NTD Good Morning

Authorities are accusing Fahima Mahamud of submitting more than 13,000 fraudulent childcare assistance claims worth roughly $4.6 million between 2022 and 2025. The CEO of Future Leaders Early Learning Day Care in Minneapolis was also indicted in February. Prosecutors say she falsely claimed to serve thousands of meals through the federal nutrition program tied to Feeding Our Future. That's the pandemic-era food aid fraud scheme involving $250 million and dozens of people charged.The U.S. has charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro with murder. President Trump says the indictment was a long time coming, and is one of the most important steps his administration has taken. Trump has emphasized that there will not be any military escalation yet. Cubans in Miami are celebrating the charges, saying it's never too late for justice.President Trump is mulling potential strikes on Iran, as he addresses graduating Coast Guard cadets with a message of American strength and deterrence. The White House says that the U.S. military is locked and loaded, ready to go at a moment's notice. President Trump also reiterating the stance he's held for years, that Iran cannot under any circumstances have a nuclear weapon.

The influence of President Donald Trump continues to impact major elections, with Congressman Thomas Massie falling to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein in the Kentucky GOP primary, with Gallrein garnering nearly 55 percent of the vote. Gallrein will now face Democrat Melissa Strange in November's general election.More than 17,000 people are under evacuation orders in Southern California, as firefighters continue to battle the fast-moving Sandy Fire near Simi Valley. The fire department says the wildfire has burned more than 1,600 acres. Nearly 900 firefighters and multiple partner agencies are working to contain the blaze. As of Monday evening, the fire has been 5 percent contained.The New York Knicks overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. New York's Jalen Brunson finished with 38 points, as the Knicks won in overtime 115–104. This is their eighth straight win, and they will be hosting Game 2 on Thursday.

Voters in Kentucky heading to the polls on Tuesday. They will decide if incumbent Congressman Thomas Massie is nominated to run for another term. War Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigning for challenger Ed Gallrein, who is endorsed by President Trump. Congressman Massie brushing aside comparisons to Senator Bill Cassidy who just lost his primary to a Trump-endorsed candidate, saying he believes he's going to win. The latest polling shows the candidates neck-in-neck, within the margin of error.Republican Senators this week, are adjusting their party line bill to fund immigration enforcement, facing a June 1st deadline to complete the bill. The goal is to fund these agencies through the end of Trump's term so Democrats can't use it as leverage. Senators are meeting in committee on Wednesday to fix some parts of the bill, with the GOP hoping to finish their changes before the Memorial Day recess.The Trump administration is ramping up its response to a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa with new travel restrictions as one American in Africa tested positive for the virus. The Trump administration is stressing though that there are currently no cases in the U.S. The State Department says embassies in Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda have established monitoring groups to communicate with Americans in the region. Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted by way of bodily fluids. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy has lost his bid for reelection in Louisiana after failing to advance to the state's GOP primary runoff. Congresswoman Julia Letlow, who has President Trump's endorsement, led the primary with around 45% of the vote. Meanwhile, President Trump is targeting Congressman Thomas Massie in Tuesday's Kentucky primary, saying Massie has opposed key GOP priorities and is endorsing Navy SEAL and Army Ranger Captain Ed Gallrein.President Trump is ramping up his pressure on Iran, warning that 'the clock is ticking' and that 'time is of the essence.' In a Truth Social post on Sunday, the president said that ‘Iran better get moving FAST, or there won't be anything left of them.' President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Sunday, amid growing speculation that the U.S. might consider renewed military action against Iran.The Long Island Rail Road will remain closed after overnight negotiations to end a strike failed to reach a deal. The shutdown affecting about 250,000 weekday commuters across New York City and Long Island. The Long Island Rail Road is the largest commuter rail system in North America and will now stay shut for a third straight day. Governor Kathy Hochul urging commuters who can work remotely to stay home as limited bus service begins on Monday for essential workers.

President Donald Trump wrapped up two days of talks in China with Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping, with the two reaching some consensus on Iran and trade. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on the way back to the United States, Trump said he has not yet made a decision on whether a major U.S. sale of arms to Taiwan will move forward, but that he will "make a determination."CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper addressed the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, praising Trump's initiative on Operation Epic Fury. He highlighted the importance of countering the threat posed by the Iranian regime, saying Iran's ability to threaten U.S. forces has since been degraded significantly.The National Mall is preparing to host thousands of Americans on Sunday for a day of prayer, worship, music, and testimonies, ahead of the country's 250th birthday on July 4. Organizers with Freedom 250 say the event will focus on what they describe as God's role throughout American history and a renewed commitment to the nation's future. Trump is expected to appear with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

President Trump spoke at a banquet in Beijing on Thursday, offering a toast and emphasizing themes of mutual respect, stability, and the relationship between the two nations. The president ended the toast with an invitation to regime leader Xi Jinping and his wife to a visit to the White House on September 24th. The banquet follows a meeting between the two leaders which focused heavily on Iran and security in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as discussions on trade and fentanyl trafficking.The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh in a 54-45 vote as the 17th chairman of the Federal Reserve. Warsh will replace Jerome Powell, whose term ends on Friday. During his confirmation hearing last month, Warsh told Senators he would not allow political pressure to influence monetary policy decisions. He is also expected to chair his first Federal Open Market Committee meeting in June.Americans exposed to the hantavirus are continuing to isolate voluntarily at medical facilities in Nebraska and Georgia. Health officials say nine cases linked to the ship have been confirmed so far, with three deaths reported. At least 20 people in the U.S. may have been exposed to hantavirus and are being encouraged to isolate at home as the CDC works to monitor them. The CDC says there are currently no federal or state quarantine orders tied to the outbreak.

