodnar in Montana and House candidate Bill Hill in Alaska.<\/p>

The emerging playbook reflects a growing belief among some Democrats that, in states where Republicans dominate federal races, candidates may fare better running adjacent to the party rather than directly under its banner. But the strategy has exposed deep disagreements inside Democratic circles over whether the party should adapt to its brand problems in red states or work to repair them.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s the stupidest thing I\u2019ve ever heard,\u201d Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso said of efforts by party-aligned groups to quietly boost independents while distancing themselves publicly from the Democratic label.<\/p>

\u201cIf the human being themselves wants to not be associated with the Democratic Party, and they want to run as an independent, then run as an independent,\u201d Ceraso said. \u201cBut please, to the Democratic Party, stop trying to be cute about it.\u201d<\/p>

Ceraso argued Democrats are overthinking the problem and focusing too heavily on branding rather than candidate quality and local engagement.<\/p>

\u201cJust tell donors you\u2019re going to go into these communities to find the best candidates to run, and then go run them,\u201d he said.<\/p>What the prediction markets say

Prediction markets are increasingly viewed as a real-time gauge of political sentiment. Unlike traditional polling, they aggregate real-money bets on political outcomes, often capturing shifts in sentiment quicker than surveys.<\/p>

At this stage in the 2026 cycle, Kalshi gives Democrats an 79% chance<\/a> of retaking the House, while Republicans have a 58% chance<\/a> of keeping control of the Senate.<\/p>

Meanwhile, Polymarket is slightly more bullish on Democrats, giving the party an 82% chance<\/a> of retaking the House and a 54% chance<\/a> of winning the Senate.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1600x900-MC1-e1777683864618.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593837-1780560000", "title":"‘Independent’ investigator that absolved Fairfax schools in illegal immigrant groping case teaches ICE evasion tactics", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Finvestigations%2F4593837%2Ffairfax-schools-mcguirewoods-illegal-immigrant-groping-case%2F", "byline":"Mia Cathell", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The “independent” law firm that Fairfax County Public Schools hired to investigate its handling of a groping case involving an illegal immigrant provides pro bono immigration assistance and coaches clients on how to elude deportation authorities. Earlier this year, FCPS retained McGuireWoods, the largest law firm in Virginia, as an “objective” investigator to review whether […]", "description":""

The \u201cindependent\u201d law firm that Fairfax County<\/a> Public Schools hired to investigate its handling of a groping case<\/a> involving an illegal immigrant<\/a> provides pro bono immigration assistance and coaches clients on how to elude deportation<\/a> authorities.<\/p>

Earlier this year, FCPS retained<\/a> McGuireWoods, the largest law firm in Virginia<\/a>, as an \u201cobjective\u201d investigator to review whether the Northern Virginia school district properly dealt with a string of sexual assaults on school property committed by now-convicted illegal immigrant Israel Flores Ortiz.<\/p>

Ortiz, a nearly 19-year-old foreign national in the U.S. illegally from El Salvador, allegedly groped roughly a dozen young girls on different occasions in the hallways of Fairfax High School.<\/p>

The victims reported to police<\/a> that Ortiz, an FCPS student enrolled in 11th grade, approached them from behind and grabbed their private parts by reaching between the girls\u2019 thighs. A judge later found Ortiz guilty<\/a> of nine counts of assault and battery out of 13 total assault charges, sentencing him to 360 days in jail plus probation.<\/p>McGuireWoods finds FCPS acted \u2018appropriately\u2019

FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid announced in a districtwide statement<\/a> this week that McGuireWoods has cleared the school administration of any wrongdoing in how it handled multiple reports of Ortiz sexually assaulting female students between classes.<\/p>

\u201cThe external investigation confirmed that our administration acted promptly and appropriately to stop this behavior,\u201d Reid wrote Monday in the message to FCPS families.<\/p>

It was revealed in court that Ortiz\u2019s pattern of sexual predation stretched back months before FCPS alerted parents about the situation in March. During the criminal proceedings, Fairfax County prosecutors said Ortiz groped several girls over the course of the school year.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner contacted FCPS and McGuireWoods for comment on potential objectivity concerns surrounding the law firm\u2019s assessment of the school district\u2019s actions, or alleged lack thereof.<\/p>Pro-immigration activism

McGuireWoods offers free immigration relief<\/a> services through pro bono partnerships<\/a>.<\/p>

McGuireWoods also has dedicated teams of immigration and labor law attorneys who advise workplaces that employ illegal immigrant laborers on how to \u201cnavigate\u201d unexpected visits from federal agents, enhanced scrutiny of I-9 documentation<\/a>, and increased inspections.<\/p>

In preparation for President Donald Trump\u2019s mass deportation plans following his inauguration, McGuireWoods circulated legal alerts<\/a> urging companies to create action plans in case Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents appear at their worksites.<\/p>

HOW THE LEFT FUNDS THE LEGAL INDUSTRY SHIELDING MIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION<\/a><\/p>

In one workshop<\/a>, a 55-minute webinar titled \u201cPreparing for Immigration Investigations and Enforcement Actions,\u201d law partners at McGuireWoods specializing in immigration audits walked clients through what to do during an ICE raid.<\/p>

One of the lecturers recommended that employers with illegal immigrant workers mark off areas as private to make clear to ICE agents that they cannot enter those sections without a judicial warrant.<\/p>

\u201cDon't take them back into the private areas where the employees-only room is,\u201d an instructor warned.<\/p>Contract raises suspicion of bias

Fairfax County\u2019s contract<\/a> with McGuireWoods also indicates that the law firm\u2019s investigative work on the Ortiz case was less \u201cindependent\u201d than described. The language of the lucrative contract suggests McGuireWoods was beholden to affirm that FCPS acted swiftly to protect its student.<\/p>

McGuireWoods charged FCPS up to $1,850 per hour to conduct its investigation into the Ortiz case, according to the retainer agreement<\/a> acquired by independent reporter Stephanie Lundquist-Arora, a Fairfax County mother.<\/p>

The arrangement terms said McGuireWoods was hired to perform \u201ca confidential, attorney-client privileged investigation\u201d and that the probe was commissioned \u201cfor the purpose of providing legal advice\u201d to FCPS, as opposed to third-party oversight.<\/p>

FCPS, citing attorney-client protections, declined to release the full report from McGuireWoods when WJLA-TV requested<\/a> a complete copy of the taxpayer-funded investigation\u2019s findings.<\/p>

The school district said the report is \u201cwork product\u201d protected by attorney-client privileges and includes information safeguarded under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.<\/p>

FCPS is a regular client of McGuireWoods. The law firm has secured other well-paying contracts<\/a> over the past two years with FCPS, which is engaged in litigation<\/a> against the federal government over Fairfax County\u2019s refusal<\/a> to scrap its transgender bathroom policies that permit students to access facilities opposite to their biological sex, allegedly in violation of Title IX.<\/p>

Financial data<\/a> shows that FCPS paid McGuireWoods almost $600,000 in legal fees this fiscal year, up from $489,000 that the school district spent on the law firm\u2019s services in fiscal 2025.<\/p>

The U.S. Education Department has since opened a Title IX investigation<\/a> to examine whether FCPS followed proper reporting protocol in the Ortiz case.<\/p>

Title IX<\/a>, a federal law protecting single-sex spaces, also applies to sexual harassment and requires federally funded schools to respond accordingly to such allegations. School officials are supposed to file Title IX complaints against students credibly accused of sexual harassment, and the inquiries initiate disciplinary proceedings that can result in suspension<\/a> or other corrective measures.<\/p>

Reid, the district\u2019s superintendent, maintains that FCPS administrators and staff \u201cresponded with the utmost urgency\u201d and \u201cfully complied with Title IX protocols.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cImmediately upon receiving reports of the misconduct, staff utilized hallway surveillance footage to identify the suspect,\u201d Reid told parents. \u201cOnce identified, [Ortiz] was immediately removed from class and separated from the general student population. The individual was placed in police custody, subsequently tried and convicted, and is currently incarcerated. He will therefore not return to our schools.\u201d<\/p>Parents of victims claim FCPS tried to cover up Ortiz\u2019s crimes

The parents of the victims, including children as young as 13, say FCPS officials not only failed to stop Ortiz from sexually preying upon underage girls throughout the academic year but also attempted to conceal the serious nature of the crimes once they came to light.<\/p>

\u201cThey have attempted to sweep it under the rug,\u201d one victim\u2019s mother told<\/a> WJLA-TV.<\/p>

Around two to three weeks after the bulk of the offense dates, Fairfax High School Principal Georgina Aye sent a March 12 email notifying parents that a student was arrested on charges of \u201cinappropriately touching other students at school,\u201d simply saying that the incidents involved the male classmate touching his peers\u2019 \u201cbuttocks.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYeah, no, I would not be here for butt slapping,\u201d another victim\u2019s mother said of the \u201csanitized\u201d letter, which was sent only after the parents said they demanded that FCPS inform the rest of the community.<\/p>

VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL MOM SAYS STUDENTS ARE \u2018TRAUMATIZED\u2019 BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO ALLEGEDLY GROPED GIRLS<\/a><\/p>

Leaving out graphic details, such as Ortiz fondling the girls\u2019 genitals, Aye\u2019s memo also did not name Ortiz, disclose that he is legally an adult, or mention his illegal immigration status.<\/p>

The district\u2019s Trust Policy<\/a> pledges that school administrators will not report identifying information to immigration authorities, as part of an effort to ensure anyone can access FCPS services without fear of deportation.<\/p>

\u201c[Illegal immigrants] should feel that schools and classrooms are safe, inviting, and inclusive, regardless of immigration status,\u201d the FCPS policy states.<\/p>

The victims\u2019 parents said FCPS initially told them that the school system would allow Ortiz, who is no longer a student at Fairfax High School, to return when he is released.<\/p>

\u201cAbysmal, abysmal,\u201d one of the mothers said, characterizing how FCPS addressed the scandal. \u201cI think from the very beginning, Fairfax County has attempted to diminish what happened to these girls.\u201d<\/p>

Fairfax County itself is a sanctuary jurisdiction<\/a> led by Democrats largely opposed to mass deportation. Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Steve Descano had overhauled his department\u2019s charging, sentencing, and plea bargaining procedures<\/a> when it comes to prosecuting illegal immigrants, instructing all assistant Fairfax County prosecutors in 2020, the year he took office, to \u201cconsider immigration consequences where possible,\u201d specifically \u201cthe detrimental impact that deportation\/removal has\u201d and \u201cthe collateral immigration consequences of the specific crime(s) the defendant is charged with.\u201d<\/p>

The groping incidents at FCPS were charged as assault and battery<\/a>, a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 12 months behind bars per offense, instead of sexual battery<\/a>. Ortiz, who originally faced up to nine years of incarceration for the counts he was convicted on, is expected to spend less than half his 360-day sentence in county jail after Judge Melinda VanLowe suspended much of his sentence.<\/p>

VanLowe, a Democratic donor<\/a>, said at sentencing, \u201cI absolutely believe in redemption,\u201d telling Ortiz, \"You can go on to do great things.\"<\/p>

\u201cWe were all very frustrated to hear that it was just simple assault and level-one misdemeanor, basically a fine,\u201d one victim\u2019s mother reacted to the outcome.<\/p>

Lauren Bis, the deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security, called the case<\/a> \u201canother example of the Biden Administration\u2019s failed open border policies.\u201d Ortiz illegally entered the United States in 2024 and was released under the Biden administration.<\/p>

\u201cThis 18-year-old criminal illegal alien should NOT have been attending a Virginia high school and allowed to prey on innocent teenage girls,\u201d Bis said.<\/p>

ICE lodged a detention request with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, asking that the sheriff\u2019s office continue to hold Ortiz upon the completion of his jail sentence until deportation officers can assume custody of him.<\/p>

In accordance with department policy<\/a>, the Fairfax County Sheriff\u2019s Office does not honor ICE detention requests, which allow for in-facility transfers between the two agencies, unless the detainer form is accompanied by a court-approved criminal warrant.<\/p>

HOW FAIRFAX COUNTY\u2019S SANCTUARY POLICIES LED TO AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDERING AN INNOCENT WOMAN<\/a><\/p>

Judicially signed warrants, also known as criminal warrants, are harder to obtain because they require ICE to prove probable cause of a federal crime, unlike the administrative warrants<\/a> that ICE routinely uses. Those civil forms authorize ICE to arrest individuals suspected of violating U.S. immigration law, a civil offense, and deport suspects with final orders of removal from the United States.<\/p>

\u201cThat means that when [Ortiz is] released, ICE must assemble a team and find him in the community,\u201d the federal agency says<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25267738799074-1.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593500-1780560000", "title":"The US-China tech battle no one is talking about", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593500%2Fus-china-tech-battle-no-one-talking-about%2F", "byline":"George Landrith", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"China does not need to beat America in every lab or factory to gain a lasting technological advantage. Sometimes it only needs international bureaucrats to bend the rules of the road in its favor. Americans tend to think of global power in terms of aircraft carriers, semiconductor fabs, and missile systems. Beijing takes a broader […]", "description":""

China<\/a> does not need to beat America in every lab or factory to gain a lasting technological<\/a> advantage. Sometimes it only needs international bureaucrats<\/a> to bend the rules of the road in its favor.<\/p>

Americans tend to think of global power in terms of aircraft carriers, semiconductor fabs, and missile systems. Beijing takes a broader view. The Chinese Communist Party<\/a> turns technical standards, global regulatory bodies, and obscure treaty conferences into instruments of statecraft. A handshake deal reached in shadowy bureaucratic backrooms can reshape billion-dollar markets.<\/p>

That is why the World Radiocommunication Conference, scheduled for Shanghai next year, deserves far more attention in Washington. The conference will bring together the world\u2019s telecom regulators to debate the future of wireless communications. One of the fiercest fights will take place offstage, as American and Chinese officials work the hallways trying to pull other countries toward our conflicting visions for the 6 GHz spectrum band<\/a>.<\/p>

CHINA TIGHTENS ITS GRIP AS GREENLAND BLOCKS A CRITICAL RARE EARTH PROJECT<\/a><\/p>

Here in the United States, the first Trump administration<\/a> unlocked that band to unleash faster, more reliable Wi-Fi for consumers and businesses. In China, the CCP has kept the band locked down for the exclusive use of party-controlled wireless carriers.<\/p>

The question for the world is straightforward: Will countries follow the American path and open 6 GHz for Wi-Fi? Or will they follow China\u2019s path and reserve it for cellular networks?<\/p>

The answer will shape a massive global market for telecom hardware.<\/p>

America made the right choice in 2020, when President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> Federal Communications Commission appointees opened the full 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi use. That decision reflected a core American instinct: let innovators compete, let consumers choose, and let new technologies scale without forcing every connection through a government-favored gatekeeper.<\/p>

The results are already visible. Recent analysis from ABI Research quantifies how enterprises are moving rapidly toward next-generation Wi-Fi because their networks must carry more devices, more data, and more mission-critical applications. Hospitals, factories, schools, warehouses, and office buildings need capacity and reliability \u2014 and are finding it through 6 GHz Wi-Fi networks.<\/p>

The FCC\u2019s prescient 2020 decision also helped keep U.S. companies at the forefront of the global Wi-Fi economy \u2014 an equipment market dominated by American names such as Broadcom, Amazon, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Expanding 6 GHz Wi-Fi abroad gives these innovators more room to chase sales and grow.<\/p>

China\u2019s preferred outcome would massively boost Huawei \u2014 the CCP-aligned global telecom giant whose equipment is banned in the U.S. as a threat to national security<\/a>. Every nation that reserves 6 GHz for cellular networks expands Huawei\u2019s potential market. Every country that allows Huawei into its core communications infrastructure gives Beijing more leverage in future geopolitical fights \u2014 and more potential access to snoop on sensitive network traffic.<\/p>

American policymakers must resist the temptation to treat spectrum policy as inside baseball for telecom lawyers \u2014 or as just another domestic fight between competing industry segments. The U.S. cellular carriers that opposed the FCC\u2019s 2020 6 GHz decision are still lobbying to overturn it; they\u2019d prefer that federal agencies repurpose a big chunk of the band for licensed cellular use instead. But this self-interested agenda risks sending mixed signals abroad at exactly the wrong time. As China works to convince other nations that 6 GHz should belong to cellular networks, the U.S. cannot afford confusion about where it stands.<\/p>

Encouragingly, Trump administration<\/a> officials are sticking to their guns on 6 GHz. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr expanded unlicensed use of the band earlier this year, while National Telecommunications and Information Administration head Arielle Roth has put the world on notice that the U.S. will fiercely defend our 6 GHz Wi-Fi policy in Shanghai.<\/p>

That clarity must be a unanimous national position, not merely an agency sound bite. Foreign governments need to hear the same message from Congress, the White House, agency leaders, and the American private sector: the U.S. opened 6 GHz for Wi-Fi because it fuels free-market competition, innovation, and growth. We are not turning back \u2014 and we are certainly not giving up and following China\u2019s lead.<\/p>

HEGSETH STRIKES SOFTER TONE ON CHINA AND STAYS QUIET ON TAIWAN AT SINGAPORE SUMMIT<\/a><\/p>

Republicans and Democrats should have no trouble agreeing on this. Conservatives in particular should recognize what is at stake: America prospers when open markets, private innovation, and limited government create room for entrepreneurs to build. China prospers when the state bends global markets toward the party\u2019s national champions.<\/p>

WRC-27 in Shanghai will test whether Washington understands that distinction. The U.S. should arrive with confidence, discipline, and unity. The message should be simple: 6 GHz Wi-Fi is an American success story, the world should follow our lead, and we won\u2019t surrender a strategic technology advantage to Huawei or the CCP.<\/p>

George Landrith is the president of the Frontiers of Freedom Institute and the author of Let Freedom Ring\u2026 Again: Can Self-Evident Truths Save America from Further Decline?<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/house-china-week.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593280-1780560000", "title":"Boycotting Israel means cutting your nose to spite your face", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593280%2Fboycott-divest-sanction-israel-bds-movement%2F", "byline":"Ariella Noveck", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"What does it actually mean to boycott Israel in 2026? For a movement dedicated to isolating the Jewish state, BDS faces a growing problem: Israel has become one of the world’s leading centers of innovation, helping power everything from cybersecurity and medicine to the technology millions rely on every day. From student government resolutions and […]", "description":""

What does it actually mean to boycott Israel<\/a> in 2026? For a movement<\/a> dedicated to isolating the Jewish state, BDS faces a growing problem: Israel<\/a> has become one of the world's leading centers of innovation, helping power everything from cybersecurity and medicine to the technology millions rely on every day.<\/p>

From student government resolutions and campus demonstrations to social media campaigns and political races, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, known as BDS, has positioned itself as a moral cause for a new generation.<\/p>

For more than two decades, the BDS movement<\/a> has sought to isolate Israel through economic pressure, consumer boycotts, and institutional divestment. The reality is that the world in which BDS was conceived no longer exists.<\/p>

\u2018NO DEFENSE, ONLY OFFENSE\u2019: AMERICA\u2019S GROWING ANTISEMITISM PROBLEM REQUIRES MORE THAN SILENCE<\/a><\/p>

There is just one problem: The movement's central premise no longer aligns with reality.<\/p>

In 2026, a meaningful boycott of Israel is virtually impossible. Israel is too deeply woven into the global economy, too integrated into the technology people use every day, and too essential to industries ranging from cybersecurity to medicine. The modern BDS movement asks supporters to reject a country whose innovations they continue to rely on daily, often without realizing it.<\/p>

That contradiction is not a minor flaw in the movement's logic. It is the flaw.<\/p>

For all its rhetoric about justice and accountability, BDS increasingly resembles a symbolic campaign that generates headlines, social media<\/a> engagement, and campus resolutions while offering little in the way of practical outcomes. The movement promises economic isolation of Israel, yet the modern world has become increasingly dependent on Israeli innovation.<\/p>

That reality raises an uncomfortable question for boycott advocates: If Israel has become indispensable to the technologies, systems, and services that power everyday life, what exactly are they proposing people boycott?<\/p>

Supporters portray BDS as a nonviolent effort to influence Israeli policy. But the movement's record suggests its ambitions extend far beyond criticism of any particular government. At its core, BDS is built on the idea that Israel can be isolated from the international community. The problem is that modern reality increasingly points in the opposite direction.<\/p>

What began as a fringe activist campaign has steadily moved into the political mainstream. That shift should concern anyone who believes public policy should be grounded in practical outcomes rather than ideological symbolism.<\/p>

In recent years, BDS-related resolutions and boycott campaigns have appeared on college campuses, within student governments, among advocacy organizations, and in political races across the country. Universities, including Columbia, Harvard, and UCLA, have all seen demonstrations and activism tied to broader anti-Israel movements, helping push the discussion into the national spotlight.<\/p>

The debate has also found its way into American politics. During his mayoral campaign, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani <\/a>publicly voiced support for BDS, calling it \"a legitimate movement\" and arguing that boycotts, divestment, and sanctions can be effective tools for compelling compliance with international law.<\/p>

The discussion has expanded well beyond politics, with influential online commentators and social media personalities bringing conversations surrounding Israel and BDS to millions of people. Among them is Hasan Piker<\/a>, who has criticized anti-BDS laws, spoken in support of boycott-related campaigns, and built a massive online following through commentary on the Israel-Hamas war and broader Middle East politics.<\/p>

Consider the technology millions of people use every day.<\/p>

Apple has maintained significant research and development operations in Israel, while Intel has invested billions of dollars in facilities and semiconductor development there. Millions of drivers rely on Waze, the navigation platform founded in Israel before being acquired by Google.<\/p>

The impact extends well beyond consumer technology. Banks, hospitals, airports, government agencies, and major corporations depend on cybersecurity technologies developed by Israeli companies. Israeli innovation has also contributed to advancements in medicine, emergency response, agriculture, and water technology.<\/p>

In short, Israeli-developed innovation has become deeply embedded in modern life, often in ways consumers never see and rarely think about.<\/p>

Calls to boycott Israel are often organized through smartphones containing Israeli-developed technology, promoted across digital platforms supported by Israeli engineering and cybersecurity innovation, and coordinated using navigation tools created by Israeli entrepreneurs.<\/p>

The answer from most boycott advocates is revealingly inconsistent. The same activists demanding economic separation from Israel rarely show any willingness to abandon the Israeli-developed technologies<\/a> they use daily. They oppose Israel rhetorically while continuing to depend on Israeli innovation practically.<\/p>

None of this means Israel should be immune from criticism. Like every democracy, its policies can and should be debated. But criticism and boycott are not the same thing, and conflating the two has become one of the movement's most effective rhetorical tricks.<\/p>

One seeks reform. The other seeks isolation.<\/p>

And when that isolation campaign is directed against one of the world's most innovative economies, the result is less a practical strategy than a symbolic exercise detached from reality.<\/p>

The uncomfortable truth for BDS supporters is that Israel has become too integral to modern life for their vision of economic isolation to be taken seriously. Its innovations are embedded in the devices we carry, the hospitals that treat us, the financial systems that protect our savings, and the infrastructure that powers modern life.<\/p>

CORRECTING THE RECORD OF AMERICA\u2019S FALLEN IS REAL PATRIOTISM<\/a><\/p>

That is why the movement increasingly feels less like a serious economic strategy and more like political theater. It allows activists to signal virtue, pass resolutions, and generate headlines while continuing to depend on the very country they claim to be boycotting.<\/p>

In 2026, boycotting Israel is not a serious policy proposal. It is a slogan searching for a practical application. And the deeper Israel becomes integrated into the global economy<\/a>, the more obvious that reality becomes.<\/p>

Ariella Noveck is a journalist specializing in antisemitism and Middle East affairs, with extensive experience covering Jewish communities worldwide.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ap-773386493235-e1780506857469.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594557-1780558104", "title":"In symbolic rebuke of Trump, House votes to end war with Iran", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4594557%2Fin-symbolic-rebuke-of-trump-house-votes-to-end-war-with-iran%2F", "byline":"Jamie McIntyre", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"THE FINAL FOUR: After repeated attempts by House Democrats to pass a war powers resolution to assert Congress’s authority to declare war, finally, a handful of Republicans were disenchanted enough with the progress of the war in Iran to cross the aisle and vote to send the legislation to the Senate, by a vote of […]", "description":""

THE FINAL FOUR: After repeated attempts by House Democrats to pass a war powers resolution to assert Congress\u2019s authority to declare war, finally, a handful of Republicans were disenchanted enough with the progress of the war in Iran to cross the aisle and vote to send the legislation to the Senate, by a vote of 215-208.\u00a0<\/p>

The four Republicans who voted with all the Democrats were Reps. Thomas Massie (KY), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Tom Barrett (MI), and Warren Davidson (OH). Although a rebuke of President Donald Trump, the measure is likely to remain symbolic, given that Republicans control the Senate, and White House has argued the limits on the president's war-making powers as commander in chief are unconstitutional. Trump could simply veto the measure \u2014 if it reaches his desk.<\/p>

The Trump administration also argues the war technically ended when major combat operations were replaced by a ceasefire within the 60-day limit proscribed by the 1973 War Powers Resolution. The strikes and counterstrikes between the U.S. and Iran don\u2019t rise to the level of a full-scale war, or even violation of a ceasefire, Trump argued yesterday, seeming to excuse Iran\u2019s attacks on America\u2019s Gulf allies. \u201cThey were slightly provoked because we took a strong action \u2026 so they were reciprocating,\u201d he told reporters at a White House signing session.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cI'd say in that part of the world, a ceasefire is when you're shooting in a more moderate manner,\u201d Trump said in response to a question about how he\u2019d define a ceasefire when both sides are shooting at each other. \u201cA ceasefire there is much different than a ceasefire in other parts of the world.\u201d<\/p>

PENTAGON INSPECTOR GENERAL LEADING COMPREHENSIVE GOVERNMENT-WIDE OVERSIGHT OF IRAN WAR<\/a><\/p>

\u2018THIS IS OUR CHURCHILL MOMENT\u2019: Trump is facing another revolt in Congress as six House Republicans and an independent voted to overrule House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and advance a bill that would impose long-delayed sanctions against Russia and force the release of U.S. aid to Ukraine.<\/p>

\u201cThe House just voted 218-204 to move forward on the discharge petition to provide military aid to Ukraine and impose tough sanctions on Russia,\u201d Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) posted on X<\/a>. \u201cThis is our Churchill moment and we must pass the test.\u201d<\/p>

The bill is set for a floor vote today. As with the war powers vote, the Russia-Ukraine bill would face an uncertain future in the Senate. However, it is the latest signal of growing frustration by some Republicans with the president\u2019s unwillingness to do more to help Ukraine, which is facing an increased onslaught of Russian air attacks as it has run out of Patriot missiles to defend its cities.<\/p>

On Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced questions about why $400 million in aid Congress authorized last year has yet to be disbursed to Ukraine.<\/p>

\u201cHere they are fighting for their lives. They're facing ballistic missiles. They don't have the defense that they need. They're valiantly doing everything they can to save their people, and we are going through some bureaucratic malaise,\u201d said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). \u201cIs it finally resolved? Are we going to send this to the Ukrainians?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat's going through the interagency process right now,\u201d Rubio replied. \u201cIn fact, I saw maybe last Friday something on it. I think you'll see news on that pretty soon.\u201d<\/p>

ZELENSKY COMPLAINS IRAN IS TAKING PRIORITY OVER UKRAINE FOR US<\/a><\/p>

PULTE PICK COULD SPIKE 702: Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s decision to appoint his political ally Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to simultaneously serve as director of national intelligence on an acting basis, has prompted Democrats to threaten to block passage of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.<\/p>

The 702 provision, which permits U.S. intelligence agencies to collect communications of foreign nations operating outside the U.S. without warrants, expires June 12.<\/p>

Pulte, whose appointment violates the law establishing the office of DNI requiring a person to have \"extensive experience\u201d in intelligence, could tank a bipartisan deal on extending Section 702, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said on CNN<\/a> yesterday.<\/p>

\u201cSection 702 is important, and I really wonder whether Donald Trump wants it even continued. You could not have picked a less qualified person,\u201d said Warner, who is vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee. \u201cI mean, I'm less concerned about what he will do on 702 and more concerned about just will he weaponize the whole intelligence community?\u201d<\/p>

Pulte is unlikely to win Senate confirmation, as several Republicans have said he\u2019s unqualified.<\/p>

\u201cVery few Senate-confirmable positions come with statutory eligibility requirements. There are good reasons why the Director of National Intelligence is one of them,\u201d said Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).\u00a0Anyone performing this role of such immense public trust must have the extensive national security experience required by statute, and no nominee who falls short of this requirement will earn my vote.\u201d<\/p>

But Pulte can serve in an acting status for six months, which Warner notes \u201cputs him right through the elections.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHe could come up with a fake piece of intelligence as a justification to interfere with the elections,\" Warner said. \u201cHe could take \u2014 especially if the president keeps his weaponization fund, that might not only pay off the January 6th rioters, but pay off people that would then interfere in the election.\u201d<\/p>

RUBIO GRILLED OVER TRUMP\u2019S NATIONAL SECURITY PICKS AND FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES: \u2018IT\u2019S NOT FUNNY, SECRETARY\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre\u2019s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre<\/a> (@jamiejmcintyre<\/a>) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie<\/a>. Email here<\/a> with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE<\/a><\/p>

WITH TRUMP, AN IRAN DEAL IS ALWAYS A DAY OR TWO AWAY: Despite what appears to be a stalemate in negotiations with Iran over opening the Strait of Hormuz and securing its stockpile of enriched uranium, President Trump insisted, \u201cThe negotiation itself is going very well, actually, very well.\u201d<\/p>

Speaking to reporters<\/a> at the White House, Trump remained upbeat as always. \u201cI mean, if it happens, and it might not happen, you know, who knows, but if it happens, it could happen like over the weekend.\u201d<\/p>

Trump reiterated his demands that all of Iran\u2019s enriched uranium must be unearthed and destroyed or turned over to the U.S., but said he\u2019s not willing to send U.S. troops in to retrieve the material. \u201cThat stuff is buried underneath a mountain that virtually collapses, very, very hard to get it,\u201d Trump said. \u201cBut I still nevertheless want it, and I don't want to do it if we're in conflict. I don't want to put men in that kind of danger.\u201d<\/p>

Asked if Iran has actually agreed to cooperate with the retrieval of the enriched uranium, Trump replied. \u201cI mean, they've changed their mind a couple of times, but as it stands now, we will go in at some time in the not-too-distant future.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP \u2018PROUD\u2019 OF IRAN WAR FOR MAKING EVERYONE \u2018A LOT OF MONEY\u2019: \u2018EVERYTHING\u2019S GOOD\u2019<\/a><\/p>

SENATE POISED TO PASS IMMIGRATION FUNDING: The Senate today begins its traditional vote-a-rama, a marathon session in which Democrats will be able to introduce an unlimited number of amendments to legislation to fund immigration enforcement, only to watch most of them go down to defeat in the Republican-led Senate.<\/p>

Republicans are expecting to finally be able to pass their massive $70 billion immigration bill, after dropping funding for Trump\u2019s White House Ballroom, and without authorization, the now-withdrawn $1,776 billion weaponization fund.<\/p>

Still, Democrats \u2014 and some Republicans \u2014 say they will offer an amendment to permanently ban the so-called \u201csettlement agreement,\u201d which would allow payments to those convicted of assaulting police during the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S Capitol.\u00a0<\/p>

Retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is proposing that the nearly $1.8 billion be used to fund fraud prevention instead.<\/p>

THE RUNDOWN: <\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Trump suffers defeat as four House Republicans back removing US from hostilities with Iran<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Pentagon inspector general leading comprehensive government-wide oversight of Iran war<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Trump \u2018proud\u2019 of Iran war for making everyone \u2018a lot of money\u2019: \u2018Everything\u2019s good\u2019<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Rubio grilled over Trump\u2019s national security picks and foreign policy priorities: \u2018It\u2019s not funny, Secretary\u2019<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Rubio warns risk of escalation in Russia-Ukraine war is \u2018more real than it was two years ago\u2019<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: \u2018Prospects don\u2019t look great\u2019 for a Russia-Ukraine deal, Rubio acknowledges<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Zelensky complains Iran is taking priority over Ukraine for US<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Senate Republicans make it official and cut Trump ballroom funding<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: US law enforcement intercepted unknown drones over the Masters and Miami Grand Prix: Mullin<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Trump expected to nominate Todd Blanche as attorney general: Reports<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: US identifies soldier killed during training exercise in Iraq<\/p>

Washington Examiner<\/a>: Trump \u2018proud\u2019 of Iran war for making everyone \u2018a lot of money\u2019: \u2018Everything\u2019s good\u2019<\/p>

Wall Street Journal<\/a>: Trump Tells Aides He Won\u2019t Resume All-Out War with Iran Unless US Troops Are Killed<\/p>

AP<\/a>: Trump allies and critics worry he\u2019s boxed in by Iran war<\/p>

The Atlantic<\/a>: Trump Dreads an Iran Deal Worse Than Obama\u2019s<\/p>

Axios<\/a>: Israel and Lebanon Agree to Full Ceasefire, Conditioned on Steps by Hezbollah<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: US Reduces Forces Committed to NATO, Tells Allies to Step Up Air and Naval Power<\/p>

CBS News<\/a>: Pilot of Fighter Jet Downed over Iran Was Previously Shot Down in Kuwaiti Friendly Fire Incident, Sources Say<\/p>

AP<\/a>: US Strike on an Alleged Drug Boat Kills 2 in the Eastern Pacific Ocean<\/p>

Defense News<\/a>: Experts Warn Terrorism Threat Is Rising in Africa as US Pulls Back<\/p>

Task & Purpose<\/a>: Hegseth Directs \u2018Joint Warfighting Ability\u2019 Be Considered for Officer, NCO Promotions<\/p>

Bloomberg<\/a>: General Dynamics Will Spend $200 Million to Reboot Ammo Plant<\/p>

Defense Scoop<\/a>: Pentagon Looks to AI, Other Tech to Help Tackle Contested Logistics Challenges<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: New Push for Separate \u2018Cyber Force\u2019 Builds, but Questions Remain<\/p>

Breaking Defense<\/a>: The Biggest Industry, Training Hurdles for Making Drone Wingman a Reality<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: Air Force Seeks New Gearboxes for CV-22 in \u201927 Budget<\/p>

Air & Space Forces Magazine<\/a>: GE, Rolls-Royce Get Contracts to Advance Autonomous Drone Engine Designs<\/p>