President Trump landed in Beijing on Monday ahead of a meeting with Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping. The president was greeted with a red carpet arrival paired with a welcoming ceremony. Trump was also traveling with top officials and business leaders including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang. Trump is expected to discuss trade, while the Iran war, Taiwan and human rights are also likely to take center stage.The Department of Health and Human Services says one U.S. passenger showing symptoms tested negative for the hantavirus. That passenger and their partner are currently in quarantine in Atlanta, Georgia, while the other 16 Americans are currently asymptomatic. The CDC says exposed passengers are being monitored by public health officials in multiple states and that the overall risk to the American public remains low.Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows annual inflation rose to 3.8% in April, with economists forecasting a jump to 3.7%. Core inflation, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, edged up to 2.8%. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6% from March, with gas prices rising 5.4%. Grocery prices rose 0.7%. Labor Department data showed gas prices are up more than 28% compared to a year ago.

President Trump is set to depart for Beijing on Tuesday, for a two-day summit with Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping. White House officials say the President is expected to pursue major new agreements while traveling with a delegation of top U.S. tech and business leaders, including Elon Musk and other executives from major industries. The President also plans to raise several sensitive issues including Taiwan, Iran, and Russia. He says he will bring up the cases of imprisoned Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai and Chinese pastor Ezra Jin during discussions with Xi.The Justice Department says a California mayor has agreed to plead guilty to operating as an agent for the Chinese regime, in another troubling case of Beijing attempting to influence events in the U.S. Eileen Wang, former mayor of Arcadia, California resigned from her position on Monday after being charged with secretly carrying out the directives of a foreign government. Court documents say Wang and her fiancé and campaign treasurer Yaoning “Mike” Sun of Chino Hills worked on behalf of instructions from Chinese regime operatives from late 2020 through 2022.The Treasury Department announced sanctions on 12 new targets accused of helping transport Iranian oil to China. The move is part of the Trump administration's “Economic Fury” campaign aimed at cutting off funding for Tehran's military and nuclear programs. Treasury officials say the sanctions target a network tied to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, including several companies based in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. Officials say the network used front companies and shell corporations to disguise Iranian oil shipments and move money through the global financial system.

Seventeen Americans arrived in the United States on Monday for monitoring after a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said one American passenger is showing symptoms, and another has tested mildly positive. The HHS said all passengers will undergo evaluation at a federal quarantine facility in Nebraska.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has activated emergency operations and deployed teams to support monitoring and coordination with state health departments. The World Health Organization also stressed that this is not another COVID pandemic, and the risk to the public is low.President Donald Trump reacted to Iran's peace proposal response on Sunday, saying it's totally unacceptable. Trump also accused Iran of playing games with the United States and the rest of the world for 47 years.The president said that although Iran was militarily defeated, there were still key targets the United States could strike if hostilities resumed.A Frontier Airlines plane had to abort takeoff after striking and killing a person on the runway. Officials say the person jumped a fence and ran onto the runway moments before the collision.Frontier Airlines said smoke was reported inside the cabin, prompting pilots to abort takeoff. Passengers then evacuated the plane using emergency slides. The airline says there were 224 passengers and seven crew members on board. The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating.

The Trump administration releasing a new batch of previously classified files documenting UFO's. It's part of a new federal transparency initiative called "PURSUE." The effort involves multiple agencies, including the Pentagon, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, NASA, and the FBI. Officials say the release of files is part of President Trump's push for what the administration calls “maximum transparency” on unexplained aerial encounters. More documents, videos, and photos are expected to be released on a rolling basis.U.S. Central Command says 3 guided-missile destroyers came under attack while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, adding that no U.S. assets were struck in the exchange, and that the U.S. does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces. President Trump saying that talks with Iran are going very well, but that if a deal doesn't get signed, 'they're going to have a lot of pain.'Tennessee is the latest state to take action in the nationwide redistricting battle, with state lawmakers and the governor swiftly approved a map that breaks up the state's only Democrat-majority voting district. Republicans say the new map is a historic opportunity to maximize the conservative representation of Tennessee. Democrats have launched an effort to counter Republican gains in several states. The party this week just launched a campaign to weaken Republican seats in New York.

President Trump projecting optimism on reaching a deal with Iran, saying that it's ‘very possible' the U.S. will make a deal with the regime. Trump is also maintaining the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, saying if Iran agrees to the deal, then the strait will be open to all, including Iran. But if they don't reach a deal, he's warning that the bombing will start at a much higher level and intensity than before.Health officials around the world are responding after a rare hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected. Authorities say the vessel is now heading toward Spain and the CDC is monitoring the health status of U.S. passengers on board. Health experts emphasize the virus is serious, but say the public should not panic. The CDC says the virus is not spread by people without symptoms and transmission requires close contact, and the risk to the American public is very low.A decades-long global insider trading scheme was uncovered by the Justice Department and the SEC yesterday, unsealing charges against 30 people. 19 people were arrested yesterday, and two international defendants are considered fugitives and together have allegedly collected tens of millions of illicit profits. The accused face up to 25 years in prison on some counts.

President Trump writing on Truth Social on Tuesday that great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement with Iran. He says Project Freedom, the operation ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be paused for a short time to see if that agreement can be finalized and signed. The president adding the decision also follows requests from Pakistan and other countries, and what he described as significant U.S. military success in the region.Results are in for the latest primary elections in Indiana and Ohio for the 2026 midterms. President Trump backed seven GOP challengers to unseat incumbents in Indiana, and all seven defeated the incumbents. In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy, the former 2024 presidential candidate won the GOP primary for his state, and told voters his vision for Ohio is to return it back to its full potential. He will be facing Democratic nominee, Amy Acton in November. Democrat Sherrod Brown is also trying to make a comeback after losing his seat to Republican Senator Bernie Moreno.A rare and deadly virus outbreak on a cruise ship has left three people dead and four sick. 150 passengers including 17 Americans are on board the ship, which is now waiting off the coast of South Africa. Health officials are saying the cause of the outbreak is a rare strain of hantavirus, which can spread between people. Even so, officials say that human-to-human spread remains extremely rare and requires close contact, saying the outbreak does not pose a wider public health risk.

U.S. Central Command says U.S. forces will begin assisting merchant vessels seeking to transit the Strait of Hormuz under a mission called ‘Project Freedom.' CENTCOM says around 15,000 U.S. personnel, guided-missile destroyers, unmanned systems, and more than 100 aircraft will support the operation. Over the weekend, President Trump said the U.S. is ‘doing very well' with Iran, adding the country is ‘decimated' and wants to make a deal.The nation's largest ultra-low-cost airline, Spirit Airlines, has shut down operations on Saturday, leaving passengers scrambling and thousands of workers impacted. Spirit Airlines says it has ceased operations ‘effective immediately,' canceling all flights and telling customers not to go to the airport. Major carriers like Untied, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest, are now stepping in, offering capped fares and discounts for stranded Spirit passengers. Passengers are now being advised to seek refunds through credit card companies or bankruptcy claims, a process that could take time and may only result in partial repayment.Alabama and Tennessee are moving to redraw their congressional lines, potentially yielding three more GOP seats in Congress. Alabama currently has two majority-black districts. A lower court previously forced the state to add a second district with a substantial number of black voters. Both seats, held by Democrats, could be carved up after the high court's ruling. Meanwhile, Tennessee's primaries are underway this week. At the same time, a special session is set to start on Tuesday. Governor Bill Lee says legislators must ensure districts “accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters.” President Trump previously urged the governor to "push hard" to carve up the sole democrat held district in Memphis.

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an order to create retirement accounts for millions of Americans who don't have access to employer-sponsored plans. The changes would affect workers, including freelancers, contractors, gig workers, and self-employed individuals. Americans will be able to access the program at TrumpIRA.gov, and it is set to begin on Jan. 1, 2027.A new video of the alleged White House Correspondents' Dinner shooter has been released, showing the moment authorities say he tried to storm the dinner and attempt to kill Trump. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro posted the video on social media amid questions over whose bullet struck a Secret Service officer, saying there is no evidence the officer was hit by friendly fire.The Supreme Court's recent division on redistricting is shaking up some upcoming elections. Louisiana is now postponing its congressional primaries, and Florida and Mississippi are now moving to redraw their voting maps. A new voting map, one that's not drawn on the basis of race, could give Republicans a chance at winning an additional House seat in Louisiana in the November midterms. Some Democrats, however, implied that the high court's decision removed protections for minority voters.

President Trump issuing a new warning to Iran, telling the regime to ‘get smart soon,' as the president refuses to lift his naval blockade on Iranian ports. He says that Iran now has to ‘cry uncle' and that he will be keeping Tehran under that blockade until the regime agrees to a nuclear deal. President Trump says the U.S. is currently in telephone talks with Iran, saying that there could be a potential new wave of strikes on the regime depending on the outcome of those talks.House lawmakers, on Wednesday, breaking an impasse on two important measures, including funding for immigration enforcement and the renewal of the government's spy powers. No reforms will be made to the ICE policy, as Republicans saying they tried to level with Democrats and find a compromise for weeks. The spy powers bill will be heading to the Senate on Thursday, and may see some pushback from Senators.Former FBI Director James Comey made his first court appearance on Wednesday, after he was indicted in North Carolina on Tuesday on charges of making threats against President Trump. The charges against Comey stem from a social media post he made last year, that showed a photograph of seashells arranged in the numbers '86 47.' The indictment alleged that a reasonable recipient of the message would interpret it as a threat to Trump. Comey has said he is innocent and will fight the accusations in court.