The War Zone<\/a>: The USMC\u2019s AV-8B Harrier Has Flown Off into the Sunset<\/p>

Wall Street Journal<\/a>: Condoleezza Rice Opinion: What the U.S. Has Accomplished in Iran<\/p>

THE CALENDAR: <\/p>

THURSDAY | JUNE 4<\/p>

9 a.m. \u2014  DRCNet Foundation and StoptheDrugWar virtual discussion: \"Murder on the Land and the Sea II: Accountability for Extrajudicial Drug War Killings Is Only a Matter of Time,\u201d John Ramming, adviser at the Center for Civilians in Conflict; Dino Singson de Leon, trustee at the Human Rights and People Empowerment Center; and Sarah Harrison, nonresident fellow at the Stimson Center's Conventional Defense Program https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zN0oRIOjaeo<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn \u2014 House Armed Services Committee markup of H.R.8800, the \"National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027.\" http:\/\/www.armedservices.house.gov<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. 1400 L St. NW \u2014 Atlantic Council Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense meeting on \"Pandora's Prompt: AI and the Biological Threat,\u201d with former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala; and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/event\/from-the-ground-up-federated-biodefense\/<\/a><\/p>

 10:30 a.m. \u2014 Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: \"Data Centers, AI, and the Future of U.S. Strategic Competitiveness,\" with Matt Pearl, director, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program; Aalok Mehta, director, CSIS Wadhwani AI Center; Joseph Majkut, director, CSIS Energy Security and Climate Program; and Philip Luck, director, CSIS economics program and CSIS chair in international business https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/data-centers-ai-and-future-us-strategic-competitiveness<\/a><\/p>

2:30 p.m. \u2014  Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: \u201cAir Force priorities,\" with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Lamontagne https:\/\/afa-org.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/<\/a><\/p>

5 p.m. 1615 H St. NW \u2014 U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes Initiative enlistee recognition ceremony to honor approximately 150 high school seniors from the National Capital Region who have committed to military service, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Ross Perot Jr., USCC chairman of the board; Salvatore Giunta, Medal of Honor recipient; and Abby Spencer Moffat, president and CEO of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation djames@uschamber.com<\/a><\/p>

FRIDAY | JUNE 5<\/p>

8 a.m. H-140, U.S. Capitol \u2014 House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee markup of the FY2027 Homeland Security bill http:\/\/appropriations.house.gov<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. \u2014 National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: \"Missile Defense: Assessing the Effectiveness and Looking to the Future,\" with former National Nuclear Security Administration Deputy Administrator Frank Rose, president of Chevalier Strategic Advisers https:\/\/thinkdeterrence.com\/events\/missile-defense-assessing-the-effectiveness<\/a><\/p>

10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW \u2014 Brookings Institution discussion: \"Russia and Ukraine: Societies transformed by war,\u201d with Anna Colin Lebedev, senior lecturer and researcher for Paris Nanterre University's Institute of Social Sciences of Politics<\/p>

10 a.m. \u2014 Atlantic Council virtual discussion: \"Russia's Illicit Exploitation of Foreign Nationals for its War Against Ukraine,\" with Ilya Nuzov, head of the International Federation for Human Rights' Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk; Rosemary Tollo, co-founder and program director of Journalists for Justice; Maria Tomak, associate researcher at Truth Hounds; and Brig. Gen. Dmytro Usov, secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/event\/russias-illicit-exploitation-of-foreign-nationals<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Screenshot-2025-08-18-at-7.32.03-AM.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593940-1780556400", "title":"White House urged to engage as Bill Pulte pick threatens to derail spy powers renewal", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4593940%2Fwhite-house-bill-pulte-spy-powers-fisa%2F", "byline":"David Sivak, Hailey Bullis and Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The White House is being implored to step in and help Congress extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after negotiations have been upended by President Donald Trump’s appointment of housing finance guru Bill Pulte as the nation’s spy chief. Fresh from Republican blowback over the White House’s proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund, […]", "description":""

The White House<\/a> is being implored to step in and help Congress<\/a> extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after negotiations have been upended by President Donald Trump's<\/a> appointment of housing finance guru Bill Pulte<\/a> as the nation's spy chief.<\/p>

Fresh from Republican blowback over the White House\u2019s proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund, the Trump administration is now facing pushback before next week's June 12 deadline to reauthorize FISA<\/a>, a tool used to surveil foreign nationals overseas without a warrant.<\/p>

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), a member of the Senate intelligence committee, encouraged the White House to get engaged to head off the trouble.<\/p>

\u201cThe executive branch needs to assist us because we need to get 702 through and complete it,\u201d Rounds told the Washington Examiner. \u201cIf this is in the way or is going to hold it up because of Democrat opposition, public Democrat opposition, I think we're going to need the White House or the executive branch to get involved in helping us address the issue.\u201d<\/p>

FISA has long been criticized by both Democrats and Republicans for concerns that it captures the data and records of U.S. citizens who come into contact with foreign suspects surveilled by the government. Pulte's appointment is magnifying those concerns, especially for Democrats, who note that Pulte has used his tenure as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae<\/a> and Freddie Mac<\/a> to make criminal referrals against Trump political opponents for allegations of mortgage fraud.<\/p>

\u201cIt appears that he has used his position, his government position in the past in order to weaponize government against Trump's perceived enemies \u2014 that's not the role of the director,\u201d said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). \u201cThe role should be to serve the American people and help keep us safe.\u201d<\/p>

Some Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), are pledging to oppose an extension of FISA if Pulte remains in the post. <\/p>

Opposition from Democrats could prove pivotal, given that prior efforts to extend the program have faltered in the House over opposition from hardline Republicans, who want a warrant requirement before intelligence agencies can access the data of American citizens. Bipartisan support would also be needed in the Senate, where FISA's renewal would require the support of at least seven Democrats to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold.<\/p>

National security experts, however, question the wisdom of the strategy given that the United States is engaged in hostilities with Iran and that FISA is vital for the protection of the homeland.<\/p>

\u201cAs a rule of thumb, we should not help terrorists succeed in mass murdering Americans by blindfolding the intelligence community,\u201d said Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. \u201cOversight, checks and balances? Yes, absolutely. Cutting off the flow of intelligence and inviting another 9\/11? Definitely not.\u201d<\/p>

The White House echoed the sentiment in a statement to the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\u201cBill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people,\u201d White House spokesman Davis Ingle said. \u201cHolding FISA hostage puts America\u2019s national security at risk and it is shameful that some Democrats are threatening to put partisan politics ahead of the safety of the American people.\u201d<\/p>

But neither the White House nor Pulte responded to the request for comment from the Washington Examiner regarding what they had done or were planning to do with respect to encouraging support for Pulte or Section 702's reauthorization.<\/p>

Complicating matters is that several members of the House and Senate intelligence committees have not yet met or spoken with Pulte.<\/p>

\u201cNever met him in my life,\u201d Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), a former FBI supervisory special agent and member of the House intelligence committee, told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThat's part of the problem. I'm a career [intelligence community] guy. Never met him before.\u201d<\/p>

HOW BILL PULTE TURNED BEING AN ATTACK DOG INTO A CHARM OFFENSIVE WITH TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Even House Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) had not met or spoken with Pulte as of Wednesday. <\/p>

\"I imagine at some point in time,\" Crawford told the Washington Examiner. \"I've never met him, so I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to do that.\"<\/p>

Christian Datoc and Lauren Green contributed to this report.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154731759036.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593921-1780556400", "title":"Democrats eye independent candidates to compete in red states", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4593921%2Fdemocrats-independents-red-state-races%2F", "byline":"Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Democrats searching for a path back into deeply Republican states are increasingly embracing a strategy that would have once been politically unthinkable: quietly sidelining their own nominees in favor of independent candidates they believe have a better shot at winning. From Nebraska to Alaska to Montana, Democratic operatives and aligned groups are showing growing openness […]", "description":""

Democrats<\/a> searching for a path back into deeply Republican<\/a> states are increasingly embracing a strategy that would have once been politically unthinkable: quietly sidelining their own nominees in favor of independent<\/a> candidates they believe have a better shot at winning.<\/p>

From Nebraska to Alaska to Montana, Democratic operatives and aligned groups are showing growing openness to candidates who avoid the Democratic label altogether, reflecting mounting concern inside the party that the brand itself has become toxic in some conservative states.<\/p>

The trend accelerated this week after primary voters in Montana and South Dakota finalized Senate matchups that feature little-known Democratic nominees alongside more prominent independent candidates who, in some cases, are already drawing greater interest from Democratic donors and strategists.<\/p>

In Nebraska, Democratic officials have effectively aligned themselves with independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn rather than fully consolidating behind their own nominee. Democratic Senate candidate Cindy Burbank has publicly signaled<\/a> she intends to eventually leave the race to unify anti-Republican voters behind Osborn, who mounted a surprisingly competitive challenge in 2024 against Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE).<\/p>

A similar dynamic is emerging in Montana, where independent candidate Seth Bodnar, the former president of the University of Montana, has built a stronger fundraising operation than the Democratic field that competed in Tuesday\u2019s primary. Campaign finance reports show Bodnar outraised the combined Democratic field and also surpassed Republican nominee Kurt Alme, who is backed by President Donald Trump.<\/p>

The race has also fueled speculation about whether Democrats could eventually consolidate behind an independent candidate rather than their own nominee, mirroring conversations unfolding in other red-state races this cycle. But Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead publicly rejected suggestions<\/a> that she planned to exit the race, writing on Instagram this week: \u201cI will not drop out.\u201d<\/p>

In South Dakota, some Democratic operatives have shifted their attention toward independent Brian Bengs, a military veteran and former Democrat, even though the party nominated Julian Beaudion this week. Bengs previously ran against Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) as a Democrat in 2022 and lost by 43 points.<\/p>

The same pattern is beginning to emerge in Alaska, where some Democrats believe independent candidate Bill Hill, a commercial fisherman and retired school superintendent, may represent the party\u2019s best chance to defeat Republican Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK).<\/p>

Hill raised more than $780,000 during the year\u2019s opening quarter, outperforming Democrat Matt Schultz, a pastor who raised roughly $578,000 over a longer fundraising window. Delegates at the Alaska Democratic convention recently declined to formally endorse Schultz, while Hill attended convention events and has steadily accumulated labor endorsements.<\/p>

The emerging playbook reflects a growing belief among some Democrats that, in states where Republicans dominate federal races, candidates may fare better running adjacent to the party rather than directly under its banner. But the strategy has exposed deep disagreements inside Democratic circles over whether the party should adapt to its brand problems in red states or work to repair them.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s the stupidest thing I\u2019ve ever heard,\u201d Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso said of efforts by party-aligned groups to quietly boost independents while distancing themselves publicly from the Democratic label.<\/p>

\u201cIf the human being themselves wants to not be associated with the Democratic Party, and they want to run as an independent, then run as an independent,\u201d Ceraso said. \u201cBut please, to the Democratic Party, stop trying to be cute about it.\u201d<\/p>

Ceraso argued Democrats are overthinking the problem and focusing too heavily on branding rather than candidate quality and local engagement.<\/p>

\u201cJust tell donors you\u2019re going to go into these communities to find the best candidates to run, and then go run them,\u201d he said.<\/p>

He also warned that Democratic strategists risk appearing dishonest to voters if party organizations quietly support independent candidates while pretending they are fully detached from Democratic infrastructure.<\/p>

\u201cStop trying to talk to voters like they\u2019re stupid,\u201d Ceraso said.<\/p>

Other Democratic strategists view the trend less as an abandonment of the party and more as a reflection of a broader anti-establishment political climate.<\/p>

\u201cThese folks seem to all understand that party brands are not popular,\u201d Democratic strategist Jon Reinish said, pointing to states such as Nebraska and Alaska where voters have historically shown more openness to independent-minded candidates.<\/p>

\u201cIn times where a uniting factor is broad dissatisfaction with establishments, that also includes party structures,\u201d Reinish said.<\/p>

Still, Reinish acknowledged the strategy comes with risks for Democrats, particularly because there is no guarantee that independent candidates would caucus with Democrats if elected.<\/p>

\u201cThere is no nudge, nudge, wink, wink, or promise that they would even caucus with Democrats,\u201d he said. \u201cIf they win as independents, they\u2019re going to have to approach a career in the House or Senate as just that \u2014 independents.\u201d<\/p>

Currently, there are two independents serving in the Senate: Sens. Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both caucus with Democrats.<\/p>

The strategy is not entirely new. Democrats and allied groups experimented with similar efforts in past cycles, including backing independent Greg Orman\u2019s Senate bid against Republican Pat Roberts (R-KS) in Kansas in 2014. Republicans ultimately held the seat, though the race became unexpectedly competitive.<\/p>

Democrats also point to Alaska\u2019s 2014 gubernatorial race, when independent Bill Walker joined forces with Democratic nominee Byron Mallott in a unity ticket aimed at defeating Republican Gov. Sean Parnell. Mallott dropped his own campaign to run as Walker\u2019s lieutenant governor, and the coalition ultimately won the race.<\/p>

Some independent campaigns already rely on Democratic-aligned infrastructure behind the scenes, including ActBlue fundraising tools and consultants commonly tied to Democratic campaigns. National Democratic organizations in Washington have, in some races, refrained from aggressively attacking independents despite Democrats remaining on the ballot.<\/p>

The broader debate underscores the difficult position Democrats face as they try to claw back relevance across rural America and heavily Republican states after years of electoral decline. Two decades ago, Democrats held a slight edge in Senate representation across many Midwestern and Great Plains states. Today, Republicans dominate the region.<\/p>

CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS ACCUSE NEBRASKA SENATE CANDIDATES OF RUNNING SHAM CAMPAIGNS TO AID DAN OSBORN<\/a><\/p>

For some Democrats, independent candidates represent a pragmatic attempt to remain competitive in places where the party brand has deteriorated. For others, the strategy amounts to a tacit admission that Democrats have lost confidence in their own label.<\/p>

\u201cWhat will be very interesting to see,\u201d Reinish said, \u201cis whether Republicans eventually try the same strategy in blue states.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP24311238339512.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593236-1780556400", "title":"Red alert: China’s nuclear surge is an emergency-level threat", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593236%2Fchina-nuclear-weapons-emergency-level-threat%2F", "byline":"Jose Lev Alvarez", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"China is sprinting toward nuclear parity with the United States — and it is already winning. Last month, the Congressional Research Service reported that Beijing is conducting the most ambitious nuclear expansion in its history, racing to build a larger and more survivable arsenal that threatens American interests from the Taiwan Strait to the continental […]", "description":""

China is sprinting toward nuclear parity<\/a> with the United States \u2014 and it is already winning. Last month, the Congressional Research Service reported that Beijing is conducting the most ambitious nuclear expansion<\/a> in its history, racing to build a larger and more survivable arsenal<\/a> that threatens American interests from the Taiwan Strait to the continental U.S. itself. This is no longer a distant concern. It is an immediate strategic emergency.<\/p>

The Department of War's 2025 China Military Power Report<\/a> assessed that China possessed 600 nuclear warheads in 2024. Projections show its stockpile will exceed 1,000 by 2030. The Federation of American Scientists confirmed the arsenal doubled from 260 warheads in 2015 to 600 by 2026. This marks the fastest nuclear growth of any power since the Cold War.<\/p>

Across the deserts of western China<\/a>, Beijing is constructing 350 new intercontinental ballistic missile silos \u2014 120 at Yumen, 110 at Hami, and 90 at Yulin. More than 100 of these silos already contain DF-31-class missiles. In May 2026, satellite imagery revealed over 80 new launch pads and hardened octagon-shaped command centers near the Hami field, turning remote desert into a survivable second-strike fortress.<\/p>

Simultaneously, China now operates six Jin-class ballistic missile submarines armed with JL-3 missiles that have an approximately 6,200-mile range. It fields H-6N nuclear-capable bombers and is developing the H-20 stealth bomber capable of intercontinental strikes. Advanced hypersonic glide vehicles and new space-based early warning satellites support launch-on-warning operations. Together, these systems form a complete nuclear triad more resilient than before. Yet even as China races to expand its nuclear arsenal at a terrifying pace, the U.S. remains dangerously stagnant at roughly 3,700 warheads \u2014 the same level Russia currently holds.<\/p>

The Pentagon has explicitly linked this buildup to Beijing\u2019s goal of achieving strategic counterbalance against the U.S. Chinese leaders seek to deter American military intervention in any Taiwan<\/a> crisis by 2027. The expiration of the New START treaty eliminated all numerical limits and inspection regimes between the U.S. and Russia<\/a>. China continues to reject participation in any meaningful arms control discussions. The result is an unconstrained three-power nuclear competition without rules or transparency.<\/p>

This expansion directly erodes the credibility of American extended deterrence. Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines have long depended on reliable American nuclear guarantees for their security. A larger Chinese force that can survive a first strike and reach the American homeland raises a chilling question: Would Washington really risk its own cities to defend distant allies during a conflict? That doubt is Beijing\u2019s greatest weapon. Such doubts threaten to fracture the alliance network that has preserved peace in Asia<\/a> since 1945.<\/p>

TRUMP SAYS IRAN AGREES TO \u2018NO NUCLEAR,\u2019 AND OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM NEW INTERVIEW<\/a><\/p>

In the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, China\u2019s more survivable nuclear posture raises the stakes of any future crisis. Beijing could increase conventional military pressure while holding American naval and air forces under nuclear threat. The complete absence of crisis communication mechanisms between Washington and Beijing heightens the threat of dangerous miscalculation and unintended escalation.<\/p>

Thus, Washington must accelerate nuclear modernization programs, deepen operational integration with key allies on deterrence planning, and impose targeted costs on China\u2019s program through technology controls and alliance strengthening. America must treat this expansion as the central strategic challenge of the decade and commit resources without delay. Second, Washington should make clear to Beijing that any attempt to leverage its growing nuclear shield for coercion will trigger a robust American response. Only through such resolve can the U.S. protect its sovereignty, preserve its alliances, and maintain leadership in the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>

Jose Lev Alvarez is an American\u2013Israeli scholar specializing in international security policy. A multilingual veteran of the Israeli special forces and the U.S. Army, he holds three master\u2019s degrees, a medical degree, and is completing a master's degree in intelligence and global security in the Washington, D.C., area.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/e42220121911ae3e839c4b39e199b29b-e1780505496651.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594285-1780552800", "title":"Party leaders wrestle with another ‘candidate quality’ election", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4594285%2Fmidterm-countdown-candidate-quality-election%2F", "byline":"David Sivak", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"This story is part of a series of monthly snapshots from the Washington Examiner, titled Midterm Countdown, gauging the state of the 2026 election cycle. The 2026 election is shaping up to be another test of how much “candidate quality” matters to voters, and the answer could very well decide which party controls Congress next year. Democrats […]", "description":""

This story is part of a series of monthly snapshots from the Washington Examiner, titled Midterm Countdown<\/a>, gauging the state of the 2026 election cycle.<\/p>

The 2026 election<\/a> is shaping up to be another test of how much \u201ccandidate quality<\/a>\u201d matters to voters, and the answer could very well decide which party controls Congress<\/a> next year.<\/p>

Democrats are poised to nominate Graham Platner as their candidate for Senate in Maine despite a \u201csexting\u201d scandal<\/a> that has raised fresh doubts about his ability to defeat five-term incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).<\/p>

In Texas, Republicans have grudgingly embraced<\/a> state Attorney General Ken Paxton after they tried, and failed, to prop up incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) with more than $100 million in campaign spending. Paxton has been dogged by corruption allegations and an affair that led to his 2023 impeachment in the Texas House.<\/p>

The Paxton and Platner races are hardly the only ones hinging on voters\u2019 willingness to overlook a candidate\u2019s flaws. In the House, both parties are dealing with candidates accused of affairs, insider trading, and more.<\/p>

But the test cases in Texas and Maine, two states that will decide who controls the Senate next year, have outsize implications for each party and are notable for how far leadership went to box out their respective candidates.<\/p>

Senate Republicans spent months echoing Cornyn\u2019s warnings that Paxton was unelectable and would saddle the party under the weight of his controversy.<\/p>

The criticism of Platner was more muted among Democrats<\/a>, but the fact that he is the presumptive nominee is a major setback for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who recruited Janet Mills (D-ME), a two-term incumbent governor, to challenge Collins, only for her campaign to flame out in April.<\/p>A majority-breaker for Democrats?

Hanging over each race is the balance of power in Washington, and though Democrats are favored to retake the House regardless of any one candidate\u2019s weaknesses, they have more to lose if a nominee falters when it comes to the Senate map.<\/p>

Democrats need Texas, but also Maine and two other GOP-held states if they hope to win a Senate majority. And they can\u2019t lose a single blue seat to Republicans in the process.<\/p>

In the case of Platner, Democrats are wringing their hands over a bombshell report that he sent women sexually explicit text messages early in his marriage. But controversy has followed Platner since he launched his Senate campaign and was previously forced to cover up a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol and apologize for online posts that downplayed rape and insulted black people.<\/p>

The conversation over candidate quality, a catch-all term that sweeps together scandal and a politician\u2019s overall strength as a messenger for the party, has consumed the GOP for the entire Trump era.<\/p>

Establishment Republicans, led by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), faulted Trump-backed candidates when they lost winnable races in the 2022 elections and credited strong recruitment when they returned to power two years later.<\/p>

The president\u2019s 2024 coattails are one of the major reasons Republicans today hold unified control of Washington, and that was after the Capitol riot and his conviction in a Manhattan courtroom.<\/p>

But there are plenty of Republicans who lack Trump\u2019s political teflon, and his endorsement of candidates like Herschel Walker in Georgia and Kari Lake in Arizona<\/a> has created a lasting GOP debate over what makes someone viable with general election voters.<\/p>

For Democrats, that debate restarted in earnest in 2024, once President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and Vice President Kamala Harris lost as his hand-picked successor. And it has not let up since then.<\/p>

More recently, Democrats found themselves engulfed in the political firestorm surrounding former Rep. Eric Swalwell, a front-running candidate for governor of California who suspended his campaign amid sexual misconduct allegations. Swalwell denied the allegations but stepped down from Congress in April.<\/p>General election pivot

It is Trump, in part, who is reviving the question of candidate quality. Senate Republicans were livid over his late endorsement of Paxton<\/a> and believe it could cost them a seat Republicans have held for decades<\/a>.<\/p>

But Trump\u2019s support also came after it appeared likely Paxton would have won the primary anyway, and Platner is experiencing a similar phenomenon in Maine. Democratic voters appear willing to look past his rolling controversies, and he had a whopping 30-point lead<\/a> at the time Mills dropped out of the race.<\/p>

Paxton won his runoff<\/a> against Cornyn last month, while Platner is expected to secure the Democratic nomination when Maine holds its Senate primary next Tuesday.<\/p>

How forgiving voters are of flawed candidates depends on a complicated set of factors, from the severity of the indiscretion to the ideological makeup of the state to the strength of the challenger.<\/p>

Platner\u2019s appeal is the image he\u2019s cultivated for himself as a rough-and-tumble Marine who started over as an oysterman when he returned from military service.<\/p>

For Paxton, Republicans are hoping to cancel out questions over his moral fitness by tarring state Rep. James Talarico, his Democratic challenger, as unmanly and too woke<\/a> for a red state like Texas.<\/p>

Platner leads Collins by 8 percentage points, according to<\/a> the RealClearPolitics polling average, and Paxton is as of now neck and neck<\/a> with Talarico. But that\u2019s before the deluge of campaign spending both parties will unleash in the fall, and much of it is expected to be negative.<\/p>

Cornyn is sitting on the sidelines as Republicans defend his seat, quipping that he was forced out of the \u201cprediction business\u201d when he lost to Paxton. But he denounced the \u201cunusual tolerance\u201d both parties now have for scandal, and suggested it could cost Republicans with independents.<\/p>

\u201cI hope this is just a passing phase,\u201d said Cornyn, who served for two cycles as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. \u201cI think now it's almost like ideological alignment is the most significant, and not policy or even candidate quality, but I think sometimes you have to relearn lessons the hard way.\u201d<\/p>The libertarian wild card in Texas

There is a third candidate in the Texas Senate race: libertarian Ted Brown, who is courting the independents Cornyn says will be so important this November.<\/p>

Brown, a retired insurance adjuster, has so far attracted few headlines, but the polling is tight enough in Texas that his presence on the ballot could be pivotal.<\/p>

Brown received 2.4% of the vote<\/a> when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) ran for reelection in 2024, and he\u2019s hovering around 2%<\/a> in the latest polling for this cycle. Paxton currently trails Talarico by 1.5 percentage points, on average<\/a>.<\/p>

\"There are a lot of Republicans that didn\u2019t vote for Paxton in the primary, and a lot of them are not coming around,\u201d Brown told<\/a> Houston Public Media on Tuesday.<\/p>

Libertarian candidates generally eat away at the Republican vote and are regarded as spoilers, although Brown rejects that label. In New Hampshire, Republicans are dealing with the same debacle<\/a>, prompting one of the GOP Senate candidates to attend<\/a> a libertarian forum to vie for their support.<\/p>

Cruz ignored Brown altogether when asked about the impact he could have on the Texas race.<\/p>

\u201cI think Ken Paxton is going to win,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cTexas is a red state, and James Talarico's policy views are wildly out of step with the values of Texans.\u201d<\/p>

But Cornyn opined that Brown \u201ccan't be good news for Paxton,\u201d and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) linked Brown\u2019s candidacy to Democratic attempts to \u201cdisrupt\u201d the race.<\/p>

\u201cI think that any disruption in the political ecosystem right now is probably designed by Democrats to give their candidates an advantage,\u201d Thune said.<\/p>

The Brown campaign did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-collage-wjnoarypw-1779982140741-e1779996698831.jpg?1780528059&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594252-1780552800", "title":"Scott Bessent becomes chief salesman for Trump’s economic security pitch", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594252%2Fscott-bessent-economic-nationalism-trump-salesman%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Scott Bessent traveled to the Reagan National Economic Forum last week and delivered a message that would have been almost unthinkable from a Republican treasury secretary a decade ago: America got globalization wrong. Speaking before an audience of Reagan Republicans, Bessent argued that both parties spent decades sacrificing industrial capacity, supply-chain resilience, and national security […]", "description":""

Scott Bessent<\/a> traveled to the Reagan National Economic Forum last week and delivered a message that would have been almost unthinkable from a Republican<\/a> treasury secretary a decade ago: America got globalization wrong.<\/p>

Speaking before an audience of Reagan Republicans, Bessent argued that both parties spent decades sacrificing industrial capacity, supply-chain resilience, and national security in pursuit of cheaper goods.<\/p>

\u201cOne thing that has made our republic great,\u201d he said<\/a>, quoting Reagan, \u201cis that we don\u2019t hide from our mistakes. We learn from them, then we go on and do things better than we did before.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Bessent then laid out what he described as decades of economic mistakes from both parties.<\/p>

\u201cWe told ourselves that so long as goods were cheaper overseas, it did not matter whether factories went dark in Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania,\u201d he said. \u201cWe assumed that supply chains would always function smoothly, adversaries would always behave responsibly, and the invisible hand would correct vulnerabilities that too few in public life had the courage to confront. And while we reassured ourselves with those assumptions, risks accumulated all around us.\u201d<\/p>

The speech underscored Bessent's increasingly important role inside the Trump administration. While Vice President JD Vance <\/a>and Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> often dominate headlines, Bessent has emerged as the official tasked with explaining Trump's economic agenda to skeptical investors, business leaders, and conservatives raised on free-market orthodoxy.<\/p>

Friday's address in Simi Valley, California, offered perhaps the clearest example yet. Rather than deliver a standard Reagan-era defense of free trade and global markets, Bessent argued that economic nationalism was synonymous with economic security.<\/p>

\"A nation that cannot manufacture, mine, ship, or refine its needs gradually cedes its strength \u2014 and sovereignty \u2014 to others. That is a dangerous dependency for any country,\" Bessent said. \u201cNow, nations rarely cede their security in a single moment. More often, they drift into dependence through a series of politically expedient decisions. For our part, we made a series of mistakes \u2014 some bipartisan, others ideological, and many defended long after their costs became impossible to ignore.\u201d<\/p>

The argument represents a direct challenge to many of the assumptions that dominated Republican economic policymaking for much of the post-Cold War era. <\/p>

One Los Angeles business owner who attended last Friday\u2019s speech, granted anonymity over fears of reprisal regarding the politics of their hometown, told the Washington Examiner that Bessent garnered a \u201cwarm reception\u201d and \u201chuge\u201d rounds of applause, even while politely pointing out the decades-long failings of the political class.<\/p>

\u201cIt was powerful to hear,\u201d that person recounted, noting that they had, at the time, favored many of the policies that Bessent politely dismantled, including \u201cNAFTA and free trade during Bush.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSaving a few pennies through cheaper imports may lower costs today, but it can also cost America good-paying jobs, weaken key industries, and increase our dependence on foreign nations,\" they added. \"Economic strength and national security go hand in hand.\u201d<\/p>

Oren Cass, the founder and chief economist of American Compass, told the Washington Examiner that Bessent's strength is communicating why \u201cmarket policy people\u201d should get on board with Trump\u2019s platform, even though they\u2019re effectively behind the exact economic norms the administration is trying to reverse. Bessent recently sat for a fireside chat<\/a> at American Compass\u2019 annual gala in Washington, D.C.<\/p>

\u201cMake no mistake, it was a very good speech,\u201d Cass told the Washington Examiner. \u201cIt would have been very surprising to hear from a treasury secretary of the past, so it was very encouraging to hear that.\u201d<\/p>

Over the past year and a half, MAGA has fallen in love with the treasury secretary, multiple Trump allies and administration officials told the Washington Examiner that Bessent has become one of the administration's most effective public advocates, combining fluency in financial markets with a willingness to defend the president's agenda in increasingly combative terms.<\/p>

\u201cHe can deliver a winning message when talking about policy and dish it out as good as anybody,\u201d a senior Trump administration official said.<\/p>

Bessent's appeal within Trump's orbit extends beyond economic policy. A typically mild-mannered South Carolinian, Bessent is also winning over fans with his willingness to speak Trump\u2019s language of \u201cnever backing down from a fight,\u201d as one senior Trump administration official put it.<\/p>

That dynamic was on full display during his testimony before the Senate<\/a> Finance Committee on Wednesday. Though the hearing was ostensibly focused on Trump\u2019s budget request, ranking member Ron Wyden<\/a> (D-OR) used his opening statement to accuse Bessent of being \u201cout of step with the American people\u201d and complicit in \u201ca cover-up of the massive file of Epstein\u2019s financial records for a year and a half.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSen. Wyden has mendaciously slandered the Treasury building in an attempt to cover up his son having an investment meeting with Jeffrey Epstein to ask for funding,\u201d Bessent responded in turn, producing a clip that quickly went viral on social media. \u201cYour son\u2019s largest investment position was Rick\u2019s Cabaret. So, did your son and Jeffrey Epstein talk about pole dancing, as he begged him for money using your limited credibility?\u201d <\/p>

In that same hearing, Bessent produced yet another made-for-social-media moment, confirming with a slight tweak reporting of a heated altercation he had with Bill Pulte<\/a>, Trump\u2019s federal housing director and new nominee for Director of National Intelligence.<\/p>

\u201cNo, sir. I actually said I was going to kick his a**,\u201d he told Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) when asked if he had threatened to punch Pulte in the face. \u201cI had a very good exchange with the director yesterday.\u201d<\/p>

SOME INSIDERS WANT TRUMP TO GO 'PUBLIC' WITH NETANYAHU BEEF<\/a><\/p>

The exchange quickly circulated across conservative social media, reinforcing a reputation Bessent has developed over the past year: a Wall Street-trained treasury secretary capable of defending Trump's populist economic agenda in language that resonates both in boardrooms and in MAGA world.<\/p>

For an administration attempting to redefine Republican economics, that has made Bessent one of Trump's most important messengers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154561614348.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593657-1780552800", "title":"Three moves ahead: The phone call was theater — the real US-Israel strategy against Iran", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593657%2Ftrump-netanyahu-phone-call-theater-us-israel-strategy-iran%2F", "byline":"Emzari Gelashvili", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Two news stories broke within hours — one about Iran, one about Lebanon. Presented as unrelated, they reveal a coordinated logic when placed side by side. The noise has been about a phone call between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The signal is something else. The Axios story deserves scrutiny Axios […]", "description":""

Two news stories broke within hours \u2014 one about Iran<\/a>, one about Lebanon. Presented as unrelated, they reveal a coordinated logic when placed side by side. The noise has been about a phone call <\/a>between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The signal is something else.<\/p>The Axios story deserves scrutiny

Axios claimed Trump berated Netanyahu over Israeli strikes<\/a> on Hezbollah targets in Beirut's Dahieh district, citing two unnamed officials. The White House described the call as \"productive.\"<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

This fits a familiar pattern. Before the 12-day war with Iran, similar leaks alleged Vice President JD Vance had screamed at Netanyahu. Both governments later confirmed it was deliberate disinformation to mislead Tehran. The current narrative \u2014 whether accurate or strategically amplified \u2014 serves dual purposes: projecting American restraint to Iran while reassuring a domestic audience wary of deeper entanglement.<\/p>Three moves, one direction

Since April 8, a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire has largely held, with a 60-day framework largely agreed: partial sanctions relief in exchange for Iran transferring its highly enriched uranium stockpile. Yet simultaneously, Israeli forces have launched their deepest incursion into Lebanon in 26 years.<\/p>

They have seized Beaufort Castle<\/a>, cleared Hezbollah villages, and positioned for possible further advances. Washington has publicly affirmed Israel's freedom of action \u2014 including on the very front Tehran demands be off-limits. These are not contradictory policies. They are complementary parts of a single pressure campaign.<\/p>Carrot, stick, and the negotiator's pause

Washington is executing a classic two-track strategy. The carrot is economic relief for Iran's collapsing economy. The stick is relentless Israeli ground operations degrading Hezbollah \u2014 Tehran's most important proxy.<\/p>

Iran faces an impossible dilemma: intervene in Lebanon and lose the nuclear deal <\/a>and economic lifeline, or acquiesce while its strategic asset is systematically dismantled. Each day the agreement remains unsigned gives Israel more time to destroy tunnels, clear positions, and consolidate on commanding heights.<\/p>

This is sophisticated coercive diplomacy. Even if the Trump-Netanyahu phone call was genuinely tense, the appearance of friction serves the strategy \u2014 the classic \"good cop, bad cop\" dynamic. Richard Nixon's \"madman theory\" showed how controlled unpredictability extracts greater concessions.<\/p>Facts on the ground

Certain realities will endure regardless of any final agreement:<\/p>

Hezbollah<\/a> has suffered major operational damage, though it retains reconstitution capacity; Israeli forces control key high ground in southern Lebanon, including Beaufort Castle; The Lebanese Armed Forces are increasing coordination with U.S. and Israeli advisers \u2014 a major strategic shift; In Gaza, the Yellow Zone has expanded from approximately 49% to 70% Israeli control, further compressing Hamas toward the coast.<\/p>

Written agreements follow facts on the ground. The regional map is being redrawn.<\/p>Risks and the narrowing window

The risks are real. A deeper Israeli<\/a> footprint in Lebanon could repeat the long entanglement of the 1982 invasion. Lebanon's sectarian balance is fragile. Yet facts created on the ground have always mattered more than diplomatic text.<\/p>

The window for this reshaping is narrow \u2014 a matter of weeks. Iran's economy has limits, Hezbollah's recovery takes time, and negotiating deadlines loom.<\/p>Forget the noise. What really changed?