President Trump is expected to host the four astronauts who were aboard the Artemis II mission at the White House on Wednesday. White House spokeswoman Liz Huston says the president and the crew will be celebrating their unmatched achievements. That's as the Artemis II crew set a record for the farthest distance ever traveled from Earth during a 10-day lunar flyby. The Artemis III mission is expected to launch next year, and will be testing docking capabilities with the lunar landing spacecraft. The Artemis IV mission is expected to launch in 2028 and will feature two crew members descending to the lunar surface and spending a week near the South Pole of the moon.Former FBI Director James Comey is back in the spotlight after a grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of North Carolina returned with a new indictment. Comey now stands charged with threatening to kill or harm President Trump. Comey has been charged with one count of making threats against the president for a social media post he made in 2025 that was interpreted as a call for violence against President Trump. The charge carries penalties ranging from a fine to five years in federal prison. Comey deleted the post last year after receiving backlash and has maintained that he is innocent of any intentional wrongdoing in the case.The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday over whether the Trump administration can end Temporary Protected Status, a program that lets immigrants live and work in the U.S. when they can't safely return home. The challenge comes from Syrian and Haitian immigrants who've been in this program for more than a decade. So far, lower courts have blocked the administration's efforts, and the Supreme Court has kept those protections in place for now.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held a press conference on Monday, saying that the White House Correspondent Dinner shooting is now the third major assassination attempt on President Trump's life in the last two years. The White House also condemning elected officials and some media for what it calls the systemic demonization of President Trump, saying it leads to political violence. President Trump is also calling on ABC and Disney to fire Jimmy Kimmel, after the host referred to the First Lady as an ‘expectant widow.' President Trump met with his national security team on Monday to discuss the latest peace proposal from the Iranian regime. According to reports, the Iranian side offered a mutual reopening of the strait of Hormuz, but postponed discussion about Iran's nuclear activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, telling Fox News that the main problem in discussing peace with Iran is that not even the Iranians themselves really know who's in charge.The Supreme Court is taking up a major human-rights case on Tuesday, one with big implications for foreign nationals living in the U.S. The plaintiffs are Chinese nationals living in the U.S. who allege that tech company,Cisco, designed, built, and maintained a surveillance system that the Chinese Communist Party used to track their activities in China and persecute them for practicing the spiritual discipline Falun Gong. They claim that aiding and abetting such violations is itself a violation of international law. But Cisco says those claims are only meant for entities or individuals who directly commit the violations, so even if they did help, the law doesn't allow for claims against them.

The suspected gunman in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner will be arraigned on Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C. President Trump says the suspect was radicalized, speaking on Sunday in an interview on 60 Minutes. Authorities say the suspect breached a security checkpoint near the ballroom and opened fire, hitting a Secret Service agent. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated, along with Vice President J.D. Vance and members of the Cabinet.The UK's King Charles III will not cancel his state visit to the U.S. on Monday following safety concerns after Saturday's shooting. Buckingham Palace said “The king and queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace" and that they are looking forward to the visit. The trip is to “celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence.”Tornadoes in Northern Texas have left at least two people dead and displaced more than a dozen families in northern Texas. emergency responders are still working to clear debris to reach damaged homes and provide medical care where needed. The National Weather Service said they confirmed an EF2 tornado, with winds peaking at 135 miles per hour and an EF1 tornado, with winds peaking at 105 miles per hour. Parts of the Midwest, including much of Illinois are potentially facing an EF3 or stronger tornado, as part of a severe weather outbreak.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held a press conference at the Pentagon on Friday. Hegseth reiterated to reporters that the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports is ‘growing and going global.' 34 ships have been turned around from the Strait of Hormuz so far. President Trump is also saying the country is struggling with internal leadership issues, adding that infighting between “hardliners” and so-called moderates has been intense.House lawmakers this week unveiled a new bill to extend a controversial spy power, known as Section 702 of FISA, until 2029. It's the latest proposal after a group of critics blocked reauthorization last week, due to concerns about privacy breaches on Americans. The newest proposal also requires the civil liberties protection officer to give monthly reviews of queries of Americans. The House and Senate must approve the spy powers bill by April 30th to prevent a lapse.Federal prosecutors are charging two Chinese nationals in a sweeping crackdown on global crypto scams targeting Americans. Investigators say the operation, based in Southeast Asia, is using fake investment platforms and trafficked workers to steal billions. The Justice Department says the Scam Center Strike Force will continue using every available tool to identify, seize, and return stolen funds to victims.

Speaking on Fox News, President Trump said that he is under ‘no time frame' and was ‘in no rush' to reach a deal with Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also saying there's a lot of internal division in Iran, saying the U.S. is completely strangling Iran's economy through the blockade of its ports. U.S. Central Command saying yesterday it has instructed 31 vessels around the Strait of Hormuz to turn around or return to port as part of its ongoing blockade against Iran.Senate Republicans voted on Thursday morning, following an overnight marathon session, to approve a budget measure setting up funding or ICE and Border Patrol, without Democrat support. The measure instructs committees to begin drafting a bill to authorize $70 billion in funds while bypassing a filibuster. This could also pave the way for House Republicans to pass the bipartisan bill already approved by the Senate to fund the rest of Homeland Security.Six candidates face off to debate on Wednesday night on why they should become the state's next governor, replacing Governor Gavin Newsom, as his term begins to end. The debate comes after former representative Eric Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial run and resigned from congress, amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. The 2 candidates with the most votes in the June 2nd primary, regardless of party, will move on to the general election on November 3rd.

According to the UK Maritime Trade Organization, Iranian gunfire has struck at least three container ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. One Liberia-flagged vessel suffered heavy damage after being approached and attacked by an Iranian gunboat. Two other ships were also targeted but were not damaged, with all crew members reported safe.Virginia voters have approved a new congressional map that heavily favors Democrats in 10 of the 11 districts in the state. This comes as Democrats are looking to offset GOP gains in Texas after its new map was drawn to favor the GOP in Congress. While Republicans are not happy about the outcome, ,there was just a few percentage points of a different between the votes to approve or reject the map.Senate Republicans are moving ahead with a budget plan to fund immigration enforcement, breaking a weeks-long stalemate over Homeland Security funding. Lawmakers voting 52 to 46 to advance the measure, triggering the reconciliation process and allowing the bill to pass without Democratic support. The proposal directs up to $70 billion toward ICE and Border Patrol, agencies at the center of the shutdown.