Israeli frustration is understandable. But the real question is not whether Washington and Jerusalem performed friction for Tehran. The question is what has changed on-site.<\/p>

AS IRAN CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS ESCALATE, RUBIO SAYS \u2018WAR IS OVER\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Hezbollah is significantly weakened. Israel holds strategic terrain. Iran<\/a> negotiates under duress. Three moves, all in the same direction.<\/p>

The noise says Israel was sold out. The map, the timeline, and the evidence say otherwise \u2014 this is serious alliance coordination.<\/p>

Emzari Gelashvili is a former member of the Georgian Parliament (2008\u20132012) and former senior official in Georgia's Ministry of State Security, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Internal Affairs, with a career focus on counterintelligence and operations against Russian and Iranian intelligence services. He publishes geopolitical analysis at emzargelashvili.substack.com.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP25286265854299.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593555-1780552800", "title":"Trump’s European nuclear weapons plan risks backfiring", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F4593555%2Ftrump-european-nuclear-weapons-plan-risks-backfiring%2F", "byline":"Daniel DePetris", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Joining NATO talks in late May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the alliance’s status quo was not working. “There’s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe than there have historically been,” Rubio told reporters. Still, he argued that he was a “strong supporter” of NATO, […]", "description":""

Joining NATO<\/a> talks in late May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> warned that the alliance's status quo was not working. \"There\u2019s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe<\/a> than there have historically been,\u201d Rubio told reporters. Still, he argued that he was a \u201cstrong supporter\u201d of NATO, calling it an important enabler of U.S. national security.\u00a0<\/p>

The Europeans are certainly taking notice.<\/p>

The war in Ukraine and Trump's perceived unreliability as an ally have provoked most European governments into higher defense spending. European military expenditure\u00a0reached $864 billion in 2025<\/a>, a 14% increase from the previous year. Germany, Europe\u2019s biggest economy, is at the forefront of that shift, with a 24% rise in its defense budget over the same time period. Still, the recent chaotic disputes over U.S. troop levels in Europe have led the Trump administration to search for a way to bolster the alliance. Its possible solution?\u00a0<\/p>

Bring more U.S. nuclear weapons capable bombers<\/a>, and perhaps more U.S. nuclear bombs,\u00a0into more of Europe. A final decision hasn\u2019t yet been made, but there\u2019s no doubt that at least some European countries, particularly Poland and the Baltics, wouldn\u2019t mind stationing U.S. nuclear-capable assets on their soil. Some politicians in Warsaw, such as Prime Minister Donald Tusk, have\u00a0even broached<\/a>\u00a0Poland obtaining its own nuclear weapons.\u00a0<\/p>

To be clear, bringing additional U.S. nuclear assets into Europe sounds more dramatic than it really is. In reality, it might only be an extension of NATO\u2019s established policy to allow NATO allies to carry U.S. nuclear weapons aboard their aircraft if Washington so approves. This nuclear-sharing arrangement<\/a> has been ongoing since the early 1950s, and it was originally crafted to serve two U.S. objectives: deter the Soviet Union from attacking Western Europe, and deter NATO allies from developing nuclear weapons of their own.<\/p>

Yet 2026 isn\u2019t 1956. And while a principal U.S. policy objective in Europe continues to be preventing Russia from waging war on NATO, Washington has also been trying for several administrations to get European allies to take primary responsibility for the defense of their own neighborhood. Europe is beginning to do just that. Trump is thus getting what he and many other presidents have long wanted.<\/p>

RUBIO TAKES ISSUE WITH ROSEN SAYING IT\u2019S \u2018EMBARASSING\u2019 HE WASN\u2019T INVOLVED IN IRAN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS<\/a><\/p>

So, why even flirt with nuclear posture changes that risk undermining the very burden-shifting goals Trump is ostensibly invested in?<\/p>

The risk is that by making U.S. security guarantees to Europe more credible, Trump risks reducing the Europeans' incentive to keep boosting their military capabilities. The majority of European politicians would much rather choose butter over guns at a time when energy prices are high and their economies are stagnating. Viewed in this light, one hopes the Trump administration disposes of this plan. Nuclear assurances don\u2019t offer much long-term value if they only reinforce a return to defensive dependence.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Russian-missile.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593470-1780552800", "title":"The mother of all oil shocks: Even larger crisis looms over Strait of Hormuz standoff", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4593470%2Foil-shock-larger-crisis-looms-strait-of-hormuz%2F", "byline":"Alvaro Vargas Llosa", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Strait of Hormuz standoff has created an oil market crisis far greater than the one caused by the 1970s oil embargoes. This is not “Europe’s problem,” as some U.S. government officials suggest, or China’s problem, or something purely temporary. Nor can the damaging impact be lessened by record U.S. petroleum exports — besides, how […]", "description":""

The Strait of Hormuz<\/a> standoff has created an oil market crisis<\/a> far greater than the one caused by the 1970s oil embargoes. This is not \u201cEurope\u2019s problem,\u201d as some U.S. government officials suggest, or China\u2019s problem, or something purely temporary. Nor can the damaging impact be lessened by record U.S. petroleum exports \u2014 besides, how does that help you at the pump<\/a>?<\/p>

If we include oil, liquefied natural gas, sulfur, and other products, the equivalent of some 30 million barrels of oil is typically produced in the Persian Gulf region and exported daily. The volume today has been reduced by nearly 90%, with the rest flowing through Saudi, Emirati, and Turkish pipelines. This is monumental.<\/p>

It\u2019s important to understand that tankers move at a snail\u2019s pace. Many of the oil and petroleum products that have reached their destinations since late February started their journey before the war began. Even if the stalemate could be resolved tomorrow and oil shipments quickly resumed, it will take weeks, perhaps months, for needed products to arrive.<\/p>

More importantly, consider what\u2019s happened to the world\u2019s oil reserves. Most of the 8 billion or so barrels held in the world\u2019s commercial stockpiles are what is known as \u201cworking inventories\u201d \u2014 that is, oil and petroleum<\/a> products that do not sit in storage waiting for an emergency, but actually feed global commercial supply chains.<\/p>

JPMorgan estimates that current commercial stockpiles provide a cushion equivalent to just 2.3 days in excess of normal worldwide consumption. Will those stockpiles be rebuilt when the conflict is resolved? Probably not, because production has stopped growing\u00a0\u2014 and will likely soon decline, given the depletion of major U.S. shale deposits. Though the oil market was supposedly 2 million barrels in surplus last year, slowing production explains why stockpiles didn\u2019t grow.<\/p>

Now look at government-managed strategic reserves. Some 2.5 billion barrels make up the world\u2019s total government-controlled stockpiles, of which China owns 55% \u2014 and China will do with them what it wants, not what the United States tells it to do.<\/p>

By contrast, the U.S. controls just 15% to 17%. Since Feb. 28, when President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started the war in Iran<\/a>, U.S. production has not increased, but exports have soared to some 13.6 million barrels per day.<\/p>

The U.S. has managed that by selling oil from its strategic reserve. Since the start of the war, some 70 million barrels of oil have been released into the market from U.S. government stockpiles. Given that neither the U.S. nor the rest of the world is increasing production, how will the U.S. rebuild its inventory?<\/p>

What all this points to is a supply shock the likes of which we have not seen before. The artificial manipulation of prices by the use of the strategic reserve will cease sooner rather than later, and the impact on the global oil market, including the U.S., will be of a different order than what we're already seeing.<\/p>

Some of these forces were at work before the war, in particular, the lack of production growth. But the disruption caused by the conflict has magnified them to an extent that will only become fully apparent in the near future \u2014 even if an end to the conflict can be negotiated soon.<\/p>

It is obvious that these considerations were absent from the folks who decided that all it would take to bring down the Iranian regime would be to blow up Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/a> on Feb. 28.<\/p>

Economist and author Alvaro Vargas Llosa is a senior fellow with the Center for Global Prosperity at the Independent Institute<\/a> in Oakland, California. His latest book is Global Crossings: Immigration, Civilization and America.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AP26108447289863.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593363-1780552800", "title":"The AI race America can actually win", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Fcourage-strength-optimism%2F4593363%2Fthe-ai-race-america-can-actually-win%2F", "byline":"Jason Rathje", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"At the recent summit in Beijing, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping put artificial intelligence on the agenda. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the leaders’ focus on AI guardrails that balance “⁠the most innovation and the highest level of safety.” The strategic question for the United States now is whether we will rely […]", "description":""

At the recent summit in Beijing, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping put artificial intelligence<\/a> on the agenda. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized<\/a> the leaders\u2019 focus on AI guardrails that balance \u201c\u2060the most innovation and the highest level of safety.\u201d<\/p>

The strategic question for the United States<\/a> now is whether we will rely on an approach that plays into China\u2019s<\/a> strengths, or extend the race into an area we are best positioned to win. <\/p>

Today\u2019s AI competition has been described too narrowly as a race for scale: Bigger data centers, more chips, larger models, more centralized data. But a contest defined only by centralized, hyperscale AI runs closer to Beijing\u2019s strengths than ours. America needs domestic frontier models, built by American companies and governed by American values.\u00a0<\/p>

But China can align state power, industrial policy, data access, energy, surveillance, and capital in ways a democratic country cannot replicate, nor should it want to. If the contest is only about who can centralize the most computing data, energy, and capital, Chinese state-owned enterprises will eventually narrow the gap with U.S. competitors.<\/p>

Fortunately, centralization is not the only path to AI leadership. Rather, the U.S. can compete with a distributed architecture, one in which AI models are controlled by the individual. A distributed architecture plays into America\u2019s strengths \u2014 open markets<\/a>, democratic institutions, and entrepreneurial speed \u2014 rather than concentrating capability in a handful of centralized hubs.<\/p>

In practice, this approach puts AI close to the decision maker \u2014 embedded in trusted devices, local networks, and mission systems \u2014 while the cloud serves as a support layer rather than a single point of dependence. Distributed systems enable individuals and teams to adapt, improve, and use AI they trust without waiting for direction from the center. That is a model of innovation and operational flexibility that authoritarian competitors will struggle to match.<\/p>

The military offers a clear example. A modern architecture designed around American and allied warfighting doctrine should be edge-first: AI operating locally across units, platforms, and devices while remaining interoperable across the force. Put simply, AI should work where decisions are actually being made.<\/p>

That could mean a maintainer troubleshooting aircraft on a flight line in the middle of the night, a small team operating in a communications-denied littoral outpost, a shipboard watch team managing operations under emissions control, or a medic moving through a blackout zone after an attack. In those environments, forces cannot depend on constant access to the cloud. They need trusted capabilities that continue to work in degraded, disconnected, and high-risk conditions \u2014 exactly when the mission matters most.<\/p>

The technology<\/a> behind distributed AI is advancing quickly. Intelligence is becoming smaller, cheaper, and more portable. Capabilities that once required large data centers can increasingly run on laptops, workstations, tablets, and edge devices. But the bigger shift is toward specialization. A pilot, maintainer, doctor, medic, or front-line worker does not need a single all-purpose model trying to answer every question. They need AI that understands their mission, their data, their permissions, and the operational context in which they are working.<\/p>

That architecture depends on many small, specialized models, each tailored to specific missions, roles, and workflows. A centralized system can be highly effective in stable environments with reliable connectivity. It becomes far less useful when communications are degraded, time is compressed, and decisions cannot wait. In those conditions, a distributed network of locally controlled intelligence is the only way AI can deliver reliable operational value.<\/p>

THE AI ARMS RACE HAS A TRACKING PROBLEM<\/a><\/p>

China\u2019s approach prioritizes centralized control. America\u2019s advantage should come from accountable empowerment. We need systems that are distributed by design, interoperable across allies, and resilient enough to function when communications fail or conditions deteriorate.<\/p>

After Beijing, the U.S. should keep talking about guardrails. But the guardrails alone are not a strategy. The real strategic task that lies ahead is to build an AI architecture that reflects how free societies compete and win: resilient, decentralized, and trusted by the people who depend on it.<\/p>

Dr. Jason Rathje is the President of Public Sector at webAI; former founding Director of the Department of Defense Office of Strategic Capital and co-founder of the U.S. Air Force AFVentures<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/iStock-2073390159.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593279-1780552800", "title":"As feds pull back student loans, states should reform cosmetology licensing", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffairness-justice%2F4593279%2Ffeds-pull-student-loans-states-need-reform-cosmetology-license%2F", "byline":"Edward Timmons and Preston Cooper", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Trump administration is pulling back federal student loans for cosmetology schools — and it’s a great opportunity for states to stop forcing aspiring beauticians to take on debt just to practice their trade. Under the administration’s proposed “Do No Harm” rule, colleges and trade schools can no longer enroll pupils using federal student loans […]", "description":""

The Trump administration<\/a> is pulling back federal student loans<\/a> for cosmetology schools \u2014 and it\u2019s a great opportunity for states to stop forcing aspiring beauticians to take on debt<\/a> just to practice their trade.<\/p>

Under the administration\u2019s proposed \u201cDo No Harm\u201d rule<\/a>, colleges and trade schools can no longer enroll pupils using federal student loans if their graduates earn less than early-career workers with only a high school diploma. The logic is that postsecondary education<\/a> should, at a minimum, make people better off than those who never went to college. If graduates can\u2019t clear this basic benchmark, they are unlikely to be able to afford their loan payments.<\/p>

Unfortunately, most cosmetology schools fail to meet this very basic standard. Four years after completing their programs, cosmetology graduates earn a median salary of just $27,000 \u2014 while similarly aged high school graduates earn around $35,000. As a result, cosmetology schools have among the nation\u2019s worst loan-repayment outcomes<\/a>, with roughly one-third of borrowers more than three months behind on their debts.<\/p>

The Trump administration is right to pull the plug: more than 90% of cosmetology schools are expected to fail<\/a> the \u201cDo No Harm\u201d rule and lose access to federal loans. That will protect hundreds of thousands of students from unaffordable debt. Meanwhile, taxpayers will no longer have to eat the cost when those borrowers inevitably fail to repay.<\/p>

But the Do No Harm rule should be only the beginning of a broader conversation about how to change the way barbers, hairstylists, and manicurists prepare for their careers. Every state licenses these professions; some, including Nebraska<\/a> and West Virginia<\/a>, require them to undergo over 1,800 hours of training before earning the right to work. The federal government has effectively subsidized these excessive training requirements through unconditional student loan subsidies \u2014 but now that funding stream is winding down.<\/p>

States should take the opportunity to cut the number of required training hours to become a licensed cosmetologist. Research<\/a> has shown that recent reductions in mandated required training hours have reduced tuition and increased enrollment. Some evidence<\/a> even suggests that the ensuing enrollment increases improve cosmetology schools\u2019 profits.<\/p>

Utah is one example of a state taking significant steps to reform cosmetology licensing requirements. With the enactment of SB 330<\/a> last year, most cosmetology education requirements were cut from 1,600 to 1,250 hours. Barbers can now obtain a license to work in Utah with just 130 hours of education. Aspiring workers may also substitute apprentice hours for beauty school hours.<\/p>

But states could go even further and end cosmetologist licensure entirely. Cosmetologist licensing is not ubiquitous worldwide. More than 119 million people in the UK and Spain<\/a> live without cosmetologist licensing. Several Canadian provinces, including British Columbia<\/a>, also do not require cosmetology licensing. Instead, regulation often occurs at the shop level. Beauty salons may need to register their business and be subject to random inspections. This way, the public is offered protection without overly cumbersome regulation that limits entry to the profession, which research has shown<\/a> fails to prevent accidents and bad actors.<\/p>

THE FAIR LABELS ACTA ISN'T FAIR. IT'S A RED FLAG FOR FOOD INNOVATION<\/a><\/p>

Cosmetology schools could still exist in a world without licensure. But rather than relying on state training mandates, they would need to demonstrate their educational value to attract voluntary paying customers. Beauty schools, which effectively teach students to become better at their craft \u2014 and achieve higher wages \u2014 could thrive. But those that exist mainly as a box for aspiring beauticians to check on the road to licensure would need to reform.<\/p>

Heavy licensing<\/a> requirements for cosmetologists were supposed to protect the public. Instead, licensing has sentenced barbers and hairstylists to unaffordable student debt. By reducing or even eliminating cosmetology licensing, states can address the student debt crisis and expand opportunity in one blow.<\/p>

Edward Timmons is vice president of Policy at the Archbridge Institute<\/a>. Preston Cooper is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iStock-2193844062.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4592670-1780552800", "title":"Warning for Senate Republicans: MAHA voters oppose Save Our Bacon Act", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fop-eds%2F4592670%2Fwarning-senate-republicans-maha-oppose-save-our-bacon-act%2F", "byline":"Liam Gray", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) generated significant media attention with her successful MAHA-backed work to remove pro-pesticide policies from the House version of the Farm Bill. But despite attracting less attention, her rejected amendment to remove the so-called Save Our Bacon Act may prove to be even more consequential for congressional Republicans. The SOB Act […]", "description":""

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) generated significant media attention with her successful MAHA-backed work <\/a>to remove pro-pesticide policies from the House version of the Farm Bill<\/a>. But despite attracting less attention, her rejected amendment to remove the so-called Save Our Bacon<\/a> Act may prove to be even more consequential for congressional Republicans.<\/p>

The SOB Act is a provision that was inserted into the House version of the Farm Bill that would nullify state laws setting for how animals are treated, particularly with regard to how much space pigs in factory farm confinement are allowed (laws such as California\u2019s Prop. 12, for example, mandate that pork sold in California be derived from pigs that have enough space to at least stand up and turn around).\u00a0<\/p>

It is the exact type of consumer-be-damned special-interest-catering swamp provision that ignited the MAHA movement into action against the pro-pesticide policies, but with the added features of entrenching widespread animal cruelty and supplanting state laws across the country with federal regulations that solely benefit the largest industrial agriculture operations (including, most alarmingly, China-owned<\/a> Smithfield Foods).<\/p>

As evidenced by the grassroots effort that led to her pesticide victory, Luna has been consistently adept at staying in touch with her voter base and with the MAHA movement in particular. Her opposition to the SOB Act should signal enough where the populist sentiment is, but more evidence is not hard to find. <\/p>

Tomi Lahren, who, like Luna, has clearly had her finger on the pulse of the MAHA movement<\/a>, has been among the most adamant and forceful in opposing the SOB Act, committing several X posts, a podcast episode, and a segment with Luna on the Big Weekend Show to the effort. But other veritable base barometers on the Right, as wide-ranging as Michael Cernovich, Christina Hoff Sommers, and Rob Schneider, have also spoken out on this.<\/p>

Senate Republicans should consider these voices and those of their constituents. Unlike the House version, the base version of the Senate Farm Bill is not expected to contain the SOB Act language, but in all likelihood, the language will be proposed as an amendment. It would be a costly mistake for Senate Republicans to support such an amendment.<\/p>

The SOB deserves to be voted down from a purely conservative perspective: Simply put, this is federal legislation<\/a> unabashedly written to override state laws, intentionally subverting powers constitutionally afforded to the states and the people. That is a blatant and intentional rejection of the foundational principles of federalism.<\/p>

It also deserves to be voted down because it represents a cold cruelty that is beneath the values and character we share as Americans: At our core, Americans believe in protecting the vulnerable and defenseless, and for years, animal protection measures have been passed with bipartisan support in every state in the nation. We should not support legislation that undoes those protections and undermines our values.<\/p>

ANNA PAULINA LUNA CALLS OUT THUNE OVER PESTICIDE WARNING IN FARM BILL<\/a><\/p>

But if the Senate requires a more cynical calculus than these principled reasons to oppose the SOB Act, then they would do well to consider the emerging power of the MAHA movement and recognize that support for the SOB Act could cost them their job.\u00a0<\/p>

From the Tea Party to MAGA, when an antiestablishment movement in the Republican Party<\/a> emerges, primaries soon follow. The MAHA movement has already demonstrated its political clout, forcing Luna\u2019s amendment to stop pro-pesticide policies; voting for the SOB Act could be ample ammunition when the MAHA primaries begin.<\/p>

Liam Gray is the founder and executive director of the Wilberforce Institute, the first conservative animal advocacy nonprofit organization in the U.S. Liam served in the U.S. Army, both as an Infantry Paratrooper in the 82d Airborne and as a Human Intelligence Collector. He was previously an editor at the Daily Caller.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP25358718659191.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4582793-1780552800", "title":"The military needs more innovative risk takers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4582793%2Fmilitary-needs-more-innovative-risk-takers%2F", "byline":"Tom Rogan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. The drone warfare revolution in Ukraine and the Middle East […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

The drone<\/a> warfare revolution in Ukraine<\/a> and the Middle East <\/a>has proved that former United States Marine Corps<\/a> Commandant David Berger's \"Force 2030\" organizational reforms were absolutely crucial. We desperately need more innovative, risk-taking defense leaders such as Berger.<\/p>

Berger has put the USMC in a prime position to effectively wage war with China<\/a> by trading its tanks, cannon artillery, and helicopter gunships for small, independent teams of drone, anti-ship, and anti-air Marine units. Absent Berger's courage, the USMC would be doing what the Army, Air Force, and Navy are now doing: desperately trying to catch up with a revolution in warfare that prior service chiefs chose to ignore or underestimate. There's a very good reason the current USMC commandant, Gen. Eric Smith, has doubled down on Berger's strategy. He knows that doing so is crucial. If China successfully conquers Taiwan, the consequences for American security, prosperity, and global influence will be catastrophic<\/a>.<\/p>

WILL THE EU FINALLY GET TOUGH ON CHINA'S 'EXISTENTIAL' TRADE THREAT? DOUBTFUL.<\/a><\/p>

We need many more innovators in the military and defense<\/a> industrial complex. And leaders who will empower them to succeed.<\/p>

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has done an excellent job on one side of this ledger, empowering new companies such as Anduril to develop lower-cost munitions and drones capable of flying alongside manned aircraft. Anduril invests its own money and then seeks government contracts. Palantir has similarly stepped into the breach to deliver innovative technology solutions.<\/p>

At the same time, President Donald Trump has imposed a long-overdue reckoning on defense behemoths such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Boeing. He is demanding they start delivering on time, on budget, and with working products, or face serious financial penalties.<\/p>

While Lockheed might have made some very special still-secret spy planes, its development of the F-35 fighter jet program has been an expensive joke<\/a>. The Electric Boat Company might produce the best submarines in the world, but it has tolerated extraordinary construction delays<\/a>. These companies have some of the world's best engineers and machinists, but their CEOs and boards have too long assumed that the Pentagon gravy train would allow them to slurp up profits without regard for warfighting efficiency. Facing today's world, finite defense funds must go only where the nation can get the biggest figurative and literal bangs for the buck.<\/p>

Unfortunately, Hegseth has done a very poor job with people, notably with his decision to fire former Army chief of staff Randy George. Another innovator, George allowed combat units to buy equipment off the shelf and bypass the torpid Pentagon procurement system. But Hegseth's ego couldn't handle George's support for well-qualified officers whom Hegseth refused to promote.<\/p>

This ego-loyalty dynamic is corrosive to military efficacy. Instead, the War Department<\/a> needs smart officers and noncommissioned officers who command the respect of their deputies via the success of their example. It also needs more civilian leaders in the form of Biden-era Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks. She led the crucially important Replicator program to develop thousands of low-cost drones to help balance the U.S. military's force scale disadvantage against the vast Chinese military. Hicks knew that success meant challenging the defense contractor giants and going around the often-parochial congressional armed services committees. But the Replicator program has been a huge success.<\/p>

Still, we must also recognize how this kind of bold leadership reaps a political and bureaucratic whirlwind. Berger's experience offers an excellent example. The former commandant faced critics who worked relentlessly to undermine his strategy and even question his integrity.<\/p>

Take the highly decorated Vietnam War USMC veteran and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb. Attacking <\/a>Berger's reforms in 2022, Webb warned that \"after several unsuccessful attempts by retired senior officers to engage in a quiet dialogue with Gen. Berger, the gloves have now come off. \u2026 If Gen. Berger\u2019s new ideas were well thought out and tested, we would be seeing 90% of retired generals enthusiastically supporting them instead of expressing concern. But the realities of brutal combat and the wide array of global challenges the Marine Corps faces daily argue strongly against a doctrinal experiment that might look good in a computerized war game at Quantico.\"<\/p>

Webb volunteered to serve during a time of war when many others chose to dodge that harder patriotic choice. Still, his \"computerized war games\" wit has been eviscerated on the battlefields of southeastern Ukraine. Berger has been vindicated by Russian blood. There, Russian combined arms formations have been unable to maneuver after being locked in place by webs of Ukrainian drone networks. The war in Iran has further underlined how waves of inexpensive drones can deplete or penetrate highly advanced air defense bubbles<\/a> and create havoc deep behind the front line.<\/p>

Sadly, Webb's claims were shared widely by many former Marine generals. And as recently as 2024, more than two years after the war in Ukraine began, some of these critics still failed to reference \"drones\" even once<\/a> in their arguments. That reflects a real problem: the unwillingness of too many in the national security bureaucracy to pursue the changes necessary to win the next war rather than dream about refighting the Gulf War.<\/p>

The USMC was not designed to be a smaller version of the Army \u2014 it was designed to be an aggressive, high-speed amphibious assault force. Numerous USMC field-grade officers have told me they support Berger's reforms. Their rationale informed my argument<\/a> for the Wall Street Journal shortly after Webb's op-ed. There, I noted that \"the helicopter squadrons Gen. Berger wants to cut are highly unlikely to be able to sustain operations against the [Chinese military] under saturated fire. The tanks and cannon artillery he\u2019d like to dump would have next to no utility in the South China Sea and would struggle to get to Taiwan in time to make a difference. Massed infantry formations would have limited strategic effect in a fight over such small pieces of land and would drain American resources... as the Russians are learning in Ukraine, it\u2019s not enough to have good equipment if you can\u2019t deploy it, sustain it, and use it to kill the enemy before he kills you. As the Ukrainians are demonstrating, agile forces armed with potent portable weapons can deliver major battlefield gains.\"<\/p>

All of this begs a question: Should those 90% of USMC general officers have been promoted in the first place? The broader question should drive promotion and recruitment decisions across the War Department<\/a> and in the boardrooms of America's defense contractors.<\/p>

TRUMP ISN'T ABANDONING NATO, HE'S REBALANCING IT<\/a><\/p>

The U.S. needs a strategic and procurement defense revolution to reflect the realities of modern state warfare. Inertia and old-guard thinking are recipes only for American bodies and wartime defeat. We need a culture of risk-taking that can defeat a Chinese attack on Taiwan, support the defense of Europe against Russia<\/a>, and maintain American dominance across the spectrum of warfare.<\/p>

Berger set the example. Whether serving in the public or private sector, defense leaders must follow it.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Commandant_of_the_Marine_Corps_General_David_H._Berger_speaks_during_his_relinquishment_of_command_ceremony_at_Marine_Barracks_Washington_D.C._July_10_2023_-_230710-D-PM193-1797_cropped.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594527-1780552318", "title":"Trump accuses Democrats of trying to steal California primary: ‘Dumocrats are at it again’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594527%2Ftrump-accuses-democrats-of-trying-to-steal-california-primary-dumocrats-are-at-it-again%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump accused Democrats of trying to steal the California primary elections amid reports that it could take weeks before the state’s final vote totals are known in multiple primary elections. He made the comments in two posts on his Truth Social account after midnight on Thursday. “The Dumocrats are at it again!” Trump […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> accused Democrats of trying to steal the California<\/a> primary elections amid reports that it could take weeks before the state\u2019s final vote totals are known in multiple primary elections. He made the comments in two posts on his Truth Social account after midnight on Thursday.<\/p>

\u201cThe Dumocrats are at it again!\u201d Trump said in his first post. \u201cThey are trying to steal the governor of California primary, and the mayor of Los Angeles, primary, away from two great Republican candidates. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of mail in ballots.\u201d<\/p>

Trump has been a consistent and vocal critic of mail-in ballots and has regularly linked them to accusations of voter fraud. In the 2020 presidential election, Trump claimed that the election was rigged after large numbers of mail-in ballots were counted after polls closed on Election Day. In several states where Trump had an initial lead, the advantage evaporated after the mail-in ballots were counted. In recent months, he has called for banning mail-in ballots, even as he continues to link their use to fraud. <\/p>

In March, Trump issued the executive order \u201cEnsuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections<\/a>,\u201d which, about mail-in voting, recommended the use of \u201csecure ballot envelope identifiers\u201d such as bar codes to \u201cprovide a reliable, auditable mechanism to enforce Federal law without unduly burdening or infringing on the rights of eligible voters.\u201d<\/p>

In the Los Angeles mayoral election<\/a>, with 63% of the vote counted as of Wednesday at 8:52 p.m., incumbent Democrat Karen Bass had the highest percentage of total votes with 35.0% and 183,701 votes, according to the Associated Press. Republican Spencer Pratt is next with 29.9% and 157,116 votes, followed by Democrat Nithya Raman with 22.8% and 119,809 votes.<\/p>

In the California gubernatorial primary, with 56% of votes counted as of Wednesday at 8:54 p.m., Republican Steve Hilton was in the lead at 27.6% and 1,421,466 votes. Next was Democrat Xavier Becerra with 25.6% and 1,318,536 votes, followed by Tom Steyer with 19.8% and 1,019,332 votes.<\/p>

In a second Truth Social post after 1 a.m., Trump again accused the Democrats of cheating in California and that the voting methodology in Los Angeles was under federal investigation. The president didn\u2019t provide any additional details regarding each statement. <\/p>

\u201cThere\u2019s big cheating by the Dumocrats in California,\u201d Trump said. \u201cVotes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks. Under investigation by the U.S. attorney\u2019s office in Los Angeles. Why the vote counting delay?\u201d<\/p>

Trump didn\u2019t provide any evidence or elaborate on his accusations in the posts.<\/p>

The X account for Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s (D-CA) Press Office responded to Trump\u2019s accusations, dismissing the president's comments and claims in his posts.<\/p>

\u201cTrump is lying about California again \u2014 time to take the phone away from grandpa and put him to sleep,\u201d the post read<\/a>.<\/p>

DESANTIS RIPS CALIFORNIA VOTING COUNT DELAYS: \u2018IT\u2019S PATHETIC\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) also commented<\/a> on Wednesday about the delay in California\u2019s vote counting, calling the lag \u201cpathetic\u201d and saying it was detrimental to American society.<\/p>

\u201cFlorida processes more than 10 million votes in a matter of hours,\u201d DeSantis said<\/a> in a post on X. \u201cCalifornia takes days \u2014 or sometimes even weeks \u2014 to count the votes.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s pathetic \u2014 and it\u2019s corrosive to our civic culture,\u201d DeSantis said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154731759036.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594471-1780551000", "title":"House Democratic campaign arm adds four candidates to flagship program for midterms", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594471%2Fhouse-democrat-2026-elections-four-candidates-flagship-program%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Democrats‘ campaign arm is expanding its flagship “Red to Blue” program for the third time since its launch, adding four Democratic candidates in competitive districts. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced Thursday it was adding former prosecutor Marni von Wilpert in California’s 48th District, former NASA chief of staff Bale Dalton in Florida’s 7th […]", "description":""

House Democrats<\/a>' campaign arm is expanding its flagship \u201cRed to Blue\u201d program<\/a> for the third time since its launch, adding four Democratic candidates in competitive districts.<\/p>

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee<\/a> announced Thursday it was adding former prosecutor Marni von Wilpert in California\u2019s 48th District, former NASA chief of staff Bale Dalton in Florida\u2019s 7th Congressional District, political organizer Denise Powell in Nebraska\u2019s 2nd District, and former Navy pilot Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey\u2019s 7th District to the program. <\/p>

\u201cRising costs on gas, groceries, housing, and healthcare have become a regular reminder of House Republicans\u2019 broken promises,\u201d said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene. <\/p>

\u201cVoters are eager for new leaders who will put them first, not DC party bosses,\u201d DelBene continued. \u201cThis latest class of Red to Blue candidates are proven fighters and trusted public servants who put country over party. They are running to lower costs, tackle corruption, deliver for hardworking families, and will be critical to helping House Democrats take back the majority in November.\u201d<\/p>

Both Von Wilpert and Powell are running in open districts that lean Democratic. Von Wilpert is running against Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond in California\u2019s newly formed 48th District. The district is held by retiring Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). Powell, meanwhile, is set to face Omaha City Councilmember Brinker Harding for retiring Rep. Don Bacon's (R-NE) seat.<\/p>

Dalton is in redder waters and is running in Florida's August primary to oust embattled Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL). The district is rated as likely Republican by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.\u00a0Bennett is in a toss-up race against Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ), who has been absent from Congress for three months due to a medical issue.<\/p>

CALIFORNIA 11TH DISTRICT PRIMARY RESULTS: WIENER ADVANCES TO GENERAL ELECTION TO SUCCEED PELOSI<\/a><\/p>

Few details have been shared by Kean\u2019s office about his health. However, the congressman said in a Tuesday afternoon statement that he is \u201cmore energized than ever\u201d to fight for the district and would \u201ctransition from virtual work to in-person work within a matter of weeks.\u201d<\/p>

With the inclusion of the four Democratic candidates, the Democratic program now boasts 24 candidates that the party is boosting with additional resources as it tries to win control of the House in November.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26112581808626.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593376-1780549200", "title":"Democrats exercise a House floor power grab amid small margins", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4593376%2Fdemocrats-house-floor-power-grab-war-powers%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Democrats are poised to exert control over the House floor this week by forcing three votes as Republicans cling to their fragile majority. As Democrats look to take the House in November, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has boasted about forcing GOP leadership’s hand through a handful of votes and canceled session days.  “Democrats have […]", "description":""

Democrats<\/a> are poised to exert control over the House<\/a> floor this week by forcing three votes as Republicans<\/a> cling to their fragile majority.<\/p>

As Democrats look to take the House in November, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> (D-NY) has boasted about forcing GOP<\/a> leadership\u2019s hand through a handful of votes and canceled session days. <\/p>

\u201cDemocrats have repeatedly governed in the minority as if we were in the majority, and we're going to do so again this week as it relates to what I believe will be a successful war powers resolution tomorrow, and then a successful vote to stand up for the free world, for democracy, for truth, and the Ukrainian people on Thursday,\u201d Jeffries told reporters Tuesday.<\/p>

\"They made life worse for the American people, and so that's one of the reasons why I'm convinced that Republicans continue to cancel votes and do everything they can every week to get out of town before Sunday,\" Jeffries continued. <\/p>

The House on Wednesday passed the resolution, forced to the floor by Democrats, to rein in President Donald Trump\u2019s war powers in Iran, as four Republicans joined all Democrats<\/a> to get the measure across the finish line.<\/p>

Democrats have also forced a handful of votes earlier this year on war powers that all failed, and GOP leadership pulled another before it could pass ahead of the Memorial Day recess. <\/p>

But House Democrats are not stopping there. <\/p>

Democrats and centrist Republicans are planning to force a tough vote via discharge petition on sending $1.3 billion in aid to Ukraine<\/a> and instituting new sanctions on Russia<\/a>. The parliamentary procedure bypasses the committee process and forces legislation directly to the floor for a vote after receiving support from 218 lawmakers.<\/p>

Later this week, Democrats are also expected to force a vote on another war powers resolution in an effort to halt any possible U.S. involvement with Israel\u2019s war in Lebanon.  <\/p>

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has had difficulty managing one of the slimmest margins in congressional history and often relied on absences, vacancies, and, at times, President Donald Trump's<\/a> influence over the conference to pass critical legislation.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner contacted the speaker's office for comment.<\/p>

This is not the first time Democrats have reached the necessary 218 signatures on a discharge petition this Congress. <\/p>

MILLER-MEEKS ADVANCES IN RACE FOR ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE HOUSE SEATS<\/a><\/p>

Some of the most high-profile legislation this Congress passed have been through a discharge petition, including bills to overturn Trump\u2018s effort to end temporary protection status<\/a> for Haitian migrants, force a release of the files related<\/a> to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits<\/a>.<\/p>

While these measures passed the lower chamber, only the Epstein Files Transparency Act has been signed into law. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-rrhxmttbb-1780506452104-e1780530473319.jpg?1780492118&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593195-1780549200", "title":"Trump faces a string of losses after riding high over the GOP", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4593195%2Ftrump-losses-gop-iowa-kennedy-center%2F", "byline":"Mabinty Quarshie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"After establishing dominance as the undisputed head of the Republican Party, President Donald Trump this week has run into a string of losses ranging from the Iran war to the Justice Department’s anti-weaponization fund to East Wing ballroom funding to his first major electoral loss of the cycle. The latest setback came Wednesday afternoon, when […]", "description":""

After establishing dominance as the undisputed head of the Republican Party<\/a>, President Donald Trump<\/a> this week has run into a string of losses ranging from the Iran war to the Justice Department's<\/a> anti-weaponization fund to East Wing ballroom funding to his first major electoral loss of the cycle.<\/p>

The latest setback came Wednesday afternoon, when the House<\/a> passed an Iran<\/a> war powers resolution, ordering a halt to further strikes<\/a> on the country in a 215-208 vote.<\/p>

The rare losing streak is Trump's most consequential since his return to the White House in 2025 as he tries to maintain supremacy over the GOP amid sagging poll numbers due in large part to high gas prices stemming from the war.<\/p>Iran war

Four Republicans joined all Democrats to pass the resolution in a sharp rebuke of Trump's leadership. <\/p>

GOP lawmakers have long implored the president to focus on affordability issues such as lowering gas and grocery prices. But the Iran war, now in its third month, has thwarted Trump's ability to address pocketbook issues.<\/p>

\"The challenge is that we can't have a serious conversation about the economy and things until things in Iran are sorted out,\" said Jason Roe, a Republican strategist who worked on the presidential campaigns of former Sen.\u00a0Mitt Romney<\/a> and Secretary of State\u00a0Marco Rubio<\/a>.<\/p>

Iran suspended negotiations with the U.S. on Monday, less than a week after U.S. and Iranian negotiators had agreed to extend the ceasefire for two months. Without an official peace deal, it is unlikely that Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz will end or that gas prices will come down.<\/p>

\"For three months, we've been told that a deal is coming tomorrow, and there's not that many tomorrows left,\" Roe said.<\/p>Anti-weaponization fund

Republicans on Capitol Hill widely pushed back against the Justice Department's $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund before the Trump administration eventually promised to \u201cabide by\u201d a court order blocking the funding from going out. <\/p>

\"The Department of Justice disagrees strongly with the decision on the Anti-Weaponization Fund put forth by the United States District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia, wherein the Court stated that, under no circumstances, may the Department of Justice proceed with the Anti-Weaponization Fund recently established in order to make up for the tremendous abuse, harm, and hate unfairly shown to so many people,\" the DOJ wrote on X<\/a>. <\/p>

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also told a House appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday: \"We are not moving forward with the fund, period.\" <\/p>

Trump, however, appeared to claim he had not given up on the funding in an interview with Pod Force One\u2019s Miranda Devine that was published Wednesday.<\/p>

\"No, a court ruled against it,\" he said when asked about dropping the funding. He later told reporters<\/a> about the fund: \"I love it. I think it's so important.\"<\/p>

\"I'd have to ask the lawyers, I don't know,\" Trump added when asked whether the fund is dead or just paused.<\/p>

Despite the conflicting messages, Congress made it explicit. Language for the funding was not included in a party-line budget bill focused on immigration, known as reconciliation. Yet some lawmakers are claiming they want language in the legislation that explicitly nixes the funding permanently. Retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently slammed the White House for even putting forth the funding as a suggestion.<\/p>

\"My God, you put forth this restitution fund when we're trying to get Homeland Security funded for three years and you think that's going to go well,\" he told CNBC's Squawk Box<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>Kennedy Center

A court order last week called for the administration to revert to using the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the arts center's name, rather than the Trump-Kennedy Center, sparking a lengthy response from Trump on social media.<\/p>

In a lengthy post on Truth Social<\/a>, Trump called U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, appointed by former President Barack Obama, \"a Highly Conflicted, Crooked Federal Judge.\" <\/p>

Cooper \"said that I should not be allowed to spend my time and money in order to MAKE THE CENTER GREAT AGAIN, actually, far greater than it ever was before,\" the president continued.<\/p>White House security funding

Lawmakers have also removed language that included $1 billion in Secret Service security funding<\/a> for the East Wing ballroom in the reconciliation package, despite Trump's insistence that the funding was necessary.<\/p>

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday afternoon released its bill text, which struck the funding language from the reconciliation process. Republicans on Capitol Hill have grown weary of the $220 million taxpayer bill for the ballroom, arguing it risks derailing immigration enforcement funding.<\/p>

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said<\/a> the changes ensure the immigration funding won't be \"held hostage by Democrats\u2019 radical leftist agenda.\"<\/p>Iowa governor's race

One of the latest losses for the president came Tuesday night when Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) lost the Iowa<\/a> GOP gubernatorial primary to businessman Zach Lahn. This was the first high-profile receiver of a Trump endorsement to lose their race, after the president backed candidates who ousted Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).<\/p>

Trump faces another test of his endorsement power in Republican primaries on Tuesday, with South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette locked in a competitive gubernatorial primary with South Carolina Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), as well as state Attorney General Alan Wilson.<\/p>

Some Republicans claim the primary loss was simply a fluke and doesn't represent Trump's popularity within his MAGA base.<\/p>

\"He's got a 99% endorsement rate where he wins, so even if it's a couple of losses, I'm not super worried,\" said Angie Wong, a GOP strategist and Miami GOP committee chairwoman. \"I think the biggest loss for Trump right now is if he does not get the gas prices and the economy back on track.\"<\/p>

RANDY FEENSTRA LOSS DELIVERS BLOW TO TRUMP-ENDORSED CANDIDATE SUCCESS RATE<\/a><\/p>

The White House pushed back against the president's recent string of setbacks by pointing to Trump's successes in a statement to the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

\u201cPresident Trump is the clear leader of the Republican Party, and anyone who thinks he is a lame duck is out of touch with reality,\" White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said. \"In just over one year, President Trump has turned the page on the failed Biden years and made our country greater than ever before with the most secure border in American history, the largest middle-class tax cut ever, and the lowest murder rate since 1900. The President will continue working every day to implement his commonsense agenda and achieve historic success for the American people.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26128834215813-e1778442878148.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4590820-1780549200", "title":"Democrats are still soft on crime", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4590820%2Fdemocrats-are-still-soft-on-crime%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"There is perhaps no better example of Democratic Party dysfunction than what one sees when visiting the aisles of an urban retail store. What you find is merchandise, some of it everyday items such as toothpaste and razor blades, locked away behind plastic cases. This is to prevent retail theft, which has become an epidemic […]", "description":""

There is perhaps no better example of Democratic Party<\/a> dysfunction than what one sees when visiting the aisles of an urban retail store.<\/p>

What you find is merchandise, some of it everyday items such as toothpaste and razor blades, locked away behind plastic cases. This is to prevent retail theft<\/a>, which has become an epidemic in many, if not most, cities across the country. It is necessary for stores to stoop to this level of inconvenience for law-abiding citizens because thieves are not held accountable. Rather than passing and enforcing laws that punish criminals accountable for their crimes<\/a>, governments have adopted a conscious policy sacrificing the quality of life of 99% of citizens so the remaining 1% can commit crimes without consequences.<\/p>

One would hope that after the 2024 elections,<\/a> in which Democrats were punished by voters for their lax policies on crime, the party of the Left would have learned its lesson and adjusted so it was representing voters more accurately on criminal justice troubles. Voters uniformly rejected soft-on-crime candidates nationwide. <\/p>

But Democrats appear incapable of choosing order over chaos. It is a classic example of that distortion on the Left, which means its adherence to their policy theories rather than doing what works in practice. Not only did 60 House Democrats vote against the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act last month, but now left-wing activist groups are gearing up to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting this commonsense anti-crime bill in the Senate. The fight is a reminder of just how fragile all progress on lowering crime is. If Democrats are put in charge again, crime will rise because criminals will be given a pass.<\/p>

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act strengthens federal criminal law against organized retail theft and makes it easier for stakeholders to coordinate anti-crime efforts. It would create a new federal coordination center to help federal, state, and local law enforcement work with retailers and shipping companies to identify organized theft rings. It would also make federal prosecution easier in three key ways. Prosecutors could add related thefts over a 12-month period to meet the $5,000 federal threshold, more theft-by-fraud schemes would fall under federal stolen-goods law, and money-laundering charges would be easier to bring when stolen goods are turned into cash, prepaid cards, gift cards, or store credit.<\/p>

The bill is needed because organized retail crime is more than ordinary shoplifting. Criminal networks steal large amounts of merchandise from stores, warehouses, trucks, and rail lines, then resell it online or through other channels. These rings often operate across city and state lines, which makes them difficult for local police and prosecutors to stop. A stronger federal role would help law enforcement target the larger criminal organizations behind the thefts, not just the individual thieves caught at the store.<\/p>

Yet a significant bloc of House Democrats and their radical allies are against all this. The Vera Institute of Justice claims the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would \u201conly criminalize poverty and disproportionately impact black communities.\u201d Dream.org warns that the legislation will lead to \u201cracial profiling, aggressive raids, secret watchlists, community terror.\u201d Instead of strengthening prosecution, these left-wing activists want Congress to spend taxpayer money on \u201ccommunity navigator programs\u201d that they say \u201ccan connect someone to stable housing, jobs, treatment, and other services to break the cycle of crime.\u201d<\/p>

The Vera Institute of Justice and Dream.org<\/a> recently announced they would spend $500,000 on a media campaign fighting the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act in the Senate. Incidentally, the Vera Institute of Justice is funded almost entirely by taxpayer dollars to provide community navigator programs, such as the ones mentioned above, to Democratic cities and states.<\/p>

GOVERNMENT UNION ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSUIT EPITOMIZES CALIFORNIA DYSFUNCTION<\/a><\/p>

Democrats say they care about black communities, but those communities suffer most when stores close, prices rise, and neighborhoods lose access to basic goods. They are the ones who have to wait for an employee to open a plastic case because politicians have decided that prosecuting theft is more offensive than allowing it.<\/p>

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act is not extreme. It is a modest, practical bill aimed at serious criminal networks. Democrats and their co-radicals are fighting it. The party\u2019s soft-on-crime instincts remain intact.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP24023011288391-1-scaled-e1780510530893.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594510-1780548706", "title":"DeSantis rips California voting count delays: ‘It’s pathetic’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594510%2Fdesantis-rips-california-voting-count-delays-its-pathetic%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"California’s primary elections were held on Tuesday, June 2, yet, over 24 hours later, the state still has not finished counting votes in any of its elections. Moreover, according to the most recent available updates, none of the state’s federal primaries has exceeded 60% of the votes counted. The lethargic pace of vote counting has […]", "description":""

California\u2019s<\/a> primary elections were held on Tuesday, June 2, yet, over 24 hours later, the state still has not finished counting votes in any of its elections. Moreover, according to the most recent available updates<\/a>, none of the state\u2019s federal primaries has exceeded 60% of the votes counted. The lethargic pace of vote counting has been widely panned by numerous people on multiple social media platforms.\u00a0<\/p>

A recurring critic of California\u2019s vote-counting pace is Gov. Ron DeSantis<\/a> (R-FL), who called the vote-counting efforts \u201cpathetic,\u201d among other things, in multiple social media posts. He contrasted California\u2019s prolonged vote-counting process with the speed and efficiency in his state of Florida. <\/p>

\u201cFlorida processes more than 10 million votes in a matter of hours,\u201d DeSantis said<\/a> in a post on X. \u201cCalifornia takes days \u2014 or sometimes even weeks \u2014 to count the votes.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s pathetic \u2014 and it\u2019s corrosive to our civic culture,\u201d said DeSantis.<\/p>

Numerous primary races in the state on Tuesday drew national attention, including the Los Angeles Mayoral election, the California gubernatorial election, and several congressional races. None of them has had a winner declared yet due to the lag in vote counting. Both the gubernatorial and mayoral elections had three candidates vying for the top two spots to advance to November\u2019s general election. Both races were too close to call after voting closed in California at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>

In the Los Angeles mayoral election<\/a>, with 63% of the vote counted as of Wednesday at 8:52 p.m., incumbent Democrat Karen Bass had the highest percentage of total votes so far with 35.0% and 183,701 votes, according to the Associated Press. Republican Spencer Pratt is next with 29.9% and 157,116 votes, followed by Democrat Nithya Raman with 22.8% and 119,809 votes.<\/p>

In the California gubernatorial primary, with 56% of votes counted as of Wednesday at 8:54 p.m., Republican Steve Hilton was in the lead at 27.6% and 1,421,466 votes. Next was Democrat Xavier Becerra with 25.6% and 1,318,536 votes, followed by Tom Steyer with 19.8% and 1,019,332 votes.<\/p>

BASS ADVANCES TO RUNOFF IN LOS ANGELES MAYORAL ELECTION, BUT HER OPPONENT REMAINS UNKNOWN<\/a><\/p>

DeSantis made additional posts about California, particularly after reports of subsequent vote counts seemed to favor all Democrats. He first pondered whether the delays were due to \u201cincompetence or intentional.\u201d<\/p>

He also questioned the methodology of the Golden State\u2019s vote-counting practices after Polymarket revealed<\/a> that Pratt had dropped to \u201cthird in LA mayoral odds.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cCalifornia keeps dumping votes,\u201d DeSantis said<\/a> in a post on X. \u201cOdds are shifting because the vote dumps always seem to go one way.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cCount until you get the result you want?\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP23279784259445-e1773952868338.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594481-1780542000", "title":"Jill Biden blasts former administration spokesman over memoir criticism: ‘Say it to my face’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4594481%2Fjill-biden-blasts-former-spokesman-memoir-criticism-say-it-to-my-face%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former first lady Jill Biden blasted a former Biden administration spokesman over his criticism of her memoir, View from the East Wing. She made the comments during a special event at the Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington, D.C. Andrew Bates, former deputy assistant to the president and senior deputy press secretary in the Biden […]", "description":""

Former first lady Jill Biden<\/a> blasted a former Biden administration spokesman over his criticism of her memoir, View from the East Wing. She made the comments during a special event at the Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington, D.C.<\/p>

Andrew Bates, former deputy assistant to the president and senior deputy press secretary in the Biden administration<\/a>, pondered the political effectiveness of releasing the memoir amid the midterm election season.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWe had a duty to win, and we didn\u2019t,\u201d Bates told the New York Post<\/a>. \u201cI think about that all the time.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cBut I don\u2019t see why that painful conversation for the party needed to be publicly reopened right now,\u201d he added.<\/p>

The former first lady rejected Bates\u2019s criticism and had a message for him.<\/p>

\u201cI want to say to Andrew, \u2018Call me up, and say it to my face, buddy,\u2019 Jill Biden said.\u00a0<\/p>

But Bates\u2019s criticism of the contents and timing of Biden\u2019s book was shared by many Democratic political operatives, according to the New York Post. Many strategists wanted to keep political narratives focused on poor public opinion polls for President Donald Trump while emphasizing affordability concerns, such as high gas prices. None wanted to rehash then-President Joe Biden\u2019s failures and struggles during the 2024 presidential campaign.<\/p>

\u201cWe need this as much as we need a hole in the head,\u201d Democratic political strategist Jim Manley said.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s an unnecessary distraction,\u201d he added. Manley stressed it would have \u201czero impact on the election,\u201d due to Trump\u2019s poor polling numbers.<\/p>

JOE BIDEN TEASES BOOK RELEASE BEFORE NOVEMBER IN AWKWARD EXCHANGE WITH JILL<\/a><\/p>

Another former Biden aide quoted by the New York Post blasted the former first lady for her recent comments, claiming that she thought her husband was having a stroke during his only debate with then-Republican nominee Donald Trump. Biden would step down as the Democratic nominee shortly after the disastrous debate.<\/p>

\u201cI think Jill Biden must have had a stroke herself to think that her husband was up to the job,\u201d the senior aide said.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIf she can sit back and listen to his constant drivel for over 4 years, she\u2019s the one with real cognitive decline,\u201d said the aide, whom the New York Post didn't identify. \u201cThe fake doctor may want to consider self-medication if it took this long to gain some self-realization.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-hzy1swt08-1780550847657-e1780550886123.jpg?1780536476&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594405-1780530294", "title":"Joe Biden teases book release before November in awkward exchange with Jill", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2F4594405%2Fjoe-biden-book-awkward-exchange-jill%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Joe Biden briefly stole the spotlight from his wife, former first lady Jill Biden, during a stop on her book tour this week, using an awkward audience interaction to plug his own forthcoming book. Jill Biden was wrapping up an interview about her newly released memoir, A View from the East Wing, with […]", "description":""

Former President Joe Biden<\/a> briefly stole the spotlight from his wife, former first lady Jill Biden<\/a>, during a stop on her book tour this week, using an awkward audience interaction to plug his own forthcoming book.<\/p>

Jill Biden was wrapping up an interview about her newly released memoir, A View from the East Wing, with moderator Whoopi Goldberg<\/a> in New York City<\/a> when Biden unexpectedly left his seat in the audience and walked to the edge of the stage.<\/p>

\u201cI have a question,\u201d Biden said. \u201cWho do you love most in the whole world?\u201d he asked his wife.<\/p>

\u201cWhoopi,\u201d Jill Biden replied, prompting laughter from the crowd.<\/p>

Joe Biden remained standing as Goldberg attempted to move on, prompting the former first lady to relent.<\/p>

\u201cI love you most, Joe. Was that it? Was that the answer he wanted?\u201d she joked.<\/p>

As the event wrapped up, Biden interrupted again to promote his own forthcoming book.<\/p>

\u201cMy book, which comes out in September \u2014 read it,\u201d Biden said after a staffer handed him a microphone.<\/p>

\u201cDo I have to remind him that this is my event?\u201d Jill Biden quipped.<\/p>

\u201cThe only thing Jill does better than write, she\u2019s a beautiful woman,\u201d Biden replied before the event concluded.<\/p>

The episode comes as some Democrats<\/a> argue the former president and first lady\u2019s post-White House media appearances are reopening politically damaging debates about Biden\u2019s age and the party\u2019s 2024 election loss.<\/p>

\u201cI think that they need to sell books, and I think that Dr. Biden wants her story out there,\u201d Meghan Hays, a former White House special assistant to Biden who left before the 2024 reelection campaign, said on C-SPAN\u2019s Ceasefire.<\/p>

But Hays warned that many Democrats would prefer to move on.<\/p>

\u201cIt is not welcome from Democrats,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have a lot of momentum in our favor \u2026 and when we get pulled back into conversations about age and the election in \u201924, it\u2019s never gonna be a good place for Democrats. I think it\u2019s a tough place to be.\u201d<\/p>

THE DEMOCRATIC MESS IN MAINE<\/a><\/p>

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham<\/a> (D-NM) echoed that frustration while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Democratic National Committee<\/a> meeting in Washington.<\/p>

\u201cWe don\u2019t need to be distracted by what the DNC says about the autopsy.\" Grisham said<\/a>, \"I don\u2019t need to be distracted about anyone\u2019s book. \u201cWhat I need to do is to focus on making a difference in the lives of people. And that\u2019s what I think they\u2019re getting really frustrated about, is all this nonsense. I don\u2019t think the average Democratic voter, honestly, particularly in New Mexico, gives a damn about that book or the debate anymore.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26070000487601_1a2440.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594333-1780527529", "title":"Republicans denounce New Jersey Democratic nominee over ties to militant Islamist", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4594333%2Fadam-hawamy-new-jersey-omar-abdel-rahman-ties%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Republicans are denouncing progressive Democrat Adam Hamawy over previous ties to a militant Islamist known as the “Blind Sheikh.” Hamawy, who won his primary race for New Jersey’s deep-blue 12th District on Tuesday night and is virtually guaranteed to win in November’s general election, drew attention during his campaign after his past association with Omar […]", "description":""

Republicans<\/a> are denouncing progressive Democrat Adam Hamawy over previous ties to a militant Islamist<\/a> known as the \u201cBlind Sheikh.\u201d<\/p>

Hamawy, who won his primary race<\/a> for New Jersey\u2019s deep-blue 12th District on Tuesday night and is virtually guaranteed to win in November's general election, drew attention during his campaign after his past association with Omar Abdel-Rahman resurfaced.<\/p>

Abdel-Rahman was the founder and spiritual leader of al Jama\u2019a al Islamiyya, an Islamist terrorist group involved in political violence against the Egyptian government and the United States. He was arrested in 1993 and convicted of seditious conspiracy and terrorism over his involvement in the World Trade Center bombing, earning him a life sentence in solitary confinement.<\/p>

Hamawy, who has never been charged with anything, testified for the defense during Abdel-Rahman's trial about his yearslong association with the militant cleric, including joining him in 1991 on a trip to Michigan for a conference on the Islamic economy. During the conference, transcripts show Abdel-Rahman talked about \"conquering the land of the infidels,\" according to Politico. <\/a><\/p>

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) told the Washington Examiner that Hamawy, a retired U.S. Army combat surgeon, should be investigated if he wins the seat held by retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) in November.\u00a0Lawler said Hamawy\u2019s ties to Abdel-Rahman raise \"significant\" concerns and questions that Hamawy has \"not adequately addressed.\"<\/p>

\u201cI think there should be a thorough investigation into his ties here, and certainly I would have significant concerns about him serving on any committee, let alone in Congress,\" Lawler went on to say.<\/p>

A spokesperson for Hamawy's campaign said that the New Jersey Democrat \"condemns that man\u2019s violent rhetoric and actions, and all violence, hatred, and terrorism \u2014 and he will always. Dr. Hamawy had no contact with this person after they were arrested.\"<\/p>

\"He was in the military at the time the events litigated in the trial took place, during the trial, and after the trial,\" his campaign said. \"In the years that followed, Dr. Hamawy was chosen for one of the most sensitive and highest-trust roles for an Army doctor: deployment to treat critically injured troops in Iraq.\" <\/p>

The spokesperson also defended Hamawy's association with Abdel-Rahman at the time, saying he was \"one of very few religious figures in what was then a very small Muslim community in New Jersey.\" According to Hamawy's campaign, the Democratic candidate saw Abdel-Rahman speak in religious settings during his early 20s.<\/p>

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Kristen Cianci said in a statement to the Washington Examiner that \"Hamawy\u2019s terrorist ties wholly disqualify him from public office, and any Democrat who refuses to condemn him is condoning his actions. New Jersey Democrats will answer for them at the ballot box.\"<\/p>

Hamawy is credited with helping save Sen. Tammy Duckworth's (D-IL) life after her helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004. <\/p>

\"It is because of his sacrifice, that I\u2019m not only alive \u2014 but I\u2019ve been able to go on to serve my country and the people of Illinois in the United States Senate,\" Duckworth said in a statement regarding the incident. TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE'S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES<\/a><\/p>

Hamawy has campaigned as a progressive Democrat and expressed interest in joining the ranks of the so-called Squad. He is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole said in a statement that Hamawy's ties are \"deeply disturbing, and his fellow Democrats, including Rebecca Bennett and Nellie Pou, must answer for them. To remain silent is to condone them.\"<\/p>

Brady Knox contributed to this report.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2157277712.jpg?w=594" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594243-1780526814", "title":"Ohio has its own Somali fraud problem, House oversight says", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F4594243%2Fohio-somali-fraud-house-oversight%2F", "byline":"Mia Cathell", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Ohio, home to the country’s second-largest Somali population, has a multibillion-dollar Somali fraud crisis similar to the scandal in Minnesota, members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform warned this week. “Recent reporting shows that many of the Somali and Bhutanese communities commit a large portion, if not the majority, of home health […]", "description":""

Ohio<\/a>, home to the country\u2019s second-largest Somali<\/a> population, has a multibillion-dollar Somali fraud<\/a> crisis similar to the scandal in Minnesota<\/a>, members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform warned this week.<\/p>

\u201cRecent reporting shows that many of the Somali and Bhutanese communities commit a large portion, if not the majority, of home health Medicaid fraud in Ohio,\u201d said Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), chairman of the House oversight committee\u2019s task force on exposing institutional abuses, at a hearing<\/a> on Wednesday examining fraud in Ohio\u2019s Medicaid<\/a> program.<\/p>

An investigative series<\/a> by the Daily Wire recently reported that sham home healthcare companies, primarily operated by immigrants from Somalia and Bhutan, are billing Medicaid for services never actually rendered. Such billing schemes exploiting vulnerabilities in Ohio\u2019s Medicaid system are estimated to have stolen more than $1.2 billion from the federal government in recent years.<\/p>

Gill asked Luke Rosiak, the Daily Wire reporter who identified numerous individuals and agencies in Ohio that he believes have committed Medicaid fraud, how many of those entities or operators had Bhutanese, Somali, or otherwise African-origin names.<\/p>

Rosiak said \u201c100%\u201d of the hundreds he had investigated appeared to be foreign-sounding. <\/p>

Gill questioned whether Rosiak found any connections between fraud rings based in Ohio and Minnesota. \u201cIt\u2019s the same people,\u201d Rosiak said. \u201cThey all have relatives in both places, and they move back and forth.\u201d<\/p>

Rosiak testified about scammers funneling $130 million in cash, stuffed inside briefcases, out of the Columbus airport to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, before the money was sent off to Somalia.<\/p>

MINNEAPOLIS AIRPORT STILL FLYING MILLIONS IN CASH POSSIBLY TIED TO TERRORISM<\/a><\/p>

\u201cYour testimony is that there is a large, interstate criminal enterprise of Somali fraudsters that are defrauding the federal government in multiple states [out of] potentially billions of dollars,\u201d Gill said.<\/p>

Rosiak affirmed, noting that scammers from the South Asian nation of Bhutan are also orchestrating the fraud.<\/p>

\u201cSo it\u2019s not just the Somalis. It\u2019s also Bhutanese,\u201d Gill added. \u201cIt\u2019s across multiple states. They\u2019re coordinating with each other. There\u2019s a network of foreigners running criminal fraud rings within our country defrauding our federal government.\u201d<\/p>

Gill pointed to lax immigration policies as the reason why fraud has proliferated in sanctuary<\/a> states such as Ohio and Minnesota. Columbus<\/a> has one of the largest Somali communities in the country, second to Minneapolis<\/a>, with 60,000 residents of Somali descent living in Ohio\u2019s capital city.<\/p>

\u201cThis is the tip of the iceberg of the gross abuse of America\u2019s immigration system,\u201d Gill said. \u201cFor too long, our government has allowed foreigners from low-trust societies with very little vetting to pour into our communities.\u201d<\/p>

Ohio state Sen. Nickie Antonio, the House Democrats\u2019 witness and a Democratic lawmaker herself, responded to Gill\u2019s exchange with Rosiak by saying she was \u201calmost brought to tears\u201d by the \u201clevel of hateful rhetoric.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s shocking to me the lack of even humanity to group people together,\u201d Antonio said. \u201cI am shocked and appalled by the behavior here right now.\u201d<\/p>

HOW MINNESOTA\u2019S SOMALI FRAUD INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX HAS STOLEN MILLIONS FROM MEDICAID<\/a><\/p>

Gill asked Antonio, \u201cHas Somali immigration been good for Ohio?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIn every community, there are good people and bad people,\u201d Antonio argued. \u201cBut to try to say that every single member of a group is somehow a criminal is shocking to me.\u201d<\/p>

Gill interjected, while other panel members scolded him for talking over Antonio as she spoke, before he abruptly adjourned the meeting, the task force\u2019s first since its formation<\/a> in May.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26007759565127.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594412-1780525666", "title":"Trump expected to nominate Todd Blanche as attorney general", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4594412%2Ftrump-nomination-todd-blanche-attorney-general%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the position in a permanent capacity as soon as Thursday. Blanche has led the Justice Department in an acting capacity since former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s firing in April. Blanche also once served as a personal lawyer to Trump. “Tomorrow, I’m instructing Dan [Scavino] […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a> to the position in a permanent capacity as soon as Thursday.<\/p>

Blanche has led the Justice Department<\/a> in an acting capacity since former Attorney General Pam Bondi's<\/a> firing in April. Blanche also once served as a personal lawyer to Trump.<\/p>

\"Tomorrow, I'm instructing Dan [Scavino] and everybody else that's involved in that very complicated process ... that we are going to make [Todd Blanche] permanent attorney general,\" Trump said Wednesday night <\/a>during an event at the newly renovated Rose Garden. <\/p>

The expected nomination would place one of Trump\u2019s closest legal allies atop the DOJ after months leading the agency on an interim basis.<\/p>

Top Democratic lawmakers have already spoken against Blanche\u2019s possible nomination. <\/p>

\u201cThere is no world in which Todd Blanche could earn my vote,\u201d Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) said<\/a> Wednesday night. \u201cAs far as I'm concerned, he should resign. Todd Blanche is a crony. Todd Blanche is a loyalist. He has no business as the nation's top law enforcement official.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cTodd Blanche is not qualified to be the deputy attorney general, the acting attorney general, and he certainly is not qualified to be the United States attorney general,\" House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) added<\/a>. \u201cTodd Blanche has been acting like Donald Trump's lawyer, which was his former position, but he has failed to transition in terms of behaving in the best interest of the American people.\u201d <\/p>

When asked about Blanche\u2019s anticipated nomination, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement<\/a> to MS Now, \u201cPresident Trump has a great relationship with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and is very pleased with the job he\u2019s doing so far.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cTodd Blanche is an American patriot who fearlessly fought against the Democrats\u2019 unprecedented lawfare campaign on behalf of President Trump,\u201d Jackson continued. \u201cThe President\u2019s entire team at the Department of Justice is doing a great job advocating for sanity, law and order, and policies that keep Americans safe.\u201d<\/p>

Trump also signaled in an interview published earlier Wednesday that he approved of Blanche's performance as acting attorney general.<\/p>

\u201cI wanted to see how he\u2019s received,\u201d Trump said of Blanche. \u201cYou know, we put him as acting, and he\u2019s done a very good job. But I\u2019ve known him a long time.\u201d<\/p>

In an interview on the New York Post\u2019s Pod Force One podcast published<\/a> Wednesday, Trump was asked whether he had anyone else in mind for the role, Trump said no and appeared to rule out nominating Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), though he described the governor as \u201cvery good\u201d and \u201ca friend of mine.\u201d<\/p>

CNN<\/a> first reported Trump\u2019s plans to nominate Blanche.<\/p>

The DOJ under Blanche has faced scrutiny in recent weeks over its handling of a proposed settlement fund tied to Trump\u2019s dispute with the IRS.<\/p>

The agreement included a $1.776 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund<\/a> that critics said could have benefited Jan. 6 defendants and other Trump allies. The fund received bipartisan pushback. <\/p>

SUPREME COURT ALLOWS ALABAMA TO USE GOP-FRIENDLY CONGRESSIONAL MAP<\/a><\/p>

Appearing before a House appropriations committee panel earlier this week, Blanche sought to put those concerns to rest.<\/p>

\u201cWe are not moving forward with the fund. Period,\u201d he said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25178580793637.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594382-1780525524", "title":"US identifies soldier killed during training exercise in Iraq", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4594382%2Fidentity-us-soldier-killed-training-exercise-iraq%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The War Department announced the identity Wednesday of a U.S. soldier who was killed during training exercises in Iraq over the weekend. The Pentagon identified the soldier as Sgt. Devin A. Seibel, 26, of Robinson, Texas. The department also added that the incident is still under investigation. A British soldier was also killed during Sunday’s […]", "description":""

The War Department<\/a> announced the identity Wednesday of a U.S. soldier who was killed during training exercises in Iraq<\/a> over the weekend.<\/p>

The Pentagon identified the soldier as Sgt. Devin A. Seibel, 26, of Robinson, Texas<\/a>. The department also added that the incident is still under investigation.<\/p>

A British<\/a> soldier was also killed during Sunday's training incident and was identified earlier Wednesday as Lance Cpl. James Stewart Freeman, a 29-year-old soldier from the Royal Anglian Regiment. The incident occurred at an air base in Erbil, located in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.<\/p>