President Trump is signaling he is unlikely to extend the current ceasefire with Iran, as a key deadline to reach a deal quickly approaches. The president saying the truce, set to expire Wednesday evening, will likely end if negotiations fail. With pressure mounting on Iran, Vice President JD Vance preparing for another round of talks in Pakistan aimed at ending the conflict. President Trump telling Bloomberg in a phone interview that he won't be rushed into making a bad deal.Texas is suing ActBlue, the Democratic political fundraising platform, after years of investigation. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is alleging that ActBlue illegally accepted fraudulent foreign donations for federal and state candidates. ActBlue has pushed back on the lawsuit saying their platform has done more than any other to prevent improper donations and protect donors.Apple announced on Monday that CEO Tim Cook is stepping down from his role, and handing the reins to hardware chief John Ternus. Apple says Ternus will take over on September 1st, with Tim Cook transitioning to the role of executive chairman. Ternus will also join the board, marking the first CEO change at Apple since Cook succeeded Steve JObs in 2011.

President Donald Trump says U.S. representatives will arrive in Pakistan on Monday for negotiations with Iran. The U.S. delegation is set to include Vice President JD Vance, Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. Those efforts may face challenges, though, with Iran saying it will not participate unless the U.S. ends its blockade of Iranian ports. This follows the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel over the weekend.A community in Louisiana is reeling after a shooting leaves eight children dead in Shreveport, Louisiana. Police say the suspected gunman, 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, targeted his own family in what investigators are calling a domestic incident. Authorities say the victims ranged in age from 18 months to 12 years old and were killed inside a residence on West 79th Street. Investigators say Elkins fled the scene, carjacked a vehicle, and was eventually shot and killed by police after a chase.Federal officials and lawmakers are investigating cases of 11 scientists who were either killed, died, or went missing. They all worked for the government and had access to nuclear or aerospace material. The majority of the cases took place between 2025 and 2026. One of the highest profile cases involves a retired U.S. Air Force General, William McCasland, who went missing from his Albuquerque home in February. President Trump described the disappearances as "pretty serious" involving very important people. He added that we'll know whether the cases were random or coordinated in the coming week.

Israel and Lebanon enter into a 10-day ceasefire. President Trump saying the brief pause of violence began after conversations with the Lebanese President and Israeli Prime Minister. It was the first time leaders from the neighboring countries met in-person in the U.S. Capitol for 34 years. The State Department says Lebanon, with international support, is expected to take steps to prevent Hezbollah and other armed groups from launching attacks on Israel.In an over night vote on Capitol Hill, House lawmakers extended FISA, a controversial spy powers act. The 10-day extension gives Republican leaders more time to negotiate a deal with hold outs. FISA is a surveillance law that allows the government to gather foreign intelligence, but several lawmakers have raised concerns that it doesn't have guardrails to protect Americans' privacy. The bill will now go to the Senate, with House Speaker Mike Johnson saying he's optimistic a deal will be reached by the new deadline.Democrat Analilia Mejia has won a special election in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District. She will now fill the seat vacated by Governor Mikie Sherrill. Mejia defeating Republican Joe Hathaway by roughly 40 points. The win narrows the Republican majority in the House from 217 to 214.The special election fills the remainder of Sherrill's term, and voters will return to the polls in June for a primary, followed by a general election in November.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine gave an update on the operation in Iran at the Pentagon on Thursday. Secretary Hegseth warning Tehran to ‘choose wisely' ahead of possible peace talks in Pakistan. Pentagon officials said U.S. joint forces will be ready to restart combat operations if Iran does not agree to a deal.Homeland Security employee Lauren Bullis was killed this week, in what officials describe as a brutal murder. Authorities say Bullis was shot and stabbed by while walking her dog. They have identified the suspect as 26-year-old Olaolukitan Adon-Abel, a naturalized U.S. citizen from the UK. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin suggesting the case underscores the need for stricter enforcement and vetting.House leaders were forced to delay a vote on a controversial spy bill on Wednesday night. Several Republicans refused to back down on their privacy concerns, now discussions are underway to put stronger guardrails in place. One of the main reforms that holdouts want is to require the government to obtain a warrant for “U.S. person queries” after probable cause is established that the person is an agent of a foreign power or has committed a crime.

President Trump saying on Tuesday that Pakistan's capital city Islamabad is the likely location for US-Iran peace talks. The President confirmed that he would not attend the Iran peace talks, but did not say who would be attending. Speaking on Fox News, President Trump saying he views the war as close to over.Late Tuesday night, House lawmakers advanced a controversial section of a spy bill known as FISA. But the path forward is uncertain, with President Trump calling on Republicans to unite. A floor debate is scheduled for Wednesday on Section 702 of FISA, ahead of a final vote to extend this spy power for the next 18 months without any reforms. This spy power is not without controversy, although it's meant to target intelligence from foreign nationals outside the United States, critics say there aren't enough guardrails to prevent the government from unlawfully spying on American citizens.On Monday, the U.S. and Indonesia upgraded their defense relationship to what they're calling a 'Major Defense Cooperation Partnership.' The move deepens coordination on maritime security in Southeast Asia, highlighting the Strait of Malacca, a narrow but critical shipping lane linking the Indian and Pacific Ocean. Under the new deal, the U.S. and Indonesia will expand joint training, deploy sensors, and integrate American surveillance technology. The goal is to improve monitoring of the waterway and give Washington more presence in the region.

Lebanon and Israel are expected to hold talks on Tuesday in Washington, to discuss the situation with Hezbollah. Lebanon's foreign minister says Beirut will use the meeting to push for a ceasefire, while Israel says a ceasefire with Hezbollah is not on the table. This is as the Israel Defense Forces is keeping up the pressure against the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon.President Trump doubling down on his stance on Iran, saying that Iran's enriched uranium must be removed, and calling Iran's actions on the world stage unacceptable. The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is now also in effect. Ships can still pass through the Strait, but not if they're heading to Iranian ports.Two congressmen, Representative Eric Swalwell and Representative Tony Gonzales are announcing they are leaving Congress after the House launched separate ethics probes into both members. It comes just one day after Swalwell apologized over sexual assault allegations and Representative Gonzales under fire after admitting to a prohibited romantic relationship with a staffer, who later committed suicide.

The U.S. military is launching a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, after peace talks over the weekend failed to produce a deal. CENTCOM says the blockade will be enforced against vessels leaving or entering Iranian ports and coastal areas. U.S. forces said though, that they will not interfere with normal transit through the strait, as long as vessels are not traveling to or from Iranian ports.Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week facing a crowded agenda, including a partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security now in its 59th day. Democrats are pushing for reforms at ICE and Republicans rejecting a proposed ban on agents wearing masks. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticizing a Senate-backed proposal, while a short-term House funding bill remains stalled in the Senate.NASA is already looking ahead after a historic return from the moon. The Artemis II crew is safely back on Earth, arriving in Houston to a rousing welcome. The focus is now shifting to what comes next, with NASA setting its sights on Artemis III, the next step toward returning humans to the lunar surface. Private companies racing to be ready, with SpaceX and Blue Origin developing lunar landers.

NASA's Artemis II mission is now halfway home, as the crew prepares for a high-stakes return to Earth. Flight teams are carefully tracking every step, with almost no margin for error, as the Orion spacecraft will enter Earth's atmosphere at approximately 25,000 miles per hour. Splashdown is scheduled for around 8:07 PM Eastern, off the coast of San Diego.Pakistani authorities locking down the capital city of Islamabad, ahead of the high-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran on Saturday. The talks are expected to focus on securing a lasting ceasefire, following weeks of war. Vice President JD Vance is set to leave for Pakistan on Friday, while an Iranian delegation is also expected there as well.A federal trade court in New York will hear oral arguments on Friday about the legality of President Trump's latest global tariffs. 24Democrat-led states and two small businesses are challenging the president's tariffs imposed under a different trade statute. This follows a February Supreme Court ruling which says that an emergency powers statute called IEEPA, doesn't authorize the president to impose sweeping tariffs.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says that the Trump administration is sending a negotiating team to Pakistan for talks with Iran led by Vice President JD Vance. The first round of talks is set to begin on Saturday morning. The team will also include U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser. This will come just days after Iran and the United States agreed to a deal that secured a two-week ceasefire.The White House is declaring that Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Press Secretary Leavitt saying on Wednesday that President Trump's maximum pressure campaign and the leverage from Operation Epic Fury is what ultimately led to the Iranian regime asking for and then agreeing to a ceasefire proposal with the US.NASA's Artemis II mission is heading back to Earth after completing a historic flyby of the moon. A plush moon named "Rise" is also flying aboard the Orion spacecraft, serving as the mission's zero-gravity indicator, floating once astronauts reach weightlessness. "Rise" was designed by an 8-year-old from California, and selected from thousands of global submissions.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held a press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday, declaring a ‘historic military victory' against Iran. Secretary Hegseth saying that Iran's missile program and defense industrial base has been destroyed, and that the Strait of Hormuz is open for commerce. Following the cease-fire announcements, oil prices drop sharply across the globe, with U.S. crude dropping more than 16%.Georgia voters have elected Trump-backed Republican candidate Clay Fuller, to serve in Congress as Marjorie Taylor Green's replacement. Fuller won nearly 56% of the vote, though his opponent said the race showed progress for Democrats in the red district. Fuller will fill Greene's seat until the end of the year, but will have only one month off the campaign trail, as he will have to run in another Republican primary in May to secure a full two-year term.The Justice Department's newly-created fraud enforcement division is cracking down on fraud across the U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says its core mission will be to investigate and prosecute those who steal taxpayer dollars and ‘rip off the American people.' The new division is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to go after fraud.

President Trump now vowing to wipe out Iran's power plants and bridges, if it does not reach an agreement with the U.S. by 8 PM EST on Tuesday, to end the conflict and open the Strait of Hormuz. Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday morning saying ‘A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will.'The four-person crew aboard NASA's Artemis II mission is pushing deeper into space than any human before, traveling more than 252,000 miles from Earth, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13 more than five decades ago. The crew also witnessing a rare solar eclipse and distant views of Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn during the flyby. President Trump also marked the historic milestone, saying that the astronauts have ‘made all America really proud.'The Education Department announcing in a video posted on X that it's rescinding multiple Title IX agreements it says pushed a transgender agenda under previous administrations. Officials say those policies wrongly expanded the law beyond its original intent, protecting against discrimination based on sex, by requiring schools to adopt gender identity rules, including pronoun use.