\u201cThe training was conducted with our British Army partners who also lost a soldier. The incident is under investigation,\u201d a statement from U.S. Army Central said.<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

The United States and the United Kingdom have bolstered their presence in Iraq to fend off ISIS<\/a>. The area has also come under attack from proxy extremists associated with Iran, with Iran launching a slew of strikes targeting the air base and the surrounding Kurdish region.<\/p>

The same day the soldiers were killed in the training incident, Iranian forces reportedly launched attacks on U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in northern Iraq.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP24365816901985-1.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594350-1780524845", "title":"CBS’s Bari Weiss says 60 Minutes host Scott Pelley fired for breaking ‘foundation’ of trust", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2F4594350%2Fcbs-bari-weiss-60-minutes-scott-pelley-fired%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss defended the firing of longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, telling staff that a breakdown in “trust and mutual respect” left the network with no choice but to part ways with one of its most prominent journalists. “I’m only interested in working in a newsroom built on trust and mutual […]", "description":""

CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss<\/a> defended the firing of longtime 60 Minutes <\/a>correspondent Scott Pelley<\/a>, telling staff that a breakdown in \u201ctrust and mutual respect\u201d left the network with no choice but to part ways with one of its most prominent journalists.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m only interested in working in a newsroom built on trust and mutual respect; we cannot do our work without it. That foundation was broken on Monday,\u201d Weiss reportedly told staff during a newsroom call Wednesday morning, according to the New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cDespite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and find a way forward, unfortunately we weren\u2019t able to do so, and so we had to part ways,\u201d Weiss said. \u201cWe did not want that to happen, but that\u2019s the path that he chose.\u201d<\/p>

Pelley, who joined 60 Minutes in 2004, was fired<\/a> Tuesday following a contentious staff meeting the day before.<\/p>

According to multiple reports, Pelley challenged the qualifications of incoming executive producer Nick Bilton and criticized Weiss, accusing her of being \u201cbrought in to kill\u201d 60 Minutes and \u201cmurdering\u201d the storied newsmagazine through a series of management decisions.<\/p>

The Wall Street Journal reported that Pelley interrupted Bilton shortly after his introductory remarks and launched into a blistering critique of the network\u2019s leadership.<\/p>

The dispute is the latest chapter in months of upheaval at CBS News following the merger of Paramount<\/a> and Skydance Media and the appointment of Weiss as the network\u2019s first editor-in-chief.<\/p>

During Wednesday\u2019s call, Weiss reportedly praised Pelley\u2019s contributions to the network, including his reporting on Havana syndrome and his interview with former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse<\/a>.<\/p>

Four days before the confrontation, Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski reportedly sent a memo to staff outlining their vision for the future of 60 Minutes, saying they wanted to build a show that \u201cthrives in the 21st century\u201d and that doing so \u201crequires a new approach.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThose are the kind of stories that have always typified 60 Minutes, and they\u2019re the kind of stories that Nick Bilton is going to put on the air come September in Season 59 with the amazing team that\u2019s still there,\u201d Weiss reportedly told employees.<\/p>

HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY<\/a><\/p>

Pelley is the third 60 Minutes correspondent to be fired since Weiss took over CBS News last year. Another longtime correspondent, Anderson Cooper, left voluntarily. Three regular correspondents remain.<\/p>

Weiss also referred to \u201csome new people that are going to be joining us\u201d during the call, though she did not elaborate.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-bwarbzsnb-1780538029282-e1780539231486.jpg?1780573467&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593730-1780522134", "title":"Bipartisan boot: Lawmakers lace up for 12th annual congressional soccer match to help underserved children", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fsports%2F4593730%2Fbipartisan-boot-lawmakers-lace-up-for-12th-annual-congressional-soccer-match-to-help-underserved-kids%2F", "byline":"Emily Robertson and Sydney Topf", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Republican and Democratic members of Congress set aside their political differences Wednesday night as they played in the 12th annual bipartisan congressional soccer match at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The lawmakers joined soccer athletes in a friendly game to raise awareness of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s programs, which are funded to help children in […]", "description":""

Republican and Democratic members of Congress<\/a> set aside their political differences Wednesday night as they played in the 12th annual bipartisan congressional soccer match<\/a> at Audi Field in Washington, D.C<\/a>.<\/p>

The lawmakers joined soccer athletes in a friendly game to raise awareness of the U.S. Soccer Foundation\u2019s programs, which are funded to help children in underserved communities.<\/p>

MULLIN HOPES WORLD CUP WILL STRENGTHEN FEDERAL COOPERATION WITH SANCTUARY CITIES<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThe Congressional Soccer Match is a unique, bipartisan tradition bringing together members of Congress, staffers, soccer legends, community leaders, kids, and families to celebrate the transformative power of soccer in children\u2019s lives both on and off the pitch,\u201d the U.S. Soccer Foundation said in a press release.<\/p>

Republican lawmakers<\/a> who participated in this year\u2019s match included: Reps. Darin LaHood (IL), Bryan Steil (WI), Dan Crenshaw (TX), Michael Baumgartner (WA), Mike Haridopolos (FL), Randy Feenstra (IA), Don Bacon (NE), and Richard McCormick (GA).<\/p>

Democratic lawmakers<\/a> who played in the game were: Reps. Greg Landsman (OH), James Walkinshaw (VA), Morgan McGarvey (KY), Pete Aguilar (CA), Rick Larsen (WA), Sean Casten (IL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Suhas Subramanyam (VA), Luz Rivas (CA), Dave Min (CA), and Sharice Davids (KS).<\/p>

Two-time FIFA World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd told the Washington Examiner the soccer game \u201chas the ability to bring so many people together.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe all come from unique backgrounds, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s this beautiful game that unites people,\u201d Lloyd said. \u201c[It\u2019s] obviously a great cause with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and they are helping to provide so many opportunities for kids.\u201d<\/p>

Lloyd said the soccer match creates a \u201ccommon goal\u201d between Republicans and Democrats, which is to \u201cunite people\u201d and \u201cbring people in and around the game of soccer.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s fun,\u201d she said. \u201cI think everybody, once you step out on the field \u2014 no matter how old you are \u2014 it just brings a smile to everybody\u2019s face, which is great.\u201d <\/p>

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY SUBPOENA FIFA ON WORLD CUP TICKET PRICING<\/a><\/p>

Former American soccer player and Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas highlighted the significance of the foundation\u2019s work and his support for the annual sporting event.<\/p>

\u201cThe United States Soccer Foundation is a legacy of the 1994 World Cup,\u201d Lalas told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\u201cI was running around in the \u201994 World Cup, so I am also a product of that summer. Anything that gives back to the soccer community \u2014 and obviously ... things that are going to help kids through soccer have a fun and safe experience in the game that I love \u2014 I\u2019m going to be there. And I get to kick some politicians around, so that\u2019s fun too,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Lalas, who is also a veteran coach and participant in the congressional match, said the event was \u201can opportunity to unite people\u201d from both political parties. <\/p>

\u201cI think sports does that more than anything, you know,\" Lalas said. \"For example, the World Cup that\u2019s coming this summer, I think that\u2019s going to do it. And even a game of soccer here in D.C. brings people together from both sides. At the very least, for a couple hours, we can take our aggression out against each other, have a drink afterwards, have some fun, and then we can go back to fighting later on, but it\u2019s a fun way to use the game to unite people, to bring people together, and to have a good night.\u201d<\/p>

Republicans won this year's match 7-5, though Democrats hold a 7-5 overall advantage over Republicans in the series.<\/p>

The annual match was originally hosted<\/a> by Congressional Soccer Caucus co-chairs Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. David Reichert (R-WA).<\/p>

VAN HOLLEN SAYS TRUMP IS \u2018SOWING DIVISION\u2019 AHEAD OF FIFA WORLD CUP<\/a><\/p>

The first game was held at Gallaudet University in 2013 and has since taken place at other locations over the years, including RFK Stadium, Gonzaga College High School, and, more recently, Audi Field.<\/p>

All proceeds from the sporting event will go toward funding the U.S. Soccer Foundation\u2019s programs.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DSC_3294-e1780536014984.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594280-1780522121", "title":"SpaceX sets $75 billion IPO target as Musk on track to become first trillionaire", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%2F4594280%2Fspacex-175-billion-ipo-musk-trillionaire%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"SpaceX is preparing for the largest stock market debut in history, announcing Wednesday that it planned to raise approximately $75 billion in an initial public offering that would value the company at roughly $1.77 trillion. The space and satellite giant plans to sell 555.6 million shares at an expected price of $135 per share, according […]", "description":""

SpaceX<\/a> is preparing for the largest stock market<\/a> debut in history, announcing Wednesday that it planned to raise approximately $75 billion in an initial public offering that would value the company at roughly $1.77 trillion.<\/p>

The space and satellite giant plans to sell 555.6 million shares at an expected price of $135 per share, according to a filing<\/a> with the Securities and Exchange Commission<\/a>. If completed as planned, the offering would eclipse the record-setting $26 billion IPO of Saudi Aramco in 2019 and instantly rank among the largest public offerings ever.<\/p>

The offering will also further cement founder Elon Musk\u2019s<\/a> control over the company. According to the filing, SpaceX will maintain a dual-class share structure, and following the IPO, he is expected to control about 82.4% of the company\u2019s voting power.<\/p>

The IPO would place SpaceX among the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world. At a projected market capitalization of $1.77 trillion, only a handful of companies in the S&P 500 command higher valuations, led by Nvidia at roughly $5.2 trillion.<\/p>

The public offering could also significantly boost Musk\u2019s already record-setting fortune. Forbes<\/a> estimates his net worth at about $826 billion, including a SpaceX stake valued at roughly $542 billion. A successful IPO at the proposed valuation would likely increase the value of that holding substantially, boosting his net worth into the trillions.<\/p>

That level of ownership will allow Musk to effectively determine the outcome of shareholder votes, including the election of most SpaceX board members. The filing notes that SpaceX will qualify as a \u201ccontrolled company\u201d under Nasdaq corporate governance rules and that it intends to rely on exemptions from certain governance requirements available to firms dominated by a single shareholder.<\/p>

The company reported a $2.6 billion operating loss in 2025 on $18.7 billion in revenue, according to the filing. Losses have continued into 2026 as SpaceX pours billions into developing its Starship rocket program, satellite infrastructure, and other long-term projects.<\/p>

Investors are nevertheless betting that the company can capitalize on its dominant position in commercial launches and the rapid growth of its Starlink satellite internet business. Goldman Sachs<\/a> is leading the offering, with Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase serving as additional underwriters.<\/p>

60 MINUTES HOST SCOTT PELLEY FIRED AFTER ACCUSING CBS CHIEF OF \u2018MURDERING\u2019 SHOW<\/a><\/p>

When Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, the company focused on building rockets and launching payloads into space. It later expanded into telecommunications with its Starlink satellite internet service and, earlier this year, merged<\/a> with Musk\u2019s artificial intelligence company xAI, which includes the social media platform X.<\/p>

While SpaceX dominates the commercial launch industry, the company\u2019s AI assets are increasingly seen as a major part of its valuation. The IPO comes amid a wave of investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, with Anthropic<\/a> also planning to go public and OpenAI<\/a> expected to follow. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25191438087297.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594195-1780518031", "title":"Unions condemn Trump order making federal workers ‘at-will’ employees", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594195%2Funions-trump-order-federal-workers-at-will%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday making it easier to remove thousands of senior federal employees, prompting backlash from federal worker unions that accused the administration of attempting to politicize the civil service. The order reclassifies roughly 8,000 federal positions into a new category known as “Schedule Policy/Career,” affecting employees with significant policymaking […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> signed an executive order<\/a> Wednesday making it easier to remove thousands of senior federal employees, prompting backlash from federal worker unions that accused the administration of attempting to politicize the civil service.<\/p>

The order reclassifies roughly 8,000 federal positions into a new category known as \u201cSchedule Policy\/Career,\u201d affecting employees with significant policymaking responsibilities across the federal government.<\/p>

The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation\u2019s largest federal employee union, condemned the move, arguing it strips career workers of longstanding protections against political retaliation.<\/p>

\u201cThis is a blatant attempt to corrupt the federal government by eliminating employees\u2019 due process rights so they can be fired for political reasons,\u201d AFGE National President Everett Kelley said<\/a> in a statement.<\/p>

Kelley warned that the changes could discourage whistleblowers from reporting misconduct within federal agencies.<\/p>

\u201cThe practical implications of this action are clear,\u201d he said. \u201cWorkers who once felt comfortable reporting waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement at their place of employment because they were protected from retaliation will now be afraid for their jobs if they speak out. That is a disservice to them and to the millions of Americans who rely on the federal government every day.\u201d<\/p>

At the same time, White House<\/a> maintained that the executive order is designed to increase accountability among senior officials responsible for shaping and implementing federal policy.<\/p>

According to a White House fact sheet<\/a>, employees in the new classification can be removed more easily for poor performance, misconduct, corruption, or the \u201csubversion of presidential directives,\u201d without the \u201clengthy procedural hurdles that often prevent accountability.\u201d The administration said removal decisions will be made \u201cwithout regard to political affiliation.\u201d<\/p>

The positions will remain career civil service jobs rather than political appointments, according to the White House. Officials said employees will continue to be hired through nonpartisan processes and retain protections such as veterans\u2019 preference and competitive status.<\/p>

HIGH-PROFILE CONVICTS LOBBY FOR RUMORED TRUMP PARDONS AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY<\/a><\/p>

The administration said the policy primarily affects the highest-ranking career officials in government, with roughly 97% of affected employees holding GS-15 positions or equivalent, the highest federal pay level. Those jobs include senior advisers, directors, and deputy directors in policy offices, officials responsible for drafting regulations and guidance, and employees who make major grant and funding decisions.<\/p>

The order revives the concept behind Trump\u2019s first-term \u201cSchedule F\u201d initiative, which was rescinded by former President Joe Biden<\/a>. Earlier this year, the Office of Personnel Management<\/a> finalized regulations establishing the new Schedule P\/C classification.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154730494185_c42f40.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594151-1780512577", "title":"Thune moves to neutralize immigration bill landmines from DOJ lawfare fund", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4594151%2Fthune-moves-neutralize-immigration-bill-landmines-doj-fund%2F", "byline":"Ramsey Touchberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Senate GOP leaders are working to quell Republican angst over the Trump administration’s proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund that is threatening to trip up the party’s immigration enforcement bill as it inches toward final passage. Several Republicans still want language inserted into the so-called reconciliation bill to prevent the fund’s creation, as President Donald Trump […]", "description":""

Senate GOP leaders are working to quell Republican angst<\/a> over the Trump administration\u2019s proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund<\/a> that is threatening to trip up the party\u2019s immigration enforcement bill<\/a> as it inches toward final passage.<\/p>

Several Republicans still want language inserted into the so-called reconciliation bill to prevent the fund\u2019s creation, as President Donald Trump and senior administration officials offer conflicting messages on whether the controversial Department of Justice reimbursement plan for alleged targets of Biden-era \u201clawfare\u201d is dead.<\/p>

But alterations to block the DOJ fund could jeopardize the GOP\u2019s ability to pass the $70 billion bill along party lines as early as Thursday. With a 53-47 majority, Republicans can afford but three defections on the filibuster-skirting measure to fund federal immigration agencies through 2029.<\/p>

\u201cWe had a lot of conversations with our members and understand what's at stake and how critical it is that we defeat amendments that would be corrosive to the bill or undermine it in any way,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said.<\/p>

Amendments from Republicans and Democrats are expected during a marathon voting session set to commence Thursday, known as vote-a-rama, an arduous part of the reconciliation process that allows either party to propose an unlimited number of amendments and can last more than a day.<\/p>

Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have expressed support for amendments that would thwart the fund.<\/p>

\u201cYou want to make sure something\u2019s not just mostly dead,\u201d said Cassidy, who recently lost his primary to Trump-endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA). \u201cYou want to make sure it's really dead. And I think we can make it really dead.\u201d<\/p>

Tillis, who will offer an amendment of his own, is going a step further. The retiring centrist is vowing to oppose final passage unless the DOJ fund is blocked.<\/p>

\"I wouldn't support a bill that doesn't have that in there,\" Tillis said. <\/p>

Responding to the warning, Thune said he'll \u201ccross that bridge when we get there.\" It was unclear whether others would also oppose the bill without blocking the fund.<\/p>

In an attempt to diffuse GOP support for amendments, Republican leaders warn that approving one related to the fund would all but doom final passage along party lines. The change would not be germane to the underlying bill under strict reconciliation rules and raise the threshold from a simple majority to 60 votes. Leadership is optimistic they can thwart such amendments because they could be set at 60-vote thresholds.<\/p>

Still, Democrats hope to make the amendment votes as politically painful as possible for Republicans by targeting the fund and other hot-button concerns, such as $220 million in security for Trump's yet-to-be-built East Wing ballroom, which was scrapped from the bill<\/a>. The office of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Democrats' plan is to \"keep forcing Republicans to answer for their priorities: Trump\u2019s corrupt slush fund, his rogue police force, and his endless corruption \u2014 while Democrats fight to lower costs for American families.\"<\/p>

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche sought to offer assurances that the DOJ was permanently nixing the fund that Democrats denounce as a \u201cslush fund\u201d to benefit Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol. But his responses during testimony to a House committee this week were insufficient for several Republicans.<\/p>

Trump himself has also made matters more complicated for GOP leaders by saying he was unsure whether the fund, currently on hold by a federal judge pending an ongoing legal challenge, would be scrapped for good.<\/p>

\u201cI'd have to ask the lawyers,\" Trump told reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office. \"I don't know.\"<\/p>

A top DOJ official, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, deleted a social media post<\/a> Wednesday suggesting the administration was exploring an alternative way to provide compensation to those it believes were victims of unfair Biden-era criminal prosecutions.<\/p>

\u201cThe only thing that gives it finality is what we can do in\u201d reconciliation, Tillis said.<\/p>

SENATE REPUBLICANS MAKE IT OFFICIAL AND CUT TRUMP BALLROOM FUNDING<\/a><\/p>

Over in the Republican-controlled House, where GOP leadership is operating on an even narrower margin, some members also desire preventing the fund\u2019s creation.<\/p>

\u201cI'm not going to give anybody accolades for pulling back something that never should have been advanced to begin with,\u201d Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told the Washington Examiner. He cited existing legal loopholes that the current or future administrations could use to \u201cexploit this situation.\u201d<\/p>

Hailey Bullis and David Sivak contributed to this report.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26153716257591.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594068-1780511690", "title":"Trump ‘proud’ of Iran war for making everyone ‘a lot of money’: ‘Everything’s good’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594068%2Ftrump-proud-iran-war-profits%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is “very proud” of the decision to strike Iran, arguing that the resulting war has not derailed the economy and has coincided with record stock market gains. Speaking to reporters, Trump pointed to the market’s resilience despite the military campaign. “I’m very proud of that decision,” Trump said. […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> said Wednesday that he is \u201cvery proud\u201d of the decision to strike Iran<\/a>, arguing that the resulting war has not derailed the economy<\/a> and has coincided with record stock market<\/a> gains.<\/p>

Speaking to reporters, Trump pointed to the market\u2019s resilience despite the military campaign.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m very proud of that decision,\u201d Trump said<\/a>. \u201cToday we hit another stock market high. We may have the highest stock market in history with a military conflict going on. Some people call it a war, some people call it a military conflict. It\u2019s not a big thing for us. We have a great military.\u201d<\/p>

Trump argued that the economy<\/a> has continued to perform strongly since the strikes began, saying people\u2019s retirement accounts are benefiting.<\/p>

\u201cEveryone\u2019s 401(k)s are the highest they\u2019ve ever been,\u201d he said. \"Everybody\u2019s making a lot of money. Costs are coming down. Everything\u2019s good.\"<\/p>

Consumers, however, have faced higher costs, with one of the most significant economic consequences being a surge in energy prices after oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz <\/a>were disrupted during the opening stages of the conflict. Gasoline prices have jumped due to the war, though prices have eased somewhat from their peak in recent weeks. As of Tuesday, the national average price for regular gasoline stood<\/a> at $4.29 per gallon, remaining elevated compared with pre-war levels.<\/p>

The volatility, though, has boosted profits for major financial institutions and energy companies. JPMorgan\u2019s<\/a> trading division generated $11.6 billion in revenue during the first quarter of 2026, helping the bank post strong first-quarter profits. Energy giants Shell<\/a> and TotalEnergies also reported stronger-than-expected earnings as oil and natural gas markets reacted to the conflict.<\/p>

Defense contractors have likewise benefited from heightened military spending. Lockheed Martin<\/a>, Boeing<\/a>, and Northrop Grumman<\/a> each reported record order backlogs at the end of the first quarter, reflecting increased demand for weapons systems and military equipment.<\/p>

The conflict showed little sign of cooling Wednesday, with Iran launching one of its most damaging missile and drone barrages<\/a> since the April ceasefire, targeting Kuwait<\/a> and Bahrain<\/a>. The attack caused extensive damage at a Kuwaiti airport and prompted a new round of U.S. retaliatory strikes.<\/p>

Diplomatic efforts have deteriorated over the past week amid disputes over whether Israel\u2019s military operations against Hezbollah fall under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The strike on Kuwait marked the second attack on the country in 72 hours, while the attack on Bahrain was the first since the ceasefire took effect in April.<\/p>

IRAN HITS KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN IN ONE OF MOST DAMAGING ATTACKS SINCE CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>

Four House Republicans \u2014 Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Warren Davidson (R-OH) \u2014 did not share Trump's rosy perception of the war, however, voting Wednesday evening with all Democrats to restrict the president's war powers.<\/p>

The measure to end the over 90-day war will head to the Senate, but, if passed, will likely be vetoed by Trump.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154737321880.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593850-1780511471", "title":"Intelligence committee lawmakers say they haven’t spoken with Bill Pulte", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4593850%2Fintelligence-committee-lawmakers-havent-talked-bill-pulte%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis and Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Key congressional intelligence leaders have yet to speak with President Donald Trump‘s new acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, a striking reality as Congress races to reauthorize a key surveillance authority before a June 12 deadline. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that he has not met […]", "description":""

Key congressional intelligence leaders have yet to speak with President Donald Trump<\/a>'s new acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte<\/a>, a striking reality as Congress races to reauthorize a key surveillance authority before a June 12 deadline.<\/p>

House Intelligence Committee<\/a> Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that he has not met with Pulte and has no immediate plans to do so. <\/p>

\"I imagine at some point in time,\" Crawford told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday, for a possible face-to-face. \"I've never met him, so I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to do that.\"<\/p>

Crawford withheld judgment on Pulte's qualifications as the real estate mogul and social media personality faces criticism from lawmakers over his lack of national security experience. Pulte currently serves as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae<\/a> and Freddie Mac<\/a>. <\/p>

Other members of the House and Senate intelligence committees also said they had not spoken with Pulte since Trump announced his appointment on Tuesday.<\/p>

\u201cNever met him in my life,\u201d Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), a former FBI<\/a> supervisory special agent and member of the House Intelligence Committee, told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThat's part of the problem. I'm a career IC guy. Never met him before.\u201d<\/p>

Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL), another House Intelligence Committee member, told the Washington Examiner that Pulte \u201cdoesn't seem qualified\u201d and that he has \u201cnever met him.\u201d<\/p>

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told the Washington Examiner he also has not met Pulte but encouraged the White House to become more involved in light of the looming FISA deadline.<\/p>

\u201cThe executive branch needs to assist us because we need to get 702 through and complete it,\u201d said Rounds. \u201cIf this is in the way or is going to hold it up because of Democrat opposition, public Democrat opposition, I think we're going to need the White House or the executive branch to get involved in helping us address the issue.\u201d<\/p>

Senate Intelligence Committee<\/a> Chairman Tom Cotton<\/a> (R-AR) did not respond to a request for comment regarding whether Cotton had plans to speak or meet with Pulte.<\/p>

Support for Pulte has become important as both the House and the Senate contend with reauthorizing FISA. The tool, which is used to surveil foreign nationals, has long been criticized for inadvertently capturing the data and records of U.S. citizens who come into contact with suspects.<\/p>

But there are also concerns Pulte, who used his housing finance perch to criminally refer Trump political opponents to the Justice Department <\/a>over allegations of mortgage fraud, may similarly weaponize intelligence. As such, Democrats are threatening to oppose an extension of FISA. <\/p>

\u201cHis supposed elevation as the acting director of National Intelligence will jeopardize the effort to pass surveillance legislation, that was already on life support,\" said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on Tuesday. <\/p>

HOW BILL PULTE TURNED BEING AN ATTACK DOG INTO A CHARM OFFENSIVE WITH TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

House Speaker Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) defended Trump\u2019s \u201cprerogative\u201d to appoint whomever he desired before arguing Democrats were being \"absolutely outrageous\u201d for making the reauthorization of FISA contingent on Pulte's appointment being revoked. The White House echoed the sentiment in a statement to the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

\"Bill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people,\" White House spokesman Davis Ingle said. \"Holding FISA hostage puts America\u2019s national security at risk and it is shameful that some Democrats are threatening to put partisan politics ahead of the safety of the American people.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25016792243622.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594088-1780509563", "title":"Trump makes a splash with Oval Office chart comparing reflecting pool to skyscrapers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4594088%2Ftrump-makes-splash-oval-office-chart-reflecting-pool-skyscrapers%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc and Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump surprised reporters with a new chart in the Oval Office on Wednesday comparing one of his D.C. renovation projects to other notable American landmarks. The president’s comments came during an unscheduled executive order signing ceremony, his first public appearance in a week, amid heightened tensions regarding ceasefire negotiations with Iran. Shortly into […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> surprised reporters with a new chart in the Oval Office<\/a> on Wednesday comparing one of his D.C. renovation projects to other notable American landmarks.<\/p>

The president's comments came during an unscheduled executive order signing ceremony, his first public appearance in a week, amid heightened tensions regarding ceasefire negotiations with Iran.<\/p>

Shortly into the event, Trump<\/a> touted a chart on his left side showing the length of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool<\/a> compared to some of the \"tallest buildings in the world,\" including the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, and Sears Tower.<\/p>

\"If you lay it on its side, you take two or three of them to fill it in. The width is almost 200 feet wide,\" the president said. \"It's going to be really special.\"<\/p>

Earlier in the day, the president announced that the reflecting pool was receiving its final coat of paint before eventually being refilled and reopened to foot traffic following the $6.9 million renovation.<\/p>

\"I'm very proud of it. Maybe I shouldn't say that before it opens,\" he joked Wednesday evening in the Oval Office. \"Maybe it'll open, and it'll leak like a sieve, but it's not going to do. I'm very good at building things and constructing things, so I hope you go take a look at it.\"<\/p>

SOME INSIDERS WANT TRUMP TO GO 'PUBLIC' WITH NETANYAHU BEEF<\/a><\/p>

You can watch Trump's comments in full below.<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154730494185.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593935-1780509251", "title":"Poland asks US to build permanent military base on its territory", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4593935%2Fpoland-us-permanent-military-base%2F", "byline":"Rena Rowe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Poland asked the United States on Wednesday to establish a new permanent military base on its territory, signaling Warsaw’s desire to deepen security ties with Washington amid growing concerns over European defense and regional stability. “I have conveyed to the U.S. Secretary of Defense an official proposal to establish a new, permanent U.S. military base […]", "description":""

Poland<\/a> asked the United States<\/a> on Wednesday to establish a new permanent military base on its territory, signaling Warsaw\u2019s desire to deepen security ties with Washington<\/a> amid growing concerns over European<\/a> defense and regional stability.<\/p>

\u201cI have conveyed to the U.S. Secretary of Defense an official proposal to establish a new, permanent U.S. military base in Poland,\u201d Polish Defense Minister W\u0142adys\u0142aw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote<\/a> Wednesday on X. Emphasizing that Washington\u2019s commitment to Poland remains strong, he added, \u201cU.S. engagement in Poland\u2019s security is not diminishing \u2014 on the contrary, it may be even greater.\u201d<\/p>

The proposal comes as President Donald Trump<\/a> continues to press European allies to shoulder a greater share of the continent\u2019s defense burden. Trump has frequently criticized NATO<\/a> members for relying too heavily on U.S. military<\/a> protection and has pushed allies to increase their defense spending.<\/p>

While no final agreement has been reached, Polish officials expressed optimism about the proposal\u2019s prospects.<\/p>

\u201cFinal decisions have not been made yet, but we are on the right track,\u201d Kosiniak-Kamysz told<\/a> reporters, pledging that Warsaw would \u201cdo everything we can\u201d to expand the U.S. military presence in the country.<\/p>

The request follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding U.S. troop deployments in Europe. Poland\u2019s military was reportedly recently informed that the Pentagon planned to cancel a previously discussed 4,000-troop deployment to the country, but the Trump administration reversed the decision. The administration also announced plans to withdraw roughly 5,000 troops<\/a> from Germany following public tensions<\/a> between Trump and German<\/a> Chancellor Friedrich Merz<\/a> over the latter's criticism of the Iran war.<\/p>

Despite those shifts, Poland remains one of Washington\u2019s closest security partners in Europe. Roughly 10,000 U.S. troops are stationed in the country, alongside a permanent U.S. Army garrison and a missile defense installation.<\/p>

The latest proposal also revives memories of an initiative during Trump\u2019s first term, when Polish officials floated the idea of a U.S. military base nicknamed \u201cFort Trump.\u201d Warsaw offered up to $2 billion to help fund the project, but the plan ultimately stalled amid funding and logistical disagreements.<\/p>

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk welcomed Trump\u2019s recent decision to maintain a significant U.S. military presence in the country, calling it a victory for both nations.<\/p>

US TROOP MOVEMENTS IN EUROPE NOT \u2018PUNITIVE,\u2019 RUBIO SAYS AFTER POLAND REVERSAL<\/a><\/p>

\u201cPresident Donald Trump\u2019s decision regarding the presence of U.S. troops in Poland is good news for Poland and the USA,\u201d Tusk wrote<\/a>. \u201cI thank all those involved in this matter\u2014President Nawrocki, the ministers, congressmen, and friends of Poland in the USA\u2014for their effectiveness and unity of action.\u201d<\/p>

For Warsaw, the push for a permanent U.S. base reflects a broader strategy to cement the United States\u2019s long-term military commitment to NATO\u2019s eastern flank.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trump-germany-troop-drawdown.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593861-1780509032", "title":"Rubio warns risk of escalation in Russia-Ukraine war is ‘more real than it was two years ago’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4593861%2Frubio-risk-escalation-russia-ukraine-war%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes the Russia-Ukraine war “has no military solution” but fears an increase in long-range exchanges could dramatically escalate the violence. Speaking to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Rubio offered a lengthy assessment of the Russian invasion. He noted specifically that “one thing that […]", "description":""

Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> believes the Russia-Ukraine war<\/a> \"has no military solution\" but fears an increase in long-range exchanges could dramatically escalate the violence.<\/p>

Speaking to Sen. Dick Durbin<\/a> (D-IL) during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Rubio offered a lengthy assessment of the Russian invasion. He noted specifically that \"one thing that has changed\" the nature of the conflict is Ukraine<\/a> becoming \"increasingly effective at conducting long-range strikes deep into Russia\" and hitting \"critical nodes of the Russian economy.\"<\/p>

\"Russia<\/a> has always been capable of these long-range strikes,\" he explained, but Ukraine's ability to respond in kind means \"the risk of escalation is real \u2014 more real than it was two years ago.\"<\/p>

An onslaught of drones and missiles poured onto Ukraine on Tuesday, killing nearly two dozen and injuring over 100 more. The Institute for the Study of War speculated that the ramp-up in recent bombing campaigns is meant to pick up the slack of a fatigued land invasion that has slowed to a glacial pace.<\/p>

\"The Ukrainians have actually made some battlefield gains in the last month,\" Rubio told Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), praising them for \"bravely\" and \"effectively fighting.\" He cited the Department of War<\/a> in asserting that the Russian side is among the first forces in modern history to suffer more deaths than casualties on the battlefield.<\/p>

\"I don't think there's any doubt at this point in the minds of most observers around the world, and I would say in the minds of some inside of Russia, that the invasion of Ukraine has been a strategic disaster for them,\" the state secretary said, adding that Russia \"may not even be able militarily to achieve the objectives they're demanding now in negotiations.\"<\/p>

'PROSPECTS DON'T LOOK GREAT' FOR A RUSSIA-UKRAINE DEAL, RUBIO ACKNOWLEDGES<\/a><\/p>

Still, Rubio is not optimistic<\/a> about the prospects of establishing peace any time soon. In his series of four hearings on Capitol Hill beginning Tuesday, he repeatedly asserted that the \"demands that both sides have to end [the war] have been far apart to this point.\"<\/p>

Speaking to Durbin, the secretary reiterated a point he made earlier in the day when testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee \u2014 that the United States is playing a difficult role in peace talks because U.S. officials are not \"impartial mediators,\" furnishing Ukraine with weapons and sanctioning the Kremlin.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154631883080.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4594024-1780508629", "title":"Texas elections chief steps down ahead of midterm elections", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4594024%2Ftexas-election-chief-departs-ahead-midterm-elections%2F", "byline":"Max Grinstein", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced Tuesday that she would step down, leaving the position charged with managing Texas’s midterm elections vacant. Nelson’s resignation comes after a slew of high-profile upsets in the May 26 Texas primary runoff elections. Trump-endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton bested incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), and progressive stalwart Rep. […]", "description":""

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced Tuesday that she would step down, leaving the position charged with managing Texas\u2019s<\/a> midterm elections<\/a> vacant.<\/p>

Nelson\u2019s resignation comes after a slew of high-profile upsets in the May 26 Texas primary runoff elections. Trump-endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton bested<\/a> incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), and progressive stalwart Rep. Al Green (D-TX) lost<\/a> to the younger Rep. Christian Menefee (D-TX) after their Houston districts were drawn together.<\/p>

Nelson did not give a reason for her departure, which is set for July 17. Nelson only commented<\/a> that she was \u201cproud\u201d to have served as secretary of state at \u201can important moment for Texas.\u201d<\/p>

Unlike voters in most states, Texans do not directly elect their secretary of state. Instead, the position is appointed by the governor, subject to approval by the state senate. The 31-member body unanimously confirmed<\/a> Nelson in 2023. <\/p>

\u201cI will work to safeguard honest and accurate elections in all 254 counties across our great state, while continuing to support business owners by ensuring that government moves at the speed of Texas business, not the other way around,\u201d she said<\/a> at the time.<\/p>