The United States is continuing to strike Iran following a stunning rescue of a U.S. airman. President Donald Trump will address the nation on Monday on Operation Epic Fury. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the president's press conference on Iran will take place in the White House Briefing Room due to popular demand from the press.NASA's Artemis II mission is now entering a critical phase, with astronauts preparing for a historic flyby of the moon. NASA said lunar gravity will soon take over. The mission marks the first crewed journey around the Moon in more than five decades. NASA said the Moon's surface offers a record of the solar system's history through its impact craters. NASA said the mission will help pave the way for future efforts to return humans to the lunar surface later this decade.The White House is hosting its annual Easter Egg Roll today on the South Lawn, with a patriotic theme tied to America's 250th anniversary. First Lady Melania Trump is previewing an expanded lineup of activities for families attending the event. The event includes traditional egg rolling and hunting, along with interactive experiences and educational exhibits.

NASA's Artemis II crew is officially heading to the moon after a final major engine firing on Thursday, taking them out of Earth's orbit. The four astronaut crew are on a 10-day mission as they plan on circumnavigating the moon, marking the first time humans have left Earth's orbit since Apollo 17's 1972 mission.President Trump is warning of further military action against Iran, saying more strikes could be coming soon, following reports of an air strike hitting a major highway bridge near Tehran. U.S. Central Command says it is making undeniable progress, as the U.S. enters the 5th week of Operation Epic Fury.President Trump announced a major shakeup at the Justice Department, saying Attorney General Pam Bondi will be stepping down. In a social media post, the president praised Bondi's tenure, calling her a ‘Great American Patriot and a loyal friend.' President Trump says Bondi will transition to a new role in the private sector, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve temporarily as acting Attorney General.

In a primetime address on Wednesday night, President Trump says the U.S. is nearing the end of its war with Iran. Since the operation began, U.S. forces have targeted Iran's military infrastructure, including vessels, missile systems, and proxy networks. The campaign is also focused on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. President Trump also reiterated that Operation Epic Fury will continue until all objectives are fully achieved.The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday about President Trump's executive order to restrict birthright citizenship. The president sat in the courtroom, the first time for any U.S. president. The justices didn't give a clear indication of how they would rule. But some seemed reluctant to reinterpret a constitutional amendment that's been in existence for over a hundred years, and are expected to make a ruling by late June or July.For the first time in more than 50 years, NASA is sending astronauts around the moon. Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, sending four astronauts on a trip around the moon. The trip will take roughly 4 days and is expected to be the farthest any human has ever traveled in space. The astronauts will return to Earth for splashdown off the U.S. west coast.

President Donald Trump is set to address the nation in a prime-time address on April 1. The White House says he plans to provide an important update about Iran.The president said U.S. forces could wrap up combat operations in as little as two to three weeks, after striking more than 11,000 targets since the start of the campaign. The Trump administration says the military effort has significantly degraded Iran's capabilities, with new intelligence pointing to declining missile and drone attacks.The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the birthright citizenship case on April 1. Trump is also set to attend the case. The case, Trump v. Barbara, is about whether his executive order excluding the children of illegal immigrants and legal temporary visitors from automatically gaining U.S. citizenship at birth is constitutional. The order has been blocked in the lower courts.The Supreme Court on March 31 ruled against a Colorado ban on so-called conversion therapy. In the 8–1 decision, the justices said a lower court failed to properly analyze whether the Colorado law violated the First Amendment.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine declared at a news conference on Tuesday that ‘the upcoming days will be decisive' in the war with Iran. In a post on social media early Tuesday, President Trump called on other countries to ‘go get your own oil' by taking control of the Strait of the Hormuz.Gas prices are climbing sharply, with the national average hitting f$4 a gallon on Tuesday for the first time in years. AAA says that's the highest level since August 2022, when Russia launched its war against Ukraine. Prices jumped more than a dollar in just the past month. The conflict in the Middle East disrupting global energy supplies, especially through the Strait of Hormuz.The FBI is now saying the attack on a Michigan synagogue earlier this month was inspired by the Hezbollah terror group. Investigators say the suspect, 41-year-old Ayman Ghazali, targeted Temple Israel in West Bloomfield because of the size of its congregation. Authorities say Ghazali spent days planning the attack, researching synagogues, and looking up what time lunch was served at Temple Israel.

The Senate approved a partial funding package for the Department of Homeland Security early Friday morning, covering most agencies but leaving out immigration enforcement operations. The measure now heads to the House, which is expected to vote on it on Friday, just before lawmakers depart for a two-week Easter recess.President Donald Trump is extending his pause of strikes on Iranian energy plants by 10 more days. That's as he declares the Iranian regime is "begging" to make a deal with the United States, saying its military has "zero" chance of a comeback.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicts that energy prices and inflation will be lower after the end of Operation Epic Fury and is confident shipping traffic will continue to increase daily, even before the United States secures the Strait of Hormuz.Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined his G7 counterparts on Friday for a summit in France. Rubio is attending the second day of the gathering of ministers of leading Western democracies. The sit-down is being held in a 12th-century abbey near Paris.European powers accused Russia of helping Iran target U.S. forces in the Iran war during the meeting's first day. Washington's partners are also hoping to get greater clarity on U.S. and Israeli military operations.

President Trump says talks with Iran are going very well. The President telling reporters aboard Air Force One that the U.S. is negotiating directly and indirectly. He also said that Iran has allowed 20 oil ships to pass through the Hormuz Strait as a ‘sign of respect.' President Trump also saying the U.S. military is having enormous success, decimating the Iranian Navy and Air Force.President Trump outlining the latest on the SAVE America Act, saying it would enforce new proof-of-citizenship and ID requirements for federal elections. Critics say it could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, but the president dismissing those concerns.TSA agents will start getting paid on Monday, after President Trump signed an executive order last week that would allow them to get paid despite the partial government shutdown. A DHS spokesperson says more than 500 TSA agents have quit since the partial shutdown began, with thousands calling out. White House Border Czar Tom Homan says ICE agents are stepping in to help at airport during the ongoing shutdown, and that support will continue until operations return to normal.