Texas\u2019s secretary of state is responsible for administering voter registration files and managing articles of incorporation for local businesses, among other responsibilities<\/a>. Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) also designated<\/a> Nelson as border commerce coordinator, giving her a broad mandate over the state\u2019s $281.2 billion trade<\/a> with Mexico.<\/p>

Under Nelson\u2019s leadership, Texas was one of at least 15 states to turn over<\/a> its voter rolls, including dates of birth and partial Social Security numbers, in compliance with a Department of Justice request. Nelson also began using the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, database to remove noncitizens from its list of eligible voters. That move led to pending litigation<\/a> in federal court.\u00a0<\/p>

DLCC EXPANDS TARGET LIST IN TEXAS AS TALARICO\u2019S RISE SPARKS HOPE FOR DEMOCRATS<\/a><\/p>

Prior to her tenure as secretary of state, Nelson served for 30 years in the Texas Senate, where she represented the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Nelson is the longest-serving Republican woman in Texas state Senate history.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to Nelson\u2019s office for more information on her departure.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP22234729116046.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593883-1780508598", "title":"Trump suggests UFC arena at White House could be permanent", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4593883%2Ftrump-ufc-arena-white-house-permanent%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump has suggested that the UFC arena under construction at the White House for the looming MMA event could be a permanent fixture. Trump made the unusual remark in a TikTok video late Tuesday, comparing the UFC “claw” stage on the White House South Lawn to a famous landmark in Europe. “Many don’t […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> has suggested that the UFC<\/a> arena under construction at the White House<\/a> for the looming MMA event could be a permanent fixture.<\/p>

Trump made the unusual remark in a TikTok video<\/a> late Tuesday, comparing the UFC \"claw\" stage on the White House South Lawn to a famous landmark in Europe<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Many don't know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, 1889 it was built,\" Trump said. \"It was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World's Fair, and then they said, 'You know, we sort of like it. Let's leave it up a little bit longer,' and then they said, 'Let's leave it up longer and longer and longer.'\"<\/p>

The Eiffel Tower was once supposed to be taken down 20 years after the 1889 World Exhibition, but lead architect Gustave Eiffel pushed the French government to keep the tower permanently.<\/p>

\"Well, they never took it down, and you know we're building something in front of the White House that's quite attractive to a lot of people,\" Trump added. \"It's going to have the big UFC fight on June 14, and I'm looking at it, and maybe we'll never ever take it down.\"<\/p>

It remains to be seen whether Trump will follow through on the remark, which serves as another example of the president's excitement for the UFC fight night this month.<\/p>

The UFC Freedom 250 event will take place on June 14, marking not only Trump's 80th birthday but also Flag Day. The arena's construction<\/a>, which started on Memorial Day, remains ongoing.<\/p>

The event is set to host 5,000 attendees around the arena. Seats are reserved for military members and guests invited by the UFC and the White House. Though tickets will not be for sale, up to 100,000 people can watch on large screens at the nearby Ellipse.<\/p>

The anti-Trump \"No Kings<\/a>\" movement is expected to hold its next protest day on June 14 across the nation, including Washington, D.C.<\/a> The progressive coalition said Trump would be \"distracted\" by the first-ever UFC fight at the White House.<\/p>

Trump coordinated the historic event with his longtime friend, UFC President and CEO Dana White<\/a>, who has been revealing his high expectations for the mixed martial arts fight in celebration of the nation's 250th birthday.<\/p>

\"I love this country like anybody on the left loves this country,\" White recently told<\/a> Time. \"I love this country like anybody on the Right loves this country. This is basically me spending a \u00ads***\u00adload of money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America<\/a>, with America and the rest of the world.\"<\/p>

The UFC is funding the fight, estimated to cost $60 million to produce.<\/p>

TROOPS WHO MEET HEIGHT AND WEIGHT STANDARDS ELIGIBLE FOR TICKETS TO WHITE HOUSE UFC EVENT<\/a><\/p>

Despite his high expectations, the chief executive has expressed concerns<\/a> about holding the fight outdoors during the summer, as several environmental factors could affect the athletic performance of its participants.<\/p>

\"There\u2019s two things I hate,\" White said<\/a> on the NPR Newsmakers podcast. \"I hate stadiums, and I hate even worse than a stadium is fighting outside. There\u2019s just so many different variables you have to deal with, you know, the weather, and you know the worst, obviously, being rain and lightning, yeah, and then bugs, and you know temperatures.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154628603565.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593967-1780508181", "title":"How California’s vulnerable Republican redistricting victims have fared in their primaries", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4593967%2Fcalifornia-vulnerable-republican-redistricting-victims-primaries%2F", "byline":"Barnini Chakraborty", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"LOS ANGELES — California voters on Tuesday took the first step in what could become the most consequential House battleground fights in the country, casting ballots in five newly redrawn congressional districts that Democrats view as critical to their effort to reclaim the chamber. The races are unfolding against the backdrop of California’s top-two primary system, which sends the two highest […]", "description":""

LOS ANGELES\u00a0\u2014\u00a0California<\/a>\u00a0voters on Tuesday took the first step in what could become the most consequential\u00a0House<\/a> battleground fights\u00a0in the country, casting ballots in five newly redrawn congressional districts that Democrats view as critical to their effort to\u00a0reclaim the chamber.<\/p>

The races are unfolding against the backdrop of California\u2019s top-two primary system, which sends the two highest vote-getters to the general election<\/a> regardless of party. That structure has left both parties closely watching whether their preferred candidates can survive crowded primary fields and advance to November.<\/p>

Democrats have high hopes in the five districts that were redrawn last year after Proposition 50, a controversial ballot initiative backed by\u00a0Gov.\u00a0Gavin Newsom<\/a>\u00a0(D-CA) and state Democrats, passed. The measure\u00a0reconfigured the state\u2019s congressional districts to give Democrats an advantage ahead of the\u00a0midterm elections. The outgoing\u00a0governor, who is term-limited and widely expected to run for president in 2028, had framed the fight as one for the very soul of democracy.\u00a0<\/p>

Because California accepts and counts large numbers of mail-in ballots after Election Day, final results were not immediately available. Several of the closely watched contests remained undecided Wednesday afternoon as election officials continued tabulating votes.<\/p>

Still, early returns suggested Democrats were on track to advance candidates in the districts they have targeted most\u00a0aggressively, preserving their opportunity to compete in a set of races expected to draw national attention and millions of dollars in spending before November. However, in the 6th Congressional District's race<\/a>, there remains the possibility of a Democratic shutout.<\/p>

The five California House Republicans targeted by last year's redistricting effort were the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa and\u00a0Rep. Kevin Kiley<\/a> in Northern California,\u00a0Reps. Darrell Issa<\/a>\u00a0and Ken Calvert<\/a> in Southern California, and Rep. David Valadao<\/a> in the Central Valley.<\/p>

The political landscape has shifted significantly since the maps were reshaped. LaMalfa died in office; Kiley left the Republican Party<\/a> to become an independent (though he still votes Republican), Issa retired, and Calvert opted to run in a different district against a fellow Republican incumbent. That leaves Valadao as the lone remaining GOP target from the original group, facing what is expected to be a difficult reelection campaign in a district where national Democrats have already begun investing heavily.\u00a0<\/p>

Here's a closer look at where things stand: <\/p>1st district

Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-CA) won the special election<\/a> to succeed LaMalfa, who died at age 65 following complications during emergency surgery.<\/p>

With roughly 55% of the vote counted by early Wednesday, Gallagher avoided a runoff and secured the seat in the heavily Republican 1st Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>

Gallagher, who previously served as the Assembly Republican leader, will complete the remainder of LaMalfa's term. His victory restores another seat to the GOP conference as Republicans work with a razor-thin House majority.\u00a0<\/p>

The election also determined who would advance<\/a> to the November general election: Gallagher and former state Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire.<\/p>

While the special election<\/a> was conducted using the district's previous boundaries, the political terrain Gallagher faces this fall will be considerably less favorable. The newly configured district presents a more challenging electoral map, setting up what is expected to be a far more competitive reelection bid.\u00a0<\/p>6th district

A razor-thin margin separated the leading candidates in the newly redrawn 6th district<\/a>, leaving the Democratic contender narrowly in third place as votes continue to be counted.<\/p>

Kiley,\u00a0who switched party affiliation from Republican to independent earlier this year,\u00a0has emerged as one of the loudest critics of California\u2019s mid-decade congressional\u00a0remap<\/a>, accusing Democrats of redrawing the map to weaken GOP incumbents. He has also voiced frustration with House leadership \u2014 including\u00a0Speaker Mike Johnson<\/a>\u00a0(R-LA) and\u00a0Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/a>\u00a0(D-NY) \u2014 for failing to advance federal legislation to curb partisan redistricting.\u00a0<\/p>

Kiley, a former high school English teacher, had represented California\u2019s 3rd district,\u00a0a conservative-leaning area that is also\u00a0the state\u2019s most geographically diverse. The new 3rd district was split into six factions, and Kiley has said he would not run in it. Instead, he ran in the redrawn 6th\u00a0Congressional District, centered in the Sacramento area.\u00a0It\u2019s forced\u00a0Kiley into a far more competitive race. Instead of seeking safer Republican territory, he chose to stay in his district and re-register as \u201cNo Party Preference\u201d while continuing to caucus with Republicans in Congress.\u00a0<\/p>

As of 5 p.m. Eastern Wednesday, he was leading the race, with Republican Michael Stansfield in second place, with Democrat Richard Pan hot on his heels.<\/p>22nd district\u00a0

Valadao, a centrist Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2012, has been a long-sought target for Democrats, who have held a sizable registration advantage in his 22nd district<\/a>. Valadao had emphasized his support for immigration reform in the past, only to be voted out of office when the blue wave of 2018 hit. He won it back in 2020. Two years ago, he kept his seat in a hard-fought race, making him one of two\u00a0House\u00a0Republicans who supported the impeachment of President\u00a0Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0and still held their seats.<\/p>

He has advanced to the November runoff, but the race is too close to call for the Democratic candidate who will likely join him. <\/p>40th district\u00a0

Calvert, who had represented the 41st district before it was carved up, switched to the 40th<\/a>, where he faced incumbent Rep. Young Kim (R-CA). Calvert was declared the winner of the primary race, but the second-place winner has not been called.\u00a0<\/p>

The campaign for the state's 40th Congressional District has been a bruising, and at times, deeply personal primary. If Kim holds off the Democratic challenger, two Republicans would head into the general election to determine which incumbent keeps their seat in Congress.<\/p>

California's 40th Congressional District is a sprawling region southeast of Los Angeles that stretches across Orange County suburbs, parts of Riverside County, and mountain communities along the Santa Ana range. Once considered competitive territory, the district was transformed into safe Republican ground after Democratic mapmakers packed it with conservative voters siphoned from neighboring GOP seats.<\/p>

Calvert, 72, is the longest-serving Republican in California\u2019s congressional delegation. He has spent 33 years in Congress, survived two rounds of redistricting, and says he is not intimidated by another political fight, especially against Kim.<\/p>

Kim said\u00a0Calvert had\u00a0his time in office to prove himself and failed.\u00a0<\/p>48th district

Issa announced his retirement after California's new map drew him and his mother out of his San Diego district<\/a>, which had been a Republican stronghold. <\/p>

TWO DAN SULLIVANS RUNNING FOR ALASKA SENATE TO BE IDENTIFIED ON BALLOT WITH MIDDLE INITIALS<\/a><\/p>

Competing to succeed him are Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, who secured endorsements from both Issa and Trump, and Democrat Marni von Wilpert, a San Diego city councilwoman. Both candidates advanced from Tuesday's primary and will face off in November.<\/p>

Democrats had worried that a split vote between von Wilpert and fellow Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar could pave the way for two Republicans to claim the top two spots, effectively locking the party out of the general election. Those concerns ultimately did not materialize.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/california-redistricting-primary-e1780521373362.jpg?1780507055&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4576195-1780507693", "title":"Trump suffers defeat as four House Republicans back removing US from hostilities with Iran", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F4576195%2Fhouse-clears-resolution-to-rein-in-trumps-war-powers%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Four House Republicans voted with nearly every single Democrat on Wednesday to force President Donald Trump to end hostilities with Iran, handing the commander in chief a high-profile foreign policy defeat. The House, in a 215-208 vote, passed legislation to “remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized” by Congress. The Senate […]", "description":""

Four House<\/a> Republicans voted with nearly every single Democrat on Wednesday to force President Donald Trump<\/a> to end hostilities with Iran<\/a>, handing the commander in chief a high-profile foreign policy defeat.<\/p>

The House, in a 215-208 vote, passed legislation to \"remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized\" by Congress. The Senate passed a similar measure a few weeks back. <\/p>

Rep. Jared Golden, the sole Democrat who defected on all three of the previous votes, voted for the measure after expressing his support for a \"clean\" resolution last month. All Democrats were joined by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Warren Davidson (R-OH). These GOP members, minus Davidson, backed limiting Trump\u2019s war powers last month as well. Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA), who caucuses with Republicans, voted against the measure. <\/p>

Ahead of the vote, Fitzpatrick told the Washington Examiner the White House did not lobby him to change his vote.<\/p>

\"They know where I stand on it,\" Fitzpatrick said.<\/p>

Barrett echoed a similar sentiment, telling the Washington Examiner that \"it's pretty well indicated where I've been at on these things.\"<\/p>

This vote comes after House GOP leadership pulled a vote before the Memorial Day recess<\/a>, through a procedural loophole, in an effort to delay the passage of this resolution. <\/p>

JARED GOLDEN TANKS PUSH TO REIN IN TRUMP'S WAR POWERS AS GOP OPPOSITION GROWS<\/a><\/p>

In a similar vote earlier this year, only Massie broke with the White House. This month's vote tripled the number of GOP defections, ultimately leading to the passage of Wednesday's resolution, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks (D-NY).<\/p>

The resolution heads to the Senate, where its future is to be decided. Even if it clears the upper chamber, Trump would likely veto the resolution. The Senate advanced a version of the bill<\/a> last month, 50-47, after three Republican senators missed the vote. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Susan Collins (R-ME) voted for the measure, as they had on previous votes. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) joined the Republican defections for the May vote after his primary loss.<\/p>

TRUMP-BACKED ED GALLREIN DEFEATS THOMAS MASSIE IN KENTUCKY <\/a><\/p>

This week's vote was also a bigger test of Trump\u2019s war powers because the conflict with Iran has pushed well past the 90-day mark. The\u00a01973 War Powers Resolution<\/a>\u00a0limits a president\u2019s unilateral military action to 60 days before having to seek authorization from Congress. The law does allow the president to grant himself a one-time 30-day extension, subject to limitations on offensive operations.<\/p>

The White House has argued that the war, which started on Feb. 28, has yet to reach the threshold because of a shaky ceasefire in place with Iran.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26139541060179.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4593950-1780507296", "title":"Trump says he doesn’t know whether $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund is dead or paused", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4593950%2Ftrump-anti-weaponization-fund-future%2F", "byline":"Mabinty Quarshie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump appeared uncertain Wednesday about the future of the Justice Department’s proposed $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which has caused some consternation on Capitol Hill. A day after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the DOJ would not move forward with the fund, Trump was equivocal on whether the White House was officially […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> appeared uncertain Wednesday about the future of the Justice Department's<\/a> proposed $1.776 billion \"anti-weaponization fund,\" which has caused some consternation on Capitol Hill.<\/p>

A day after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the DOJ would not move forward with the fund, Trump was equivocal on whether the White House was officially dropping it. <\/p>

\"I'd have to ask the lawyers. I don't know,\" he told reporters Wednesday afternoon when asked whether the fund was dead or just put on hold. \"The weaponization fund, as far as I'm concerned, was a beautiful thing.\"<\/p>

He also claimed about the fund: \"I love it. I think it's so important.\"<\/p>

The administration previously said it would \"abide by\" a court order blocking the fund, and Blanche told Congress on Tuesday the DOJ was officially dropping the fund.<\/p>

But Republican senators have clamored for explicit assurance from the administration that the fund will be permanently dropped, with some threatening to hold up voting on amendments as the Senate attempts to advance a party-line funding bill for immigration enforcement. <\/p>

\"We'll see how that all works out, but a radical-left judge ruled against it,\" Trump also said Wednesday. \"But these people, their lives have been destroyed.\"<\/p>

TODD BLANCHE SAYS DOJ WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND<\/a><\/p>

The president claimed that some of the rioters \"were victimized,\" leading to bankruptcy, suicide, and targeting by the administration of former President Joe Biden. <\/p>

The fund has largely been unpopular on the Hill as lawmakers fretted that taxpayer money could go to Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who attacked police officers. The funding is also unpopular with the American public<\/a>, according to a recent Economist\/YouGov poll, including among Republicans.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154731759036.jpg?w=696" }, {"id":"3132228-1724374758", "title":"Delegates express disappointment at Beyonce no-show but say Harris ‘made up for it’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3132228%2Fdnc-delegates-disappointment-beyonce-no-show%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis, Mabinty Quarshie and Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"CHICAGO — Hopes that Beyonce would make a surprise appearance on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention were dashed after the night ended with no sign of the “Freedom” singer. The evening was packed with celebrities, with musicians such as Pink and the Chicks taking the stage on the grand finale of the […]", "description":""

CHICAGO\u2014HopesthatBeyonce<\\\/a>wouldmakeasurpriseappearanceontheclosingnightoftheDemocraticNationalConvention<\\\/a>weredashedafterthenightendedwithnosignofthe\u201cFreedom\u201dsinger<\\\/p>

Theeveningwaspackedwithcelebrities<\\\/a>,withmusicianssuchasPinkandtheChickstakingthestageonthegrandfinaleoftheDNCTheeventdrewsomanyattendeesthattheconventionfloorwascompletelyclosedoffhoursbeforeVicePresidentKamalaHarristookthestagetodelivertheDNC\u2019sclosingspeechTheA-listerdelegatesandattendeesweremostexcitedtosee,however,wasBeyonceSpeculationmountedthroughouttheweek,andhitafeverpitchThursday,thatBeyoncewouldperformonthefinalnightoftheDNCMarylanddelegateRoxanneBrown,45,saidshewasletdownthatBeyoncedidnotendupappearingHowever,BrownsaidthattheletdownwasOK,though,because\u201cKamalamadeupforit\u201d\u201cIwasdisappointedbecauseIwaslookingforwardtoseeingBeyonce,butIwasmostlookingforwardtowatchinghistory,whichisanominationofourfirstblackfemalepresident,\u201dBrownsaid<\\\/p>

AnotherMarylanddelegate,LilyQi,60,saidshewouldhavelovedtoseethepopsensation,butsheechoedBrown\u2019ssentimentthatsupportingHarriswasthemostimportantpartofthenight\u201cIwouldhavelovedtoseeherandherenergy,andshe'sanicon,aculturalicon,asIunderstand,\u201dQisaid\u201cButyouknow,thisisnotwhyI'mhere,ofcourse,right?IamheretomakesurethatKamalaHarrisiselected\u201d<\\\/p>

EricaHarrison,astay-at-homemotherfromNorthCarolina,capturedtheanticipation\\\"IwasgettingexcitedItoldmyhusband,IthoughtthatBeyoncewouldcomeoutandperformandsing'Freedom,'butIwaswrong\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"TheentirethingwasasurrealmomentI'mstillonahigh,\\\"shesaid\\\"SoeventhoughBeyoncedidn'tcome,shewouldhavejustbeenalittlecherryontopButeverythingelsewasamazing\\\"RumorshadbeenswirlingthattheDNCwouldfeatureaspecialguestfordays,withmusicianTaylorSwiftalsobeingfloatedasapossibilityButBeyoncewasthechieffigurespeculatedtomakeanappearanceExcitementoverthepossibilityofBeyonce'sDNCappearancehitafeverpitchThursdayafterWhiteHousepoliticaldirectorEmilyRuizpostedabeeemoji,whichislinkedtoBeyonceasherfanbaseisreferredtoasthe\u201cBeyHive\u201dRuizlaterpostedanapology,saying,\u201cSorryguysmy6-year-oldtookmyphone\u201d<\\\/p>

DemocraticPartyChairmanJaimeHarrisonalsododgedconfirmingordenying<\\\/a>whetherBeyoncewouldappearduringanappearanceonCBSMorningsConflictingreportsaboutwhetherornottheiconicsingerwouldappearwerepublishedbymultipleoutletsTMZpublishedareportearlieronThursdaysayingthatmultiplesourcestoldtheoutletshewouldbethesurpriseperformerspeculatedHowever,asthefinalnight\u2019sprogrammingwasunderway,arepresentativeforBeyoncetoldtheHollywoodReporterthatshewas\u201cneverscheduledtobethere\u201dandthat\u201cthereportofaperformanceisuntrue\u201dAWashingtonExaminerreporteroverheardattendeesexitingtheUnitedCenterexpressingdisappointmentthesingerdidn\u2019tshow,withoneexclaiming,\u201cButwedidn\u2019tgetBeyonce!\u201dNevertheless,MainedelegateEricBestsaidwhilehewantedto\u201cbeabletobragtomykidsthatIwastherewhenBeyonceshowedup,\u201dhedidnotfeellikehis\u201clifewasdiminishedbythefactthatshedidn't\u201d<\\\/p>

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NewYorkdelegateAliciaHyndman,52,saidshethoughtitwasforthebestthatBeyoncedidn\u2019tshow<\\\/p>

\u201cIfeltifBeyoncecame,itwouldhavebeentoocelebrity,\u201dHyndmansaid\u201cIthinkwouldhavebeenplayingintotheopposition'splaybooklikebigHollywood\u201d<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/beyonce_noshow_dnc.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3085609-1721196000", "title":"Sen. Whitehouse’s attacks on fossil energy producers are incoherent", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3085609%2Fsen-whitehouse-attacks-fossil-energy-producers-incoherent%2F", "byline":"Benjamin Zycher", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"It might seem difficult to take positions on a prominent issue diametrically opposed and equally preposterous. But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a man whose Pavlovian opposition to the U.S. fossil energy producers has led him into incoherence rare even by Beltway standards, has achieved just such a magical trick. Whitehouse, the chairman of the Senate […]", "description":""

ItmightseemdifficulttotakepositionsonaprominentissuediametricallyopposedandequallypreposterousButSenSheldonWhitehouse(D-RI),amanwhosePavlovianoppositiontotheUSfossilenergyproducershasledhimintoincoherencerareevenbyBeltwaystandards,hasachievedjustsuchamagicaltrick<\\\/p>

Whitehouse,thechairmanoftheSenateBudgetCommittee,foryearshasaccused<\\\/a>themajorUSfossilenergyproducersofcreatingthepurportedclimate\u201ccrisis\u201dandhidingtheirknowledge<\\\/a>ofanddeceivingthepublic<\\\/a>abouttheimpactsofgreenhousegasemissionsTranslation:Fordecades,theUSfossilenergysectorhasproducedtoomuchenergyandthustoomanygreenhousegasemissions\u00a0<\\\/p>

Alas,thatstanceissoyesterdayWhitehouse\u2019snewargument<\\\/a>isthat\u201coilandgascompaniescouldbeengagingincollusive,anti-competitiveactivitieswithOPEC+thatwouldraisecrudeoilprices\u201dSonowtheUSfossilenergyproducersincahootswithOPEC+mightbeproducingtoolittle\u00a0<\\\/p>

WithrespecttoWhitehouse\u2019scollusionargument:PerhapsWhitehouseshouldcallPresidentJoeBidenasawitnessforaBudgetCommitteehearing,asitwasBidenwhoinOctober2022asked<\\\/a>theSaudistodelayascheduledproductioncutuntilafterthemidtermelections\u00a0<\\\/p>

Moregenerally,itistheBidenadministrationthathastakenhundredsofactions<\\\/a>makingUSfossilenergyproductionmoredifficultandcostlyItistheBidenadministrationthathastriedtohidetheattendantadversepriceeffectsbyusing<\\\/a>theStrategicPetroleumReserve<\\\/a>andothergovernmentstockpiles<\\\/a>tomanipulateshort-runsuppliesinawhollyadhocfashion\u2014thatis,forpurelypoliticalpurposes\u00a0<\\\/p>

IfUSproducersare\u201ccolluding\u201dwithOPEC+torestrictoutput,theyaredoingaratherbadjobofitSinceMarch2021,whenrealUSgrossdomesticproductgrowthwasabout5%,UScrudeoiloutput<\\\/a>hasincreasedby13%USnaturalgasproduction<\\\/a>hasincreasedbymorethan5%USrefinerycapacityutilization<\\\/a>hasincreasedfrom819%to897%,refineryuse<\\\/a>ofcrudeoilandotherinputshasincreasedby107%,andrefineryoutput<\\\/a>ofproductshasincreasedby8%OPEC+output<\\\/a>isaboutthesameasinearly2021,whilenon-USoutput<\\\/a>intherestoftheworldhasincreasedbyalmost4%<\\\/p>

WithrespecttoWhitehouse\u2019sclimate\u201cresponsibility\u201dand\u201cdeception\u201dassertions:USgreenhousegasemissionsfromallcombustionoffossilfuels<\\\/a>areabout74%oftotalUSgreenhousegasemissions<\\\/a>EliminationofallUSfossilfuelcombustionemissionswouldreduceglobaltemperaturesin2100by0077degreesCelcius,applyingtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyclimatemodel<\\\/a>underrealisticassumptionsThateffectwouldnotbedetectable<\\\/p>

Accordingly,someoneshouldaskWhitehousetoexplaintheprecisesenseinwhichUSfossilenergyproducersare\u201cresponsible\u201dfortheassertedclimatecrisis(forwhich,bytheway,thereisnoevidence<\\\/a>)ThatistherelevantquestioninparticulargiventhatreducedoutputbyUSproducerswouldbeoffsetlargelyorwhollywithincreasedproductionbyforeignproducers\u00a0<\\\/p>

Whitehousecontinues<\\\/a>,\u201cFordecades,thefossilfuelindustryhasknownabouttheeconomicandclimateharmsofitsproducts\u201dTheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangeinits1990FirstAssessmentReportmadeitclearthatitcouldnotexplainwhytemperatureswerehigher5,000-6,000yearsagodespitenoevidenceofanincreaseingreenhousegasconcentrationsFastforwardtotheSixthAssessmentReport<\\\/a>:IPCCstillcannotnarrowdownthe\u201clikely\u201drangeofclimateeffectsofincreasedgreenhousegasconcentrationsAndtheIPCCclimatemodels<\\\/a>continuetooverstatetheatmospherictemperaturerecordbyafactorofover23<\\\/a>\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inshort,accordingtoWhitehousethefossilenergyproducersfordecadeshave\u201cknown\u201dthingsthatwerenotknownin1990andarenotknownnowTheyareproducingtoolittleenergyandtoomuchSucharetheSchr\u00f6dinger-likefruitsofastancewhollyideological,impervioustofacts,andoblivioustotherealinvestmentandeconomicharmcausedbytheBeltwayblamegame<\\\/p>

Whitehouse\u2019s\u201cinvestigations\u201dhaveproducednousefulinformationbutgobsofBeltwaypropaganda:\u201cIfitisanelectionyear,thefossilenergyproducersmustbeguiltyofsomething\u201dIsthisthebesthecando?Theevidencesaysyes<\\\/p>

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BenjaminZycherisaseniorfellowattheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP22080625251491.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3081706-1720960622", "title":"DHS pressed for clarity on Secret Service protocols to ‘assess threats’ after Trump rally shooting", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3081706%2Fdhs-pressed-clarity-secret-service-protocols-trump-rally-shooting%2F", "byline":"Cami Mondeaux", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) is pressing the Department of Homeland Security to provide clarity on how Secret Service members are trained to respond to threats after a shooting broke out at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday. In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday, Green pressed […]", "description":""

HouseHomelandSecurityCommitteeChairmanMarkGreen(R-TN)ispressingtheDepartmentofHomelandSecuritytoprovideclarityonhowSecretServicemembersaretrainedtorespondtothreatsafterashootingbrokeout<\\\/a>atformerPresidentDonaldTrump'srallyonSaturday<\\\/p>

Inaletter<\\\/a>senttoDHSSecretaryAlejandroMayorkasonSunday,GreenpressedthetopBidenadministrationofficialtoprovideinformationoranydocumentationrelatedtosecuritydetailatTrump'srally<\\\/a>inButler,PennsylvaniaGreenpraisedthe\\\"swiftresponse\\\"oftheSecretServicemembersbutarguedtheDHSmustbeinvestigatedforsomereportsthatsuggestthedepartmentrebuffed\\\"multiplerequests\\\"fromTrump'ssecurityteamto\\\"increaseprotectiveservices\\\"aheadoftheevent<\\\/p>

\u201cTheseriousnessofthissecurityfailureandchillingmomentinournation\u2019shistorycannotbeunderstated,\\\"Greenwrote\\\"AstheUSSecretService(USSS)investigates,theCommitteeonHomelandSecurity(Committee)isdedicatedtoconductingrigorousoversighttoensurethattheAmericanpeoplereceiveanswersandpresidentialcandidatesreceiveproperandadequateprotection\\\"<\\\/p>

Greenoutlinedanumberofquestionshewantstobeansweredbythedepartment,includingaccesstoalldocumentsandcommunicationswithintheDHSandSecretServicerelatedto\\\"anypotentialincreaseoradditionofprotectiveresourcestoPresidentTrump\u2019ssecuritydetail\\\"frommid-Novembertothepresentday<\\\/p>

TheletteralsorequestsinformationonSecretService<\\\/a>rulesofengagementprotocols\u201ctoassessandneutralizethreats\u201dafterconcernswereraisedabouthowtheshooter\\\"wasabletoaccessarooftopwithinrangeanddirectlineofsightofwherePresidentTrumpwasspeaking\\\"<\\\/p>

Green'srequestscomeaslawmakersfrombothpartieshaverespondedswiftlytotheshootingandhavebeguntoreconsidersecurityprotocolsinCongressHouseRepublicansarescheduledtohaveabriefingwiththesergeant-at-armsonSundayafternoon,onelawmakertoldtheWashingtonExaminer<\\\/p>

RepsRitchieTorres(D-NY)andMikeLawler(R-NY)alsoannouncedtheywouldbeintroducingabillthatwouldprovideenhancedSecretServiceprotectiontoTrumpaswellasPresidentJoeBidenandRobertFKennedyJr<\\\/a>whileonthecampaigntrail<\\\/p>

\\\"Asreportscontinuetoemerge,it\u2019sclearthatmoreprotectionisneededforallmajorcandidatesforpresident,\\\"thetwosaidinajointstatement\\\"That\u2019swhywe\u2019replanningonintroducingbipartisanlegislationprovidingPresidentJoeBiden,formerPresidentDonaldTrump,andpresidentialcandidateRobertKennedyJrwithenhancedSecretServiceprotectionAnythinglesswouldbeadisservicetoourdemocracy\u201d<\\\/p>

TheFBIidentifiedtheshooterasThomasMatthewCrooks,20,ofBethel,Pennsylvania,onSundaymorningCrooksdiedshortlyaftertheshootingafterbeing\\\"neutralized\\\"bytheSecretService,agencyspokesmanAnthonyGuglielmisaidinastatementAtleastonerallyattendeewasalsokilled<\\\/p>

Trumpwastakentoanearbyhospital<\\\/a>tobetreatedafterconfirminghewaspiercedintheupperpartofhisrightear<\\\/p>

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\u201cIknewimmediatelythatsomethingwaswronginthatIheardawhizzingsound,shots,andimmediatelyfeltthebulletrippingthroughtheskinMuchbleedingtookplace,\u201dhewroteinaTruthSocialPost<\\\/p>

Theformerpresident<\\\/a>isinstableconditionTrumplaterflewtoNewJerseyafterbeingreleasedfromthehospitalHeisexpectedtotraveltoMilwaukeefortheRepublicanNationalConventionthatbeginsonMonday<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/secret-service-44.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3077696-1720701634", "title":"Johnson quiets initial concerns about fundraising prowess by raising $23.5 million in second quarter", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3077696%2Fjohnson-quiets-initial-concerns-about-fundraising-prowess-by-raising-23-5-million-in-second-quarter%2F", "byline":"Cami Mondeaux", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) raised $23.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, outperforming expectations and continuing to quiet initial concerns about his fundraising prowess when he took the gavel last October. More than $17 million of that haul went toward Johnson’s committees with the remaining $6.5 million going toward individual members and GOP […]", "description":""

HouseSpeakerMikeJohnson<\\\/a>(R-LA)raised$235millioninthesecondquarterof2024,outperformingexpectationsandcontinuingtoquietinitialconcernsabouthisfundraising<\\\/a>prowesswhenhetookthegavellastOctober<\\\/p>

Morethan$17millionofthathaulwenttowardJohnson'scommitteeswiththeremaining$65milliongoingtowardindividualmembersandGOPcandidatesAdditionally,Johnsonhasnowtransferredmorethan$16milliontotheNationalRepublicanCongressionalCommittee<\\\/a>thiscycleaspartofeffortstogrowtheparty'sslimHousemajoritynextyear<\\\/p>

\u201cWithcommonsensesolutions,strongcandidates,andmomentumgrowingeveryday,anotherextraordinaryquartershowsRepublicansareexpandingourbaseandenergizedtowinupanddowntheballotinNovember,\u201dJohnsonsaidinastatement\u201cAswegatherinMilwaukeenextweektoofficiallynominatePresidentDonaldTrump,ourPartyhasneverbeenmoreunifiedandequippedwiththeresourcesneededtogrowtheHousemajority,wintheSenate,andwintheWhiteHouse\u201d<\\\/p>

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Johnson'ssecond-quarterhaulbuildsonotherHouseGOPleaders'fundraisingforatotalof$45millionraisedduringthesecondquarter,whencombiningthespeaker'snumberswithHouseMajorityLeaderSteveScalise(R-LA),MinorityWhipTomEmmer(R-MN),andGOPChairwomanEliseStefanik(R-NY)<\\\/p>

Johnson'sfundraisingstillfallsslightlybehindhispredecessor,formerSpeakerKevinMcCarthy<\\\/a>(R-CA),butthehighnumbersofferhopetoRepublicansthatthespeakerisabletoraiselargesumsforthepartydespiteonlyholdingthegavelforninemonths<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24178017398020-scaled.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3074143-1720513167", "title":"State program spends $1 million to get 37 ‘disadvantaged’ people drivers licenses", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3074143%2Fstate-program-spends-1-million-to-get-37-disadvantaged-people-drivers-licenses%2F", "byline":"TJ Martinell | The Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – A program set up in King County through the state Department of Licensing and funded by the state Legislature has spent nearly $1 million teaching “disadvantaged” women to drive, with just 37 women actually obtaining their license in a five-month period. King County contracts with Mujer al Volante, a nonprofit organization in […]", "description":""

(TheCenterSquare)\u00a0\u2013AprogramsetupinKingCountythroughthestateDepartmentofLicensingandfundedbythestateLegislaturehasspentnearly$1millionteaching\u201cdisadvantaged\u201dwomentodrive,withjust37womenactuallyobtainingtheirlicenseinafive-monthperiod<\\\/p>

KingCountycontractswithMujeralVolante,anonprofitorganizationinSeattlethatofferssupportservicestorefugeeandimmigrantwomenIn2022,theLegislaturegaveDOL$350,000toalsocontractwiththenonprofit,withanadditional$2millionappropriatedearlierthisyearinthestatetransportationbudget<\\\/p>

TheDriversLicenseAssistanceProgram\u201cTakingtheSteeringWheelofMyLife\u201dprovidesqualifyingapplicantsassistancetowardobtainingadriver\u2019slicenseToqualify,apersonmustbeawomanor\u201cnonbinary,\u201danimmigrant,asylee,orrefugee,andbeclassifiedas\\\"low-income\\\"<\\\/p>

SincetheprogramstartedinDecember,therehavebeen522individualswhohavegonethroughtheprogramHowever,just37ofthemhavesuccessfullypassedthewrittenanddrivingexamsInJanuary,therewere101participantsandonlyoneofthemobtainedtheirlicenseInApril,therewere132participants,13ofwhichgottheirlicense<\\\/p>

WhenTheCenterSquarereachedouttoDOLforcomment,CommunicationsManagerChristineAnthonywrotethat\u201cwecontractedwithMujeralVolanteinDecemberof2023,andthisisthefirstreporttotheLegislatureThisisanewprogramweareadministering,andwewillcontinuetoworkwiththeorganizationandmonitortheirprogress\u201d<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP24014160536170-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3072819-1720443053", "title":"Sorry, progressives, but facts can’t be racist", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3072819%2Fsorry-progressives-but-facts-cant-be-racist%2F", "byline":"Brad Polumbo", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Facts cannot be racist. But that hasn’t stopped many liberal media figures and Democratic politicians from trying to insist otherwise after one conservative writer dared to point out what we all know about Vice President Kamala Harris: She wouldn’t be where she is now without the movement for DEI, also known as diversity, equity, and […]", "description":""

FactscannotberacistButthathasn\u2019tstoppedmanyliberalmedia<\\\/a>figuresandDemocraticpoliticiansfromtryingtoinsistotherwiseafteroneconservativewriterdaredtopointoutwhatweallknowaboutVicePresidentKamalaHarris<\\\/a>:Shewouldn\u2019tbewheresheisnowwithoutthemovementforDEI<\\\/a>,alsoknownasdiversity,equity,andinclusion\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inanarticle<\\\/a>thatwentviral,CharlesGasparinowrotethatifsheissuccessfullyputforwardasPresidentJoeBiden\u2019s<\\\/a>successor,Harriswillbe\u201cthecountry\u2019sfirstDEIpresident\u201dSufficeittosay,thisdidnotgooverwell\u00a0<\\\/p>

GovGavinNewsom(D-CA)tweeted<\\\/a>outtheheadlineandsaid,\u201cThisisstraight-upracist\u201d\u00a0<\\\/p>

Meanwhile,theaccount\u201cRacismWatchDog\u201dsharedthearticleandsaid<\\\/a>,\u201cBarkbarkbark,\u201dinapostthat47millionpeoplehaveseen\u00a0<\\\/p>

Anotherviraltweet<\\\/a>accusedthearticleof\u201cfindingawaytospellthenwordwithonly3characters\u201d<\\\/p>

Yougettheidea:HowdareconservativeslabelKamalaHarrisadiversitypickThat\u2019sobviouslyracistandhateful! <\\\/p>

There\u2019sjustoneproblem,howeverItisafactthatHarriswasselectedtobeBiden\u2019svicepresidentinpartduetoherraceandgenderItisafactthatifshehadbeenawhitemalebutotherwiseremainedaCaliforniasenator,Harrisneverwould\u2019vebeenselectedashisrunningmate\u00a0<\\\/p>

Youdon\u2019thavetotakemywordforitJustaskBidenDuringthe2020presidentialcampaign,Bidenopenlysaid,inexplicitterms<\\\/a>,thathewasonlyconsideringwomentobehisvicepresident,andhestronglyimplied<\\\/a>thathewouldfavorawomanofcolor\u00a0<\\\/p>

That\u2019sright:Weknowforafactthat,butforhergender,Harrisneverwould\u2019vebeenselectedasvicepresident(Andifnotforthat,shecertainlywouldn\u2019tbeattheforefrontoftheconversationforapotentialBidenreplacement)So,tocallheradiversityor\u201cDEI\u201dpickisnotanopinionthatcanbecharacterizedasracist:Itisanobservationofafact\u00a0<\\\/p>

WhenIpointedthisoutonX,manyofthesameliberalsandprogressivesgotupsetwithmeaswell <\\\/p>

ButafactthatupsetspeoplecontinuestobeafactAndnoneoftheircounterargumentschangethefactthatHarris,nomatterhowonefeelsaboutit,oweshercurrentpositioninparttotheDemocrats\u2019blatantidentitypoliticsandopenlydiscriminatorypursuitofdiversity\u00a0<\\\/p>

SomecriticspointedoutthatHarrisisn\u2019tunqualifiedforvicepresident,arguingthatasaformersenatorandstateattorneygeneral,shehassimilarqualificationstopastvicepresidentialpicks,suchasBidenwhenheservedunderPresidentBarackObamaYetthisissomethingofanonsequiturbecausetosaythatHarriswasadiversityselectionisnottosayshe\u2019stotallyunqualifiedforthejob\u00a0<\\\/p>

Forexample,SupremeCourtJusticeKetanjiBrownJacksonisobjectivelya\u201cdiversitypick\u201dbecauseBidenopenlysaidhewasonlyconsideringblackwomenforthejobYetJacksonisalsoeminentlyqualifiedfortheposition\u2014shewassimplyelevatedaboveothersduetoherimmutablecharacteristicsThesetwothingscananddocoexistwithregularity\u00a0<\\\/p>

DEIpicksrarely,ifever,resultinasituationwheresomeonetotallyunqualifiedispickedforajobButsomeoneisadiversityhireif,butforherimmutablecharacteristics,shewouldnothavebeengiventheroleunderastrictlymeritocraticselectionAndthatisalmostcertainlythecaseforHarrisAfterall,accordingtoBidenhimself,shewasselectedthroughaprocessinwhichmorethanhalfofthealternatives,males,wereruledoutduetotheirgenderandwhitefemaleswereseeminglydisfavoredThatleftonlyherandahandfulofotherminoritywomen<\\\/a>whowerehigh-rankingDemocraticofficialsfromwhichBidencouldchoose<\\\/p>

Andbeyondheridentity,Harrisdidn\u2019taddmuchtotheticketShewasn\u2019tfromaswingstateShehadneverwonacompetitiveelectionagainstaRepublicanShewasn\u2019tpopularwiththeDemocraticbase,havingfailedhorrificallyinherownpresidentialbidShewasn\u2019tevenpopularintheprimarywithblackvoters,agroupfromwhomBidenalreadyhadstrongsupportAndshewaspronetocringeworthymomentsandhadthecampaigntrailcharismaofawettowel\u00a0<\\\/p>

Harris\u2019smain\u201cvalueadd\u201dforBiden\u2019sticketwasthatshewasawomanofcolorWeallknewitthen,andweallknowitnow <\\\/p>

AnothercounterargumentisthatvicepresidentsareoftenselectedduetofactorsnotdirectlyrelatedtomeritThatmaybetrue,butitshouldn\u2019tbeAnditdoesn\u2019tmakeracialfavoritismanylessmorallydetestableItalsodoesn\u2019tmakethechargethatHarrisisaDEIpicklesstrueIfanything,itjustofferscontexttobetterunderstandthesignificanceofthistruth\u00a0<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

So,too,somecriticshaveyelled,\u201cButTrump!\u201d,astheyarewonttodo,andtheyhavepointedoutthatPresidentDonaldTrumpdidsomethingsimilarwhenheappointedSupremeCourtJusticeAmyConeyBarrettafterpromisingtoappointawomanYetthiswhataboutismisn\u2019tarefutationoftheactualchargeItjustmeansthatBarrettwasalsoaDEIpick,assomeacknowledgedatthetime(IftheirpointwasjustthatRepublicanscanbehypocrites,they\u2019dhavenoargumentfromme!)<\\\/p>

WesimplycannotletDemocratsandprogressivesmakenoticingfactstheyfindinconvenientoff-limitsbythrowingaroundfalsechargesofracismNomatterhowhardsomeontheLeftinsist,factscanneverberacist,andthemomentwecavetothatridiculousframing,welosetheabilitytodiscussthetruthandcedethepoliticalconversationtowhoeveriswillingtocry\u201cvictim\u201dtheloudest <\\\/p>

BradPolumbo(@Brad_Polumbo<\\\/a>)isanindependentjournalist,YouTuber<\\\/a>,andaco-founderofBASEDPolitics<\\\/a><\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AP24188824437913-scaled.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3071849-1720418400", "title":"Increasing economic growth should be top priority", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3071849%2Fincreasing-economic-growth-should-be-top-priority%2F", "byline":"Bruce Thompson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"For the past three and a half years, the U.S. economy has struggled under the economic policies of the Biden administration and congressional Democrats.  Increased taxes, spending, deficits, and debt have produced higher prices, lower wages, soaring interest rates, and slower economic growth. For typical American families, the Biden administration’s policies have resulted in lower […]", "description":""

Forthepastthreeandahalfyears,theUSeconomy<\\\/a>hasstruggledundertheeconomic<\\\/a>policiesoftheBidenadministration<\\\/a>andcongressionalDemocrats\u00a0<\\\/p>

Increasedtaxes,spending,deficits,anddebthaveproducedhigherprices,lowerwages,soaringinterestrates,andslowereconomicgrowthFortypicalAmericanfamilies,theBidenadministration'spolicieshaveresultedinlowerstandardsoflivinganddashedhopesofabetterfuture <\\\/p>

Whiletheinflation<\\\/a>ratehaseasedfromits91%peak,thehighestlevelin40years,pricesarestillup20%sinceBidentookoffice,faroutpacingtheincreaseinwages<\\\/p>

MillionsofAmericansarefinanciallystressed,unabletobuyahome,payofftheirdebt,orsaveforthefuture<\\\/a>Householddebt<\\\/a>isatanall-timehigh,up$3trillion,or21%,sincethefirstquarterof2021\u00a0<\\\/p>

Alongwiththesehighprices,theUSeconomyisstuckinaslowgrowthrutThelatestnumbers<\\\/a>showtheeconomyisslowingunderhighinterestratesandpersistentinflation,withpersonalspendingandcapitalgoodsordersweakening\u00a0<\\\/p>

Realgrossdomesticproduct(GDP)grewatonly14%<\\\/a>\u00a0lastquarter,theslowestgrowthinnearlytwoyearsInthelastninequarters,economicgrowthhasaveragedonlyhalfourhistoricgrowthrate\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheUSneedstoadoptpro-growthpoliciestoencouragefastereconomicgrowthButifBidenandcongressionalDemocratsaregivenanotherchanceinNovember,wefaceevenhighertaxes,morespending,andslowergrowthTheyarealreadyplanningtoleveragethe2025<\\\/a>debateoverextendingthe2017taxcutstoforcethelargesttaxincreaseinourhistory\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheyaredraftingplanstoraisetaxesonindividualtaxpayersandAmericanbusinesses,actions,whichcouldtiptheeconomyintoarecessionandresultinlargerdeficitsanddebt<\\\/a><\\\/p>

TheBidenadministration\u2019smostharmfulproposalwouldraisetheUScorporatetaxratetooneofthehighestintheworldThiswouldbeamajoreconomicmistakeIncreasingthecorporaterateisthemosteconomicallydamagingtaxincrease,andraisingthistax<\\\/a>inaweakeconomywouldcauseittolosemorerevenuethanitgained,likelytriggeringaneventualeconomiccollapse<\\\/p>

Numerousstudieshaveshownthatraisingthecorporateratewouldhaveaharmfuleffectonworkingfamilies,loweringtheirwagesandincomes,increasingthepricestheypay,andreducingtheirretirement<\\\/a>\u00a0savingsAFederalReservestudy<\\\/a>foundthatahighercorporatetaxratewouldbe\u201cuniformlyharmful\u201dtoworkingpeople,leadingto\u201csignificantreductions\u201cintheirjobsandincomes<\\\/p>

IncreasingthecorporatetaxratewouldalsoputUScompaniesatasignificantcompetitivedisadvantageagainstourglobalcompetitorsUndertheBidenadministration,theUSrate<\\\/a>wouldbehigherthaneveryothercountrywecompeteagainst,reducinginvestmentinAmericaandshiftingprofitsandjobsoverseas\u00a0<\\\/p>

Americansfacedsimilarfinancialchallengesofhighprices,stagnantgrowth,andsoaringtaxesandspending44yearsagoTheRepublicanPartyplatformin1980statedthatnothingwasmoreimportantthaneconomicgrowth,andendorsedtheReaganeconomicrecoveryprogram<\\\/a>oflowertaxratesandspendingcuts\u00a0<\\\/p>

Oncepassed,theReagantaxcuts<\\\/a>andspendingreformskickedoffaneconomicboom,withrealGDPgrowthreaching\u00a07%in1983and8%in1984,andaveragingnearly5%ayearthrough1988Inflationdroppedfrom11%to4%andnearly20millionjobswerecreatedinthelargestpeacetimeexpansioninUShistory\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheReagantaxcutsweremodeledaftertheKennedytaxcutsinthe1960s,whichalsosetoffaneconomicgrowthboom,withrealgrowthaveragingmorethan5%ayearTheReagan-Kennedytaxcutsledtoextendedperiodsofunprecedentedeconomicgrowth<\\\/a>andahigherstandardoflivingforallAmericans\u00a0<\\\/p>

Underourcurrentpathofhightaxesandspending,theeconomicoutlookisdimTheCongressionalBudgetOffice(CBO)isforecasting<\\\/a>10yearsofdismalandweakgrowthaveraging18%ayear,\u00a0muchlowerthanthe35%averageannualgrowththeUSexperiencedfrom1960to2000Ifthathappens,wewillhaveadecadeoflowerincomes,fewerjobs,andcountlesslostopportunities<\\\/a>\u00a0<\\\/p>

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ButitdoesnothavetobethiswayAswehaveseen,aneconomicpolicyoflowtaxratesandfiscalrestraintcanincreaseinvestment,productivity,andoutput,leadingtohigherincomesandfastergrowthPro-growthtaxpoliciesthatincreasetheincentivetowork,save,andinvest,alongwithspendingrestraint,wouldimproveeconomicgrowth,gettingusoutofourslowgrowthrutandreturningtheeconomytoitshistoricgrowthrate<\\\/a> <\\\/p>

Highereconomicgrowthwouldgeneratetrillionsofdollarsofeconomicactivity,leadingtohigherwagesandincomes,betterjobsandopportunities,andmoreprosperityforallAmericansWecannotsettleforanother10yearsofsubpargrowthIncreasingeconomicgrowthshouldbeourtoppriority <\\\/p>

BruceThompsonwasaUSSenateaide,assistantsecretaryofTreasuryforlegislativeaffairs,andthedirectorofgovernmentrelationsforMerrillLynchfor22years<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP23315572079441.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3069418-1720072800", "title":"Is the American dream dead? My family’s story proves otherwise", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3069418%2Fis-the-american-dream-dead-my-familys-story-proves-otherwise%2F", "byline":"Hera Varmah", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The American dream has been woven into countless narratives throughout my life, shaped by the inspiring stories shared by my family members and friends who came to the United States in search of a better life. This Independence Day, it might be tempting to think this dream is now elusive as division and discouragement spread across […]", "description":""

TheAmericandreamhasbeenwovenintocountlessnarrativesthroughoutmylife,shapedbytheinspiringstoriessharedbymyfamilymembersandfriendswhocametotheUnitedStatesinsearchofabetterlifeThisIndependenceDay<\\\/a>,itmightbetemptingtothinkthisdreamisnowelusive asdivision<\\\/a>anddiscouragement<\\\/a>spreadacrossourcountry<\\\/p>

Butmylifeprovesitcanstillbeareality\u2014ifwestrivetomakeitone <\\\/p>

Thoseofusfromimmigrantcommunitiesarefamiliarwiththepromiseofopportunity,enshrinedbytheFoundingFathersintheDeclarationofIndependenceandencapsulatedintheidealsoflife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappinessFamilieslikeminehaveworkedurgentlytorealizethispromise<\\\/p>

Growingup,myfamilyof12childrenborntoimmigrantparentsfacedmanyobstaclesWecouldhavetakenthewrongpath,butwewerefortunatetoliveinastatethatgaveusaccesstoatop-tiereducationatCatholicprivateschools,magnetschools,andtraditionalpublicschools,inwhicheachofusfoundwhatweneededtochaseourdreams <\\\/p>

Asayounggirl,Ididn\u2019tbelieveIwasintelligentorthatIcouldexcelinschoolEventhoughmyparentshadfaithinme,IwasconvincedIwouldfailIfocusedonsports,thinkingitwastheonlyareainwhichIcouldsucceedIthoughtmysiblingswouldgoontobesuccessfulwhileIremainedstuckinpoverty<\\\/p>

Butthankstoscholarshipopportunitiesinmystate,Imetteacherswhosawmypotentialandsupportedme,helpingmegainconfidenceAndIwasabletobuildfriendshipswithothersfromdifferentbackgroundsandbeliefsystems <\\\/p>

Today,Iamacollegegraduateworkingatanationalpolicyorganization,fightingforchildrenlikemeIwentfromfeelinginadequateasayounggirltotestifyingbeforeCongressatage24\u00a0<\\\/p>

MysiblingsandIareafulfillmentofmygrandparents\u2019dreamsWeallhavedifferentopinions,careers,hopes,anddreams,butweareallachievingourgoalsFourofusarecollegegraduates,twoareengineers,oneisinmedicalschool,sixareuniversitystudents,andtwoarehighschoolstudents <\\\/p>

ThisIndependenceDay,Iwantmyfamily\u2019sstorytobethenorm,notanexception<\\\/p>

Iwantmygenerationtoreignitethespiritofstrivingforgreatnessintheircareers,nurturingtheirfamilies,orpursuingwhateverversionoftheAmericandreamtheymightholdNegativityanddoommaydrivenewscycles,butsuccessstoriesaboundwhenchildrenaregivenopportunityWemustsharethesestories\u2014andmakethempossible<\\\/p>

ConsidermyfriendandcolleagueGissell,afirst-generationAmericanborninDelawarebutraisedinMexicointheearly2000sAt14yearsold,shereturnedwithoutherparentstoMilwaukee,Wisconsin,topursuehereducationThankstoCristoReyJesuitHighSchool,whichshewasabletoattendbecauseofWisconsin\u2019sschoolchoiceprogram,Gissellovercamenumerousobstacles,includingthedifficultdecisiontoforgoafullscholarshiptoGeorgetownUniversitytobringhertwoteenagesistersfromMexicoinsteadandcareforthem <\\\/p>

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ShewentontoearnadoublefullscholarshiptoMarquetteUniversityandbecamethefirstcollegegraduateinherfamilythisMaySheisstillbuildingherAmericandreamasshepursuesacareerinpolicy<\\\/p>

OurstoriesprovetheAmericandreamisaliveandwellifonlywegivechildrenthechancetochaseitThismeansgrantingthemaccesstoqualityeducationandopportunitiesregardlessoftheirbackgroundorZIPcodeThisIndependenceDay,let\u2019srededicateourselvestothatgoal<\\\/p>

HeraVarmahisagraduateofFlorida\u2019staxcreditscholarshipprogramsandanexternalrelationsassociateattheAmericanFederationforChildren<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iStock-1399726385.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3069580-1720021085", "title":"Three times Biden disregarded the ‘limits of presidential power’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3069580%2Fthree-times-biden-disregarded-the-limits-of-presidential-power%2F", "byline":"Andrea Ruth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Fresh off his humiliating performance at the presidential debate, President Joe Biden found the energy to deliver brief remarks to a nationally televised audience over the Supreme Court‘s presidential immunity case.  In a four-minute address that resembled a campaign ad more than a formal statement, Biden, who took no questions, condemned the Supreme Court’s decision. […]", "description":""

Freshoffhishumiliatingperformanceatthepresidentialdebate,PresidentJoeBiden<\\\/a>foundtheenergytodeliverbriefremarkstoanationallytelevisedaudienceovertheSupremeCourt<\\\/a>'spresidentialimmunitycase\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inafour-minuteaddressthatresembledacampaignadmorethanaformalstatement,Biden,whotooknoquestions,condemnedtheSupremeCourt'sdecisionHiscommentsechoedthoseofJusticeSoniaSotomayor<\\\/a>,employingfear-inducinglanguagesuchas\\\"fundamentallychanged\\\"andotherphrasessuggestingasignificantshiftbutalsoallowingforpossibleretreats,suchas\\\"forallpracticalpurposes,\\\"\\\"almostcertainly,\\\"and\\\"virtuallynolimits\\\"<\\\/p>

OnethingBidensaidstoodout<\\\/a>\\\"IknowIwillrespectthelimitsofthepresidentialpower,asIhaveforthreeandahalfyears,\\\"hesaid<\\\/p>

ThisstatementisinstarkcontrasttohisactionsInreality,thepresidenthasconsistentlypushedtheboundariesofhispower,particularlyduringthefirsttwoyearsofhispresidency,whenhefrequentlydisregardedtheseparationofpowers <\\\/p>

Rentmoratorium<\\\/p>

ThefirstinstanceinwhichBidenignoredthelimitsofpresidentialpowerwaswhenheallowedtheCOVID-erarentmoratoriumtoremaininplaceHewonaninitial5-4decisionStill,JusticeBrettKavanaugh<\\\/a>warnedheonlyallowedittocontinuetomaintainanorderlytransitionandthatanyfurtherreliefwouldrequire\\\"clearandspecificcongressionalauthorization(vianewlegislation)\\\"TheBidenadministrationignoredthewarningandtriedtoextendthemoratoriumagainTheSupremeCourtstruckitdown\u00a0<\\\/p>

Vaccinemandate<\\\/p>

Inanotherinstance,theBidenadministrationattemptedtoforceprivatecompaniestomandateemployeevaccinations,arguingithadtheauthoritytouseOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministrationregulationstoenforceitTheSupremeCourtdisagreed,strikingdownthemandateandrulingtheagencyexceededitsauthorityThecourtwrote,\\\"AlthoughCongress<\\\/a>hasindisputablygivenOSHAthepowertoregulateoccupationaldangers,ithasnotgiventhatagencythepowertoregulatepublichealthmorebroadly\\\"\u00a0<\\\/p>

Studentdebtrelief<\\\/p>

Thoughacademics,scholars,andformerHouseSpeakerNancyPelosisaidBidendidnothavetheauthoritytoimplementstudentdebtreliefunilaterally,thepresidentchosetodoitanywayOnceagain,theSupremeCourttoldhim\\\"no,\\\"remindinghiminyetanotherinstancethathewasnotrespectingthelimitsofpresidentialpowerChiefJusticeJohnRoberts<\\\/a>rejectedtheadministration'sargumentithadauthorityunderthe2003HEROESActtoimplementtheplanRobertswrote,\\\"Thequestionhereisnotwhethersomethingshouldbedone;itiswhohastheauthoritytodoit\\\"\u00a0<\\\/p>

Thecourtinvokedthe\\\"majorquestion\\\"doctrine,whichstatesthatifCongresswantstogiveagenciestheauthoritytomakedecisionsofvasteconomicandpoliticalsignificance,itmustsaysoclearlyRobertssaidtheHEROESActdidn'tauthorizedebtreliefatall <\\\/p>

RatherthangotoCongressandasklawmakerstodraftlegislationfordebtrelief,BidenattemptedabackdoortoimplementstudentdebtforgivenessTheadministrationdevisedanewschemeitfeltwouldinsulateitfromjudicialreviewBidenhadtheaudacitytoboastaboutitHesaid,\\\"TheSupremeCourtblockedme,butitdidnotstopme\\\" <\\\/p>

However,twofederaljudgesinseparatestates,KansasandMissouri,blockedthenewSavingonaValuableEducationplanenactedbytheDepartmentofEducation<\\\/a>Statessued,arguingtheadministrationonceagainoversteppeditsauthorityWhilethe10thCircuitCourtofAppealstemporarilyliftedtheKansasjudge'sbanonthenewrepaymentplan,theinjunctionisstillinplaceinMissouriThejudgesinbothcasessaidtheadministrationcouldnotshowCongressauthorizedthenewplan\u00a0<\\\/p>

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Thejudgesinthetwocases,USDistrictJudgeDanielDCrabtreeinKansasandUSDistrictJudgeJohnARossinMissouri,werebothappointedbyPresidentBarackObama<\\\/a>So,anycomplaintsteamBidenmighthaveaboutthejudges'politicalmotivationsfallflat<\\\/p>

PointingouthowwrongformerPresidentDonaldTrumpiswhenitcomestorestraintsonexecutivepowerisnotavalidwayforBidentoexcusehislackofrestraint,anditisabald-facedlieforhimtosayhe'srespectedthelimitsofpresidentialpowerduringhisterm<\\\/p>

AndreaRuthisacontributortothe WashingtonExaminer magazine<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AP24184012822003-scaled.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3065773-1719900000", "title":"Fairfax County Public Schools leadership displays disdain for parents — again", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3065773%2Ffairfax-county-public-schools-leadership-displays-disdain-for-parents-again%2F", "byline":"Stephanie Lundquist-Arora", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Last Thursday, as the first presidential debate was making national headlines, Fairfax County School Board members held a meeting during which they voted on controversial changes to family life education curriculum. The takeaway for the few of us able to attend or watch it virtually was that the district’s leadership hates parents — or, at […]", "description":""

LastThursday,asthefirstpresidentialdebate<\\\/a>wasmakingnationalheadlines,FairfaxCountySchoolBoard<\\\/a>membersheldameetingduringwhichtheyvotedoncontroversialchangestofamilylifeeducationcurriculumThetakeawayforthefewofusabletoattendorwatchitvirtuallywasthatthedistrict\u2019sleadershiphatesparents\u2014or,attheveryleast,isseverelyinconveniencedbyus<\\\/p>

DarcyHealy,oneofthespeakersduringpubliccomment,deliveredanimpassionedstatementthatrepresentshowmanyparentsinFairfaxCountyarefeelingShesaid<\\\/a>,\u201cWeareparents,andwewantyoutolistentous,butwefeelthatthat\u2019sjustnothappening\u2026ThesurveythatwasdoneinMayandJune[shows]80%areagainstthisco-edsituationLet\u2019scontinuetodebatethisDon\u2019tdoitoverthesummerAnddon\u2019tdothevoteontheeveningofthepresidentialdebateThisisanimportanttopicShowusthatyouwantittobeimportant\u201d<\\\/p>

HealyisrightInsurveysboththisyear<\\\/a>andlastyear<\\\/a>,parentsandcommunitymembersmadeitclearthattheydidnotsupportco-edsexeducationorgenderideologyinstructionintheirchildren\u2019selementaryclassroomsSeveralcommunitymembersmadethisexactpointduringthelasttwoschoolboardmeetings\u2019publiccommentperiodsonJune13andJune27<\\\/p>

Insteadofbeinginclusiveandacceptingcommunityfeedback,theFairfaxCountySchoolBoardwashostile\u2014mostnotablyamongthem,theboard\u2019svicechairwoman,MelanieMeren<\\\/a><\\\/p>

First,Merenspokeindignantlyaboutthecurriculum\u2019sopt-outoptionShesaid<\\\/a>,\u201cAnd,youknow,whatIwanttoconveyisthatweneedtomakedecisionsofcurriculumforthebenefitof,youknow,asmanychildrenaspossibleAndthisiswhyparentsandfamilieshavetheoptiontooptoutiftheydon\u2019tfeelthecontentisappropriatefortheirchildrenwhenitcomestofamilylifeeducation\u201d<\\\/p>

Butwhyincludeunwanted,politicalnonsensesuchasgenderideologyinapublicschooldistrict\u2019ssexeducationcurriculumandthenplacetheburdenofoptingoutontheparents?Here\u2019swhy:becausedistrictleadershipknowsthatmanyparentsarepreoccupiedwithourmanyotherobligationsandwillforgettocompletetheextraadministrativetaskofoptingoutourchildrenfromcurriculumlessons<\\\/p>

Districtleadersshouldnotbeexperimentingwithourchildren,butsincetheyseemtoinsistondoingso,thiscurriculumshouldrequireparentstooptinratherthanoptout<\\\/p>

Merenthendeliveredanangryrantabouttheillegitimacyofthecommunity\u2019sfeedbackmechanismsShesaid<\\\/a>,\u201cIalsodowanttounderscorethatthecommentsthathavebeenreferredtoasasurvey,um,itactuallywasnotasurveyTherewasacallforpubliccomments\u2026TherewasalsonotamethodologytoensurethatcommentswereuniquecontributorsSo,ofthe2,500comments,it\u2019sunknownhowmanywerecontributedmorethanonce\u201d<\\\/p>

Thetakeawayisthatifthedistrict\u2019sleadersdon\u2019tlikecommunityfeedback,theyblamethecommentforumLastyear,forexample,KarlFrisch<\\\/a>,theschoolboardchairman,similarlydismissed<\\\/a>thesurveyasfeedbackfrom\u201cRedditwarriors\u201d<\\\/p>

Incontrast,IlryongMoon,aschoolboardmemberwhodoesnotappeartobecompletelydisgustedandinconveniencedbythedistrict\u2019sparents,seemedtorealizetheabsurdityofhiscolleagues\u2019commentsrightawayTheat-largememberresponded<\\\/a>thatiftherewasaproblemwiththefeedbackmechanismforcommunityinput,itwastheboard\u2019sresponsibilitytofixtheprocessMoonfurthersaidhevaluedcommunityinputandthankedthe2,539surveyrespondentsfortheirtime<\\\/p>

Unfortunately,inspiteofthenegativefeedbackontheproposal,schoolboardmembers,includingMoon,votedtoincludegenderideologyinstructionintheseventhgradefamilylifeeducationcurriculumAndtheydidnotvoteagainstgenderideologyindoctrinationforelementaryschoolchildrenTheyinsteadpostponedthatdecision\u2014perhapsinthehopesthattheycanpassitwhenfewerparentsarepayingattention<\\\/p>

Orevenworse,theywillincludesuchmeasuressurreptitiouslyandwithoutavoteActingonher\u201cmajoritydoesn\u2019talwaysdictate\u201dphilosophy,FairfaxCountyPublicSchoolsSuperintendentMichelleReidhasalreadyusedaback-door,anti-democratic,administrativemethodtointroduceco-edinstructionforsexeducationinthedistrict\u2019snewpilotprogram<\\\/a>in14elementaryschoolsthatshelikelyintendstoexpand\u00a0<\\\/p>

Andso,toHealyIsay,Ifeelyourpain,andwewillcontinuetodebatethisButsadly,itseemsthatReid,Frisch,Meren,andtheirtyrannicalleftistactivistminorityhavealreadydecidedwhatisbestforourchildrenTheyseemtobelievethatwe,theparents,areroadblocksobstructingtheirpath,tobecircumventedorrunover<\\\/p>

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StephanieLundquist-AroraisacontributorfortheWashingtonExaminer,amotherinFairfaxCounty,Virginia,anauthor,andtheFairfaxchapterleaderoftheIndependentWomen\u2019sNetwork<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/iStock-473628448-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3060911-1719468000", "title":"How Ben Sasse could transform education", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3060911%2Fhow-ben-sasse-could-transform-education%2F", "byline":"Max Eden", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In late 2022, former Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse was appointed president of the University of Florida. The media mostly ran with artificially inflated stories of student protests. But Sasse’s supporters were optimistic that he could prove a transformative leader.  To date, he’s kept a relatively low public profile. But Sasse has just been handed […]", "description":""

Inlate2022,formerRepublicanNebraska<\\\/a>SenBenSassewasappointedpresidentoftheUniversityofFloridaThemediamostlyranwithartificiallyinflatedstoriesofstudentprotestsButSasse\u2019ssupporterswereoptimisticthathecouldproveatransformativeleader\u00a0<\\\/p>

Todate,he\u2019skeptarelativelylowpublicprofileButSassehasjustbeenhandedagoldenopportunitytoremodelnotonlyhighereducation,butsubstantiallyimprovepublicK-12educationalongwithitWeshouldknowsoonwhetherhe\u2019lltakeit<\\\/p>

Fordecades,conservativeshavecomplainedaboutteachers\u2019colleges,whereeducatorsandadministratorsmustreceivecertificationTheevidenceprovesthatthey\u2019reawasteoftimeandmoneythatconfersnobenefitonnewteachersWorsethanthat,they\u2019vedevolvedintolittlemorethancriticalracetheory-indoctrinationcampsIt\u2019sratherinsanethatredstatesstillrequireteacherstobesteepedinanti-white,anti-American,anti-achievementdogmabeforeenteringapublicschoolclassroom<\\\/p>

Butmostdo,forthreereasonsFirst,statelegislatorstendtobeintimidatedbypeoplewhohave\u201cPhD\u2019s,\u201deveniftheyhavePhD\u2019sinnonsenseSecond,legislatorsaretypicallyreticenttorocktheboatattheiralmamatersAndthird,eveniflegislatorshadthewill,transformationalleaderswhocouldoverhaulateachers\u2019collegearefewandfarbetween<\\\/p>

Noneoftheselimitingconditions,however,applytotheUF<\\\/p>

TheFloridalegislaturepassedHouseBill1291lastmonth,whichmandatesthatstate-approvedteacher-preparationprogramsmaynotbe\u201cbasedontheoriesthatsystemicracism,sexism,oppression,andprivilegeareinherentintheinstitutionsoftheUnitedStates\u201dInstead,theseprogramsmustteach\u201cmasteryofacademicprogramcontent\u201dand\u201cinstructionalstrategies\u201dFancythat\u2014schoolsofeducationthatteachteacherstoteach,ratherthanbesocialjusticewarriorsThislawgoesintoeffectonJuly1<\\\/p>

AstheClaremontInstituterecentlydocumented<\\\/a>,theUF\u2019sCollegeofEducationisradicallyoutofcompliancewithstatelawUF\u2019sCollegeofEducationwentaswokeasanyteachers\u2019collegecouldget\u2014rightunderDeSantis\u2019snoseIn2020,itjettisonedrequirementsforthingssuchas\u201cCoreTeachingStrategies,\u201d\u201cMusicfortheElementaryChild,\u201dand\u201cArtEducation\u201dwith,respectively,\u201cEquityPedagogyFoundations,\u201d\u201cEquityPedagogyApplications\u201dand\u201cStudyingEquityPedagogy\u201dMathandscience?Theysimplyweren\u2019t\u201cinclusive\u201denough<\\\/p>

Whichistosay\u2014everythingwasinfusedwithCRTRequiredcoursereadingsincludethingssuchas\u201cTheFirstDayofSchool:ACRTStory,\u201d\u201cWhiteGirlTeaching,\u201d\u201cRaisingRaceQuestions:WhitenessandInquiryinEducation,\u201dandrequiredvideosincludedonecalled\u201cTheUrgencyofIntersectionality\u201d<\\\/p>

So,whatwillSassedo?Atraditionalcollegepresidentwouldtrytoruninterferenceforhisinstitution,makecosmeticchanges,anddohisbesttocontinuetoviolatethespiritofthelawwhilepretendingtoadheretoitsletterSassedoesn\u2019tneedtoplayitthisway,thoughHecan,andshould,seethatbetweentheFloridalawandtheClaremontreporthehasbeendealttwoaces<\\\/p>

Bygoinghard-wokerightunderDeSantis\u2019snose,theleadershipofUF\u2019sCollegeofEducationhasclearlyindicatedthattheydon\u2019tseethemselvesasFloridastategovernmentemployeesSo,theyshouldn\u2019tbeTheyshouldallbefiredTheCollegeofEducationshouldbefundamentallyreworked,roottobranch<\\\/p>

ThepossibilitieshereareincredibleAtminimum,Sassecouldrequirehisteachers\u2019collegetoactuallyhelpteachersteachBestpracticesinclassroommanagementandstudentdiscipline,rigorousinstructioninthescienceofreading,andadditionalcontentareaknowledgeforscience,math,orhistoryteachersshouldbeatoppriority<\\\/p>

ButUFcouldgofarbeyondteachingthebasicsFloridahasaburgeoningprivateandmicro-schoolsectorthankstoitsuniversaleducationsavingsaccountUFcouldofferateacherentrepreneurshiptrackFlorida\u2019sclassicaleducationsector,inparticular,isthrivingUFcouldofferteachersrigoroustraininginclassicalmethodsAndbelieveitornot,teachersarerarelytrainedtoactuallydeliveraparticularcurriculumUFcoulddothat,too<\\\/p>

WhymustateachermovetoGainesvilletogetaUFdegree?UFcouldsetupsatellitecentersineveryFloridacounty,andreworktheirprogramtosupportteacherapprenticeshipsWhat\u2019smore\u2014whylimitthattoFlorida?Withteachercertificationreciprocityagreements,UFcouldcolonize(wecanusethatword;it\u2019sFlorida)teachereducationnationally<\\\/p>

WhenMitchDanielswaspresidentofPurdueUniversity,heprovedthatcollegescouldbeeffectivelyadministered\u2014thatendlesstuitionincreasesresultedfromexecutiveincompetence,notaninexorablelawoffinanceSasse\u2019slegacycouldbetoprovethatsomeoneotherthanDanielscandothistooOr,itcouldbetopioneerwaysinwhichstateflagshipuniversitiescandrivedramaticimprovementinpubliceducation\u2014waysthatcouldandshouldbeemulatedineveryredstateinAmericaiftheywork\u00a0<\\\/p>

Here\u2019shopinghegetsstartednextmonthonhistransformationallegacy<\\\/p>

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MaxEdenisaresearchfellowattheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP23008729452093-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3057090-1719295200", "title":"Biden’s Gaza pier is an abject failure", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3057090%2Fbiden-gaza-pier-abject-failure%2F", "byline":"John Hannah", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Choose your label to describe what’s become of President Joe Biden’s Gaza pier: Dumpster fire. Boondoggle. White elephant. Whatever you call it, the project is a bona fide failure. It seems destined to be a textbook example of what happens when the political imperative to “do something” overwhelms serious planning.  The latest news is that […]", "description":""

Chooseyourlabeltodescribewhat\u2019sbecomeofPresidentJoeBiden\u2019s<\\\/a>Gazapier<\\\/a>:DumpsterfireBoondoggleWhiteelephantWhateveryoucallit,theprojectisabonafidefailureItseemsdestinedtobeatextbookexampleofwhathappenswhenthepoliticalimperativeto\u201cdosomething\u201doverwhelmsseriousplanning\u00a0<\\\/p>

Thelatestnews<\\\/a>isthatthepiermaybeterminatedaheadofscheduleErectedinmid-MaybytheUSmilitarytodeliverseaborneassistance,thepier\u2019soperationsrepeatedlyhavebeeninterruptedbyroughwaters\u00a0<\\\/p>

Astormbroke<\\\/a>thepierapartonlydaysaftergoingintoserviceAftermillionsofdollarsofrepairs<\\\/a>,itwasthrownbackintoactionDayslater,forecastsofchoppywatersledthemilitarytotow<\\\/a>thepiertosafeharborIt\u2019sjustreturned<\\\/a>toserviceathirdtime,thoughit\u2019shardnottobelievethattheproject\u2019sdaysarenumbered\u00a0<\\\/p>

MotherNaturemayendupbeingtheproximatecauseofthepier\u2019sdemise,butithasn\u2019tbeentheonlyproblemfoilingtheeffortSecurityhasalsobeenamajorproblemInthebrieftimethefacilityactuallyfunctioned,therelativelysmallamountsofassistancemakingittoshorewerebeingwidelylootedbydesperatemobs\u00a0<\\\/p>

AllofthesechallengeswereforecastwellinadvanceThiswashardlyacaseinwhichofficialsstruggledtomakesenseofwhatformerSecretaryofDefenseDonaldRumsfeldfamouslydescribed<\\\/a>asthe\u201cknownunknowns\u201dandthe\u201cunknownunknowns\u201dOnthecontrary,theobstaclesposedbyGaza\u2019sheavyseasandlackofsecuritywereobvioustoanyonetrackingevents\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inotherwords,BidenandhisteamwereoperatingintheeasiestpartofRumsfeld\u2019smatrix:thelandof\u201cknownknowns\u201d\u2014problemsthatweknowwithcertaintywillariseandthatrequiresolutionsinadvance<\\\/p>

IwaspartofagroupthathaddiscussionslastDecemberwiththeUSteaminchargeofgettinghumanitarianaidintoGazaWeaskedaboutthefeasibilityofamaritimechannelInsomanywords,weweretolditwasadumbideaWatersnearGazaarenotoriouslytreacherousTheeffortwouldbewithinrangeofHamas\u2019sgunsTheamountofaidthatcouldbedeliveredbyseawouldbeadropinthebucketofwhatwasneededFarbettertofocusondramaticallyexpandinglandroutesintoGaza,weweretold\u00a0<\\\/p>

Thatwasn\u2019ttheonlyexpertadvicetheadministrationdisregardedReportingsuggests<\\\/a>theUSmilitaryfirstlearnedofBiden\u2019sdecisiontobuildthepieronlywhenheannounceditinhisMarch7StateoftheUnionaddressButatthetime,plannersstillhadnoanswersastohowsuchaprojectcouldbesuccessfullyexecuted<\\\/p>

Toppingtheirconcernswassecurityandmakingsurethatoncesuppliesmadeittoshore,theycouldbesafelydeliveredintothehandsofsufferingGazansItwasalreadywidelyunderstoodthatthebiggestchallengewasnotgettingadequatesuppliesoffoodintoGazabutmakingsureitreachedinnocentcivilianswithoutfirstbeingdiverted<\\\/p>

Remarkably,Bidenandhisteamdidn\u2019tdemandasolutiontothesecurityproblembeforemakingthepierthecenterpieceofamajorpresidentialinitiativeNordidtheybothertodeveloponeinthetwomonthsthatittookthemilitarytogetthepierintoplaceWiththeeyesoftheworldwatchingandUScredibilityontheline,theadministration\u2019sapproachtoawell-definedsetofchallengesthatcouldmakeorbreaktheeffortseemedtoamounttolittlemorethanhopingthingswouldworkout<\\\/p>

Alas,theyhaven\u2019tInstead,thepierhasbecomeahumiliatinginternetmeme<\\\/a>andjoke\u2014andatapricetagofmorethan$200millioninUStaxpayerfundsandmonthsofeffortby1,000troops\u00a0<\\\/p>

Onitsface,thisappearstobeaclassiccaseofabreakdowninsoundpolicymakingAtthetimeofBiden\u2019sannouncement,criticismofhissupportforIsraelwasreachingfeverpitchPicturesofGaza\u2019sdevastationdominatedheadlinesImportantparts<\\\/a>ofBiden\u2019sDemocraticcoalitionwerethreateningnottosupporthisreelection\u00a0<\\\/p>

It\u2019snothardtoimaginethatwithintheWhiteHousepressurecooker,thepanicto\u201cdosomething\u201dforsufferingPalestiniansandshowpresidentialleadershipbygoingovertheheadsofaseeminglyrecalcitrantIsraelileadershipbecameoverwhelmingSomethingbighadtobeannouncedintheStateoftheUnion\u2014regardlessofwhetherallthehardquestionshadbeenanswered<\\\/p>

Understandable?PerhapsAcceptable?NoGoodintentionsarenotenoughHopeisneverastrategy,especiallynotfortheworld\u2019sgreatestdemocracywhoseresolve,reliability,andcompetencehaveneverbeeningreaterdoubtWesimplycan\u2019taffordself-inflictedmistakessuchasBiden\u2019spier\u2014mistakesthatobserverssawcomingmilesaway <\\\/p>

Figuringouthowthingswentsobadlyawryshouldbeatarget-richenvironmentforcongressionaloversight  <\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMRESTORINGAMERICA<\\\/a><\\\/p>

JohnHannahisaseniorfellowattheJewishInstituteforNationalSecurityofAmericaandformernationalsecurityadvisertoVicePresidentDickCheney<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24139591326544.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3052740-1718960078", "title":"Rubio’s rapport with Latino voters could drive Trump to victory", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3052740%2Fmarco-rubio-latino-voters-trump-victory%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Donald Trump‘s interest in selecting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as his vice president is setting off alarm bells for Democrats. The Florida senator and one-time rival of Trump has turned into a reliable ally and offers the former president a direct line to a bloc Republicans have been flirting with taking from Democrats […]", "description":""

FormerPresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/a>'sinterestinselectingSenMarcoRubio<\\\/a>(R-FL)ashisvicepresidentissettingoffalarmbellsforDemocrats<\\\/p>

TheFloridasenatorandone-timerivalofTrumphasturnedintoareliableallyandofferstheformerpresidentadirectlinetoablocRepublicanshavebeenflirtingwithtakingfromDemocratsforyears\u2014 LatinoandHispanicvotersWhileLatinoandHispanicvotersaren'tamonolith,creatingin-roadswiththemwouldputseveralstatesDemocratshavetakenforgrantedinrecentcyclesinplay,MichaelLaRosa,whoisaformerpresssecretaryforfirstladyJillBidenandspecialassistanttoPresidentJoeBiden,wrote<\\\/a>inanop-edfortheNewYorkTimes<\\\/p>

\\\"ButthereissomethingLatinovotershaveincommon:theirLatinAmericanrootsandthepridethatcomesfromcastingavoteforsomeonewholooksandtalkslikethem,\\\"LaRosawrote\\\"MrRubiowouldbreakasignificantculturalbarrierasthefirstLatinoonanationalticket\\\"<\\\/p>

RubiocouldhelpTrumpconvincelargeLatinoconstituenciesinswingstatesArizonaandNevadawhileshoringupRepublican-leaningFloridaItalsocouldmakenormallyDemocraticNewMexico,whichhasthelargestproportionofHispanicsintheUnitedStates,interesting<\\\/p>

TherehasbeensomedoubtaboutwhetherRubiocouldserveasTrump'svicepresident,giventhe12thAmendmentdoesn'tallowforapresidentandvicepresidenttobefromthesamestate,inthiscase,Florida,withoutlosingitselectoralvotes<\\\/p>

LaRosasaidthisconcernis\\\"overblown,\\\"citingformerVicePresidentDickCheney'sresidentialswitchfromTexastoWyoming,andhethinksRubiocoulddosomethingsimilar<\\\/p>

LaRosasaidTrumpselectingRubiowouldbetakingapageoutofBiden's2020campaignplaybookWhenheselectedVicePresidentKamalaHarris,hemadethechoicetoappealtovotersofcolor,amovethatworkedasblackwomenturnedoutfortheBiden-Harristicket<\\\/p>

AndwinningoverHispanicandLatinovoterswillmatterinstateswheretheymakeupsmallersharesoftheelectoratebutwheretheracesarestillconsideredtightTrumpisbeatingBideninPennsylvaniabymorethan2pointsintheRealClearPoliticsaverage<\\\/a>\u2014\u00a0astateBidencan'taffordtoloseifheplanstorepeathis2020success<\\\/p>

LaRosaargued,\\\"Therearevoterswhomaketheirchoicebecausetheywanttobeapartofhistoryandbreakgroundmorethan,say,thattheyagreewiththecandidate,ortheticket,onspecificpolicies\\\"Latinoscouldbethosevoters,andthat'swhyhesaidRubioscareshimandshouldscareDemocratsthisNovember<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

TheFloridasenatorisonemaninathrong<\\\/a>ofTrumpvicepresidentialcandidates,someofwhomrecentlyreceivedvettingmaterialsfromthecampaign<\\\/p>

TheWashingtonExaminercontactedtheTrumpcampaignandRubio'sofficebutreceivednoresponse<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP22310815339264-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3047141-1718618746", "title":"Torres mocks Bowman’s fire alarm stunt in hint he’s abandoning fellow Democrat", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3047141%2Ftorres-mocks-bowman-fire-alarm-hint-abandoning-democrat%2F", "byline":"Elaine Mallon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) is in the middle of a brutal primary fight, and a fellow New York Democrat looks like he is on the cusp of endorsing the “Squad” member’s opponent. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a fiercely pro-Israel member of Congress, got into a spat with Bowman over the weekend after the Israel critic […]", "description":""

RepJamaalBowman<\\\/a>(D-NY)isinthemiddleofabrutalprimaryfight,andafellowNewYork<\\\/a>Democratlookslikeheisonthecuspofendorsingthe\u201cSquad\u201dmember\u2019sopponent<\\\/p>

RepRitchieTorres(D-NY),afiercelypro-Israel<\\\/a>memberofCongress,gotintoaspatwithBowmanovertheweekendaftertheIsraelcriticquestionedthesincerityofTorres\u2019ssupportfortheJewishstateTorreswasquicktohitbackatBowman,pokingfunatthelawmaker\u2019sstuntofpullingafirealarmintheCapitolwhileonhiswaytoavotethatwouldpreventagovernmentshutdownlastSeptember<\\\/p>

\u201cAsforJamaalBowman,IcareasmuchabouthisopiniononmeasIdoabouthisopiniononhowtoproperlypullafirealarmorhisopiniononhowtoremaininCongress,\u201dTorrestold<\\\/a>theNewYorkPost\u201cHisopinionisworsethanarubberstamp\u2014itleavesnoimpression,muchlikehislegislativerecordorhisrecentattendancerecord\u201d<\\\/p>

BowmansaidontheNightSchoolpodcast<\\\/a>hostedbyMarcLamontHillthatTorresonlystandsinsupportofIsraelbecauseofthe\u201cpoweroftheIsraellobby\u201d<\\\/p>

\u201cRitchieisverycalculatinginthiswayRitchie\u2014hejustseemstobealwaysplotting,alwayscalculatingsomething,\u201dBowmansaid<\\\/p>

Bowman\u2019sattackonTorres,atwo-termrepresentativeoftheBronx,appearedunprovokedastheneighboringrepresentativehadsteeredclearofweighinginonBowman\u2019scontest<\\\/p>

Butinthemiddleoftheepisode,HillaskedBowmantocommentonwhyTorresfallsinlinewithBowmanoneverymatterexceptforwhenitcomestoIsrael<\\\/p>

\u201cHowcansomeonebesoprogressiveonsomanyissuesandnotseetheinjusticegoingoninPalestineinthesameway?\u201dHillasked<\\\/p>

HillmadethecommentthatTorres\u201ctweetstoNetanyahulikeheisNetanyahu\u2019slonglostcousin\u201d<\\\/p>

\u201cSoifIwasdoingthatwhenIfirstgotin,mybankaccountfirstofallwouldbeflushed,\u201dBowmansaid<\\\/p>

Bowman\u2019scriticismsofIsraelasitwageswarwithHamashaveputhiminavulnerablepositionwiththelargecontingentofJewishsupportersinhisdistrict<\\\/p>

TheAmericanIsraelPublicAffairsCommittee,aninfluentialpro-IsraelPAC,hasspentmillionsofdollarsattackingBowman,helpinggiveWestchesterCountyExecutiveGeorgeLatimeraboostinhischallengetounseatthetwo-termcongressmanBowmanistrailingLatimerby17points,according<\\\/a>toarecentpoll<\\\/p>

PriortoservingasUSrepresentativefortheBronx,TorreswasaNewYorkCityCouncilmemberfor10yearsHenotedhispublicsupportforIsraeldatesbackto2015,whenhetookatripthere <\\\/p>

Hesaidoneofthereasonshedidn\u2019tjointhe\u201cSquad\u201dafterbeingelectedin2020washebelievedthatsomeofthemembers\u2019supportfortheBDSmovementwasantisemitic<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

\u201cIhaveageneralruleofnotweighinginagainstacongressionalDemocratwhohasnotweighedinagainstme,\u201dTorressaid\u201cButBowman\u2019sgratuitousattackonmycharactermightcausemetorethinkthatrule\u201d<\\\/p>

NewYork\u2019sprimarywillbeonJune25<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24165005433095.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3004139-1715721649", "title":"Biden greenlights $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel week after withholding bombs", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3004139%2Fbiden-greenlights-weapon-shipment-israel-after-withholding-bombs%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Biden administration announced its approval of a $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel just one week after President Joe Biden announced he would withhold a weapons shipment if Israel launched an offensive into Rafah. The administration notified Congress of the move on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner independently confirmed. Officials told the Wall Street Journal […]", "description":""

TheBidenadministration<\\\/a>announceditsapprovalofa$1billionweaponshipmenttoIsrael<\\\/a>justoneweekafterPresidentJoeBidenannouncedhewouldwithholdaweaponsshipmentifIsraellaunchedanoffensiveintoRafah<\\\/p>

TheadministrationnotifiedCongressofthemoveonTuesday,theWashingtonExaminerindependentlyconfirmed<\\\/p>

Officialstold<\\\/a>theWallStreetJournalthatthepackageincludesoffensiveweapons,including$700millionintankammunition,$500millionintacticalvehicles,and$60millioninmortarroundsAdditionalstepsmustbetakenbeforetheweaponsareapprovedanddelivered<\\\/p>

ThemovewasforeshadowedbynationalsecurityadviserJohnKirby,speakingwithreporterslastweek<\\\/p>

\\\"[Biden]alsosaidyesterdaythathewillcontinuetoensurethatIsraelhasallofthemilitarymeansitneedstodefenditselfagainstallofitsenemies,includingHamas,\\\"hesaid\\\"Forhim,thisisverystraightforward:He\u2019sgoingtocontinuetoprovideIsraelwithallofthecapabilitiesitneeds,buthedoesnotwantcertaincategoriesofAmericanweaponsusedinaparticulartypeofoperationinaparticularplaceAndagain,hehasbeenclearandconsistentwiththat\\\"<\\\/p>

KirbyfurtherclarifiedthatIsraelhasnotyetlaunchedaRafahoperationthatcrossesBiden'sredlineBidensaidlastweekhewouldwithholdspecific2,000-poundbombsfromIsraelifthecountryexpandedoperationsintoRafah,wherePalestinianrefugeeshavefledduetothewar<\\\/p>

IsraelbegananoffensiveintoRafahlastweek,whichhascontinuedwithairstrikesandgroundoperationsIt'sunclearwhatBiden'sredlineregardingRafahis<\\\/p>

HouseSpeakerMikeJohnson(R-LA)signaledthatthelowerchamberwassatisfiedwithBiden'saction<\\\/p>

\u201cIthinkit\u2019simportantforustoexpressagainthewillofCongressonthematterandsoIdon\u2019tthinkwe\u2019llbechangingwhatwedoonthelegislation,\u201dhetoldreportersTuesdayevening<\\\/p>

Tuesday'smovetoapproveanothermajorweaponsshipmentislikelytoloseBidenthegoodwillhereceivedfromprogressiveDemocraticalliesafterhisannouncementthatoffensiveweaponswouldbewithheld,whichinturndrewhimirefromRepublicansandpro-IsraelDemocrats<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

Bidenhasattemptedtobalancethepassionsofpro-IsraelDemocratswiththevehementoppositionofpro-PalestinianDemocratsduringIsrael'scampaigninGazaTheinvasionofRafahhasemergedasanewflashpoint,withtheBidenadministrationrepeatedlywarningIsraeloftheconsequencesifitlaunchesanall-outassaultonthearea<\\\/p>

CamiMondeauxandNaomiLimcontributedtothisreport<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24128020312504-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"2872560-1709100613", "title":"Great Stakes: Michigan union and blue-collar workers in the driver’s seat for the presidency", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F2872560%2Fmichigan-union-blue-collar-workers-drivers-seat-presidency%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Michigan voters have an outsize impact on who will win the White House and which party will carry the House and Senate in 2024. In this series, Great Stakes: The fight to be hailed as victors in Michigan, the Washington Examiner will look at the thorny politics and unique matters that will swing the critical battleground state. Part four, […]", "description":""

MichiganvotershaveanoutsizeimpactonwhowillwintheWhiteHouseandwhichpartywillcarrytheHouseandSenatein2024Inthisseries, GreatStakes:ThefighttobehailedasvictorsinMichigan, the WashingtonExaminer willlookatthethornypoliticsanduniquemattersthatwillswingthecriticalbattlegroundstatePartfour,below,examineshowtheeconomyandunionvotewilldeterminewhowinstheexpectedrematchbetweenPresidentJoeBidenandformerPresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/p>

SHELBYTOWNSHIP,Michigan\u2014PresidentJoeBiden<\\\/a>andformerPresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/a>'seconomic<\\\/a>pitchestoMichigan<\\\/a>'sblue-collarvoters,particularlythestate'shalfamillionunion<\\\/a>members,coulddecidethe2024generalelection<\\\/a>asthisweek'sprimaryunderscoresthelikelynominees'respectiveweaknessesbeforeNovember<\\\/p>

IfTrumpcancompetewithBidenforthosevotersinplacessuchasMichigan'sfamedMacombCounty<\\\/a>,asformerPresidentRonaldReagan<\\\/a>didin1980withso-calledReaganDemocrats,hecouldwinthestate's15ElectoralCollege<\\\/a>votesandreclaimtheWhiteHouse<\\\/a>thiselectioncycle<\\\/p>

TrumpnotonlyhastowinMacombCounty,ashedidin2016and2020,buthealsohasto\\\"winwithamargin\\\"tocounterthepartsofMichiganwherehecouldunderperform,accordingtoRepublicanstrategistJamieRoe,thelongtimechiefofstafftoformerRepublicanRepCandiceMiller<\\\/p>

Tuesday'sRepublicanprimaryemphasizedTrump'sloosegripon30to40%ofhisparty,withformerUSAmbassadortotheUnitedNations<\\\/a>NikkiHaley<\\\/a>holdinghimto70%ofthevoteMeanwhile,Bidennettedabout80%oftheDemocraticprimaryvoteduetoan\\\"uncommitted<\\\/a>\\\"protestvote<\\\/p>

MacombCountyvotedforGovGretchenWhitmer<\\\/a>(D-MI)in2022,\\\"buteverytimeTrump'sbeenontheballot,therearepartsoftheelectoratethatcomeout\\\"forhim\\\"thatreallydon'tcomeoutforawholelotofotherpeople,\\\"RoetoldtheWashingtonExaminer<\\\/p>

ThosepeopleincludeunionworkersdespiteMichigan-basedUnitedAutoWorkers<\\\/a>PresidentShawnFain,forexample,endorsingBidenlastmonth<\\\/p>

TerryBowman,Trump's2016campaignMichiganco-chairmanand2020WorkersforTrumpnationalchairman,hasalsoworkedfortheFordMotorCompany<\\\/a>foralmostthreedecadesBowmannowchairstheboardofthenonpoliticalInstitutefortheAmericanWorker,buthecontendedwhatisgoodforunionofficialsdoesnot\\\"necessarilymeanthatit'sgoodfortherankandfile\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"Theylike[Trump]personallyasacandidateandjustasaperson,\\\"Bowmansaid\\\"Secondly,wedonowhaveahistoryofDonaldTrump'spolicies,andgoinginto2024,Ithinkworkershavelookedat:WhatdidDonaldTrumpdoforblue-collarautoworkers<\\\/a>,andwhathasJoeBidendoneforblue-collarworkers?\\\"<\\\/p>

OneofBiden'smorepoliticallyproblematicpolicieshasbeenhisdesiretohave50%ofallnewvehiclesalesbeingelectricmodels<\\\/a>by2030,thoughpolicyanalystsdisagreeregardingitsworkforceconsequencesSimultaneously,BowmanwastemporarilylaidoffthisweekbecauseFord'sRawsonvillePlantinYpsilanti,Michigan,whichbuildsbatteriesforthemaker'selectricF-150Lightning,isreducingproductionandshifts<\\\/p>

\\\"Wehavethousands,ortensofthousandsofworkersintheautoindustryinAmericathatworkintransmissionplantsandinengineplants,\\\"Bowmansaid\\\"There'smorejobscomingintotheassemblyofbatteries,butit'snotgoingtobeonaone-for-onebasisEvenwiththegovernmentsubsidies,thedemandforthesetrucksisjustnotthere\\\"<\\\/p>

TrumpreceivingmoresupportfromindustrialunionworkersthanRepublicanstraditionallydois\\\"partofalongertransformationalongeducationallinesbetweenthepoliticalparties,\\\"accordingtoMichiganStateUniversityInstituteofPublicPolicyandSocialResearchDirectorMatthewGrossmannButthatdoesnothelpBiden,whothisweekhadalmost52,000Democratsmarkthemselvesas\\\"uncommitted\\\"inprotestoftheIsrael<\\\/a>-Hamas<\\\/a>warinsteadofvotingforhim<\\\/p>

\\\"It'sasmallerproportionoftheMichiganeconomythanitusedtobe,butitstillhasalotofculturalresonancebecauselotsofpeoplehavefamilymemberswhoworkfortheautoindustryorsupporttheUAW,\\\"Grossmannsaid<\\\/p>

MarkGaffney,aformerpresidentofMichigan's AFL-CIO<\\\/a>,aunionfederation,concededothertypesoflaborgroupshavebecomelesspoliticallypowerfulastheirmembershiphasdeclined,inadditiontothosemembersbeing\\\"moreindependent\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"Youngermemberstendtobeevenmoreindependent,\\\"Gaffneysaid,addingthatTrump'soppositiontotheNorthAmericanFreeTradeAgreementappealedtoindustrialunionmembersafteryearsoftheirleadershipdescribingsuchdealsasbad<\\\/p>

\\\"SoalongcomesTrump,andwhetherhefollowsthroughoneverythingthathesaysornotisdebatable,butheconvincespeoplethathe'stalkingtheirlanguage,\\\"Gaffneycontinued\\\"Sowecouldhavelost,insomeunions,asmanyas40%ofourmemberslasttimeAndthat'saprettybignumber\\\"<\\\/p>

ButJackieKelly-Smith,MacombCountyDemocraticCommittee'sblackcaucuschairwomanandaretiredUAWworker,wasmoreoptimisticconcerningBiden'sprospectsinthecommunity,citinghimtakingpartinlastfall'sstrike<\\\/p>

\\\"We'vehadthisgoingonsinceIgothiredbyGeneralMotors<\\\/a>in1975,\\\"Kelly-Smithsaid\\\"TheyfeelasthoughmyunionshouldnotendorsesomeonethatIdon'twanttovoteforOntheotherhand,youhavetheunionsayingwe'regoingtoendorsethosethatallowustocontinuetorepresent,negotiate,andbargain,andthat'snotalwaysaRepublicanpresidentTrumpdidn'tcareifwewentbankrupt\\\"<\\\/p>

Morebroadly,theeconomy,alongwithborder<\\\/a>securityandabortion<\\\/a>access,coulddeterminetheelection,withpollsdemonstratingdisapprovalofBiden'seconomicapproachForinstance,Biden'seconomicapprovalratingisroughlynetnegative16percentagepoints,with40%approvingand56%disapproving<\\\/p>

MichiganstateRepKarenTwinsett,aDemocratwhorepresentspartsofDetroitandDearborninneighboringWayneCounty,anothercriticalregion,recognizedthatBiden'seconomy,or\\\"Bidenomics,\\\"<\\\/a>hasbeendetrimentaltoherconstituents<\\\/p>

\\\"Whenyou'retalkingaboutsomebodyinthepresidency,normally,thesethingsdon'tbotheryouuntilthey'rehittingyouathome,likegasprices<\\\/a>orwhatever,\\\"Twinsettsaid\\\"Everydaypeopledon'tthinkaboutthatstuff,butwhenyougotothegrocerystore,you'refeelingit\\\"<\\\/p>

Inresponse,stateRepErinByrnes(D-MI),whorepresentsotherpartsofDearborn,imploredBidentoemphasize\\\"corporategreedthathasbeenmasqueradingasinflation\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"Inflation<\\\/a>isreal,butalsocorporationshaveuppedtheirpricesexponentiallysincethepandemichit,\\\"Byrnessaid\\\"Iftheydon'tcallitoutanddon'tactonit,peoplewillfeellikethey'retryingtopullthewoolovertheireyes\\\"<\\\/p>

ButRepTimWalberg(R-MI),thedeanofMichigan'scongressionaldelegationinWashington,andformerstateSenTomBarrett,whoiscontestingMichigan's7thCongressionalDistrictagain,arguedBidenomics'sdamagehasalreadybeendoneForWalberg,fromthefivetownhallsheledlastweekbeforehisinterviewwiththeWashingtonExaminer,itis\\\"veryclear\\\"thatBidenomicsis\\\"notworking,\\\"especiallyrelatedtointerestrates<\\\/a>andenergycosts<\\\/a>,andthatonlya\\\"verysignificantturnaround\\\"couldimproveBiden'spopularity<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

BarrettadditionallydownplayedtheimportanceofBiden'sunionendorsementsaftertheInternationalBrotherhoodofTeamsters<\\\/a>'spoliticalactioncommitteedonated$45,000totheRepublicanNationalCommittee'sconventionfundTheTeamstershaveyettoendorseacandidate<\\\/p>

\\\"ThenationalunionleadershipisalwaysgoingtoendorseDemocrats,andtheUAWwasalwaysgoingtoendorseBiden,\\\"Barrettsaid\\\"Itwasjustaquestionofwhennowtheyhadbecomefrustratedwithhimoverhiselectricvehiclemandatesandotherthingsthatreallydisadvantagedunionworkersandautoplantsbecausetheirjobsaren'tgoingtobearoundIwouldsayyouraverageorstereotypicalUAWworkerisprobablysomebodywhocaresaboutcrimeintheircommunities,caresabouttheborderawholeheckofalot\\\"<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP24023837150822-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"4593950-1780507296", "title":"Trump says he doesn’t know whether $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund is dead or paused", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4593950%2Ftrump-anti-weaponization-fund-future%2F", "byline":"Mabinty Quarshie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump appeared uncertain Wednesday about the future of the Justice Department’s proposed $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which has caused some consternation on Capitol Hill. A day after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the DOJ would not move forward with the fund, Trump was equivocal on whether the White House was officially […]", "description":""

PresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/a>appeareduncertainWednesdayaboutthefutureoftheJusticeDepartment's<\\\/a>proposed$1776billion\\\"anti-weaponizationfund,\\\"whichhascausedsomeconsternationonCapitolHill<\\\/p>

AdayafteractingAttorneyGeneralToddBlanchetoldCongresstheDOJwouldnotmoveforwardwiththefund,TrumpwasequivocalonwhethertheWhiteHousewasofficiallydroppingit<\\\/p>

\\\"I'dhavetoaskthelawyersIdon'tknow,\\\"hetoldreportersWednesdayafternoonwhenaskedwhetherthefundwasdeadorjustputonhold\\\"Theweaponizationfund,asfarasI'mconcerned,wasabeautifulthing\\\"<\\\/p>

Healsoclaimedaboutthefund:\\\"IloveitIthinkit'ssoimportant\\\"<\\\/p>

Theadministrationpreviouslysaiditwould\\\"abideby\\\"acourtorderblockingthefund,andBlanchetoldCongressonTuesdaytheDOJwasofficiallydroppingthefund<\\\/p>

ButRepublicansenatorshaveclamoredforexplicitassurancefromtheadministrationthatthefundwillbepermanentlydropped,withsomethreateningtoholdupvotingonamendmentsastheSenateattemptstoadvanceaparty-linefundingbillforimmigrationenforcement<\\\/p>

\\\"We'llseehowthatallworksout,butaradical-leftjudgeruledagainstit,\\\"TrumpalsosaidWednesday\\\"Butthesepeople,theirliveshavebeendestroyed\\\"<\\\/p>

TODDBLANCHESAYSDOJWILLNOTMOVEFORWARDWITHANTI-WEAPONIZATIONFUND<\\\/a><\\\/p>

Thepresidentclaimedthatsomeoftherioters\\\"werevictimized,\\\"leadingtobankruptcy,suicide,andtargetingbytheadministrationofformerPresidentJoeBiden<\\\/p>

ThefundhaslargelybeenunpopularontheHillaslawmakersfrettedthattaxpayermoneycouldgotoJan6,2021,rioterswhoattackedpoliceofficersThefundingisalsounpopularwiththeAmericanpublic<\\\/a>,accordingtoarecentEconomist\\\/YouGovpoll,includingamongRepublicans<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154731759036.jpg?w=696" } ]}