The Trump administration has reportedly presented a 15-point peace plan to Iran. The White House is pushing back on reports saying that Tehran has rejected that peace plan, while also saying that talks remain ongoing and productive, the White House is also making clear that U.S. will step up attacks if Tehran rejects peace, warning that President Trump does not bluff.The TSA says some airports are experiencing the longest wait times in TSA history, as Thursday marks the 41st day of a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill says that assault on TSA officers are also at a record high. Democrats have been holding out on a funding deal, demanding reforms to ICE.President Trump and top officials are speaking out after a deadly shooting in Chicago involving an illegal immigrant. Authorities say the suspect is a Venezuelan national who had previously been arrested, and released twice. House Speaker Mike Johnson is calling for change, and President Trump urging voters to back stricter policies. The victim's family is calling for accountability, saying her death should not be reduced to a policy debate.

A newly-released documentary ‘Unbroken' premiered on Tuesday night, and it follows world-renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts as it rises to global acclaim while facing threats and intimidation. In 2006, a group of classical Chinese artists came together in New York with a mission: to revive the traditional, divinely inspired culture of China, from a time before communism, and share it with the world.A source at the Pentagon is saying elements of the 82nd Airborne Division are being deployed to the Middle East. A key element of the 82nd Airborne is the Immediate Response Force, a group of highly-trained soldiers who can parachute into enemy territory. The deployment comes after U.S. airstrikes on Iran's Kharg Island, targeting military facilities but leaving oil infrastructure untouched. President Trump also warning the U.S. could target oil facilities if Iran interferes with the Strait of Hormuz.Senate Democrats rejected a Republican plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security, extending a partial shutdown now in its sixth week. Democrats submitting a counter offer, saying any deal must include changes to ICE enforcement policies. More than 450 TSA agents have quit over a lack of pay since the start of the shutdown, while many others are calling out of work.

On Capitol Hill, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R–Okla.) has been confirmed to take over as secretary of homeland security in a 54–45 vote. Mullin will take over at the end of the month, replacing Kristi Noem, whom President Donald Trump reassigned as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Mullin served in the House before being elected to the Senate in 2021.Trump is touting the successes of a multi-agency initiative launched to reduce violent crime in Memphis, Tennessee, by deploying extra law enforcement from federal agencies, state partners, and the Memphis Police Department.The White House announced that since the Memphis Safe Task Force began in late September 2025, there have been more than 7,400 arrests, 1,200 illegal firearms seized, and 150 missing children safely located. Overall crime in Memphis is down by more than 43 percent from the same period last year.A U.S. Park Police officer was shot in Washington on Monday night while conducting a law enforcement investigation. Park Police Chief Jeff Brecht is calling it an ambush.Park Police said the injured officer is in serious, but stable condition. Officials say they are searching for two suspects. The Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department are handling the investigation together.

President Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday morning saying he has given instructions to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days. The post comes just hours ahead of a 48-hour deadline he imposed that threatened further escalation into Iran.A collision at LaGuardia airport in New York City has left two people dead. Late Sunday night, an Air Canada passenger jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck on a runway. At a press conference, Port Authority Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed the pilot and co-pilot of the jet were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board will be conducting the investigation into the incident.Starting on Monday, ICE agents will be deployed to airports. President Trump making the directive as lawmakers failed to make a breakthrough over the weekend on DHS funding. Agents will be deployed starting at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. They'll help with crowd control, and helping to get wait times down. Homan said agents wouldn't been screening people through security, but will help where their expertise will suffice.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held a press conference at the Pentagon on Thursday. Secretary Hegesth said that today will be the ‘largest strike package yet' in the operation in Iran, saying that the U.S. is winning ‘decisively.' Caine and Hegseth stressed that the U.S. will continue to strike Iran's industrial base.President Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran, after overnight strikes on a major natural gas site in Qatar. This comes as the president says Israel struck the South Pars Gas Field in Iran. President Trump saying the U.S. was not involved, but said that any further attacks on Qatar could trigger a strong U.S. response, and that no more attacks will be made by Israel on the facility.Airport chaos continues as Congress fails to break the stalemate over DHS funding. Democrats now rejecting the latest proposal from the White House regarding immigration enforcement. Democrats are instead trying to get Republicans to settle for a partial funding deal, a plan that would fund certain parts of the DHS like FEMA, and TSA. This approach would likely prolong the shutdown for the other aspects of DHS and it's a mo

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held a press conference at the Pentagon on Thursday. Secretary Hegesth said that today will be the ‘largest strike package yet' in the operation in Iran, saying that the U.S. is winning ‘decisively.' Caine and Hegseth stressed that the U.S. will continue to strike Iran's industrial base.President Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran, after overnight strikes on a major natural gas site in Qatar. This comes as the president says Israel struck the South Pars Gas Field in Iran. President Trump saying the U.S. was not involved, but said that any further attacks on Qatar could trigger a strong U.S. response, and that no more attacks will be made by Israel on the facility.Airport chaos continues as Congress fails to break the stalemate over DHS funding. Democrats now rejecting the latest proposal from the White House regarding immigration enforcement. Democrats are instead trying to get Republicans to settle for a partial funding deal, a plan that would fund certain parts of the DHS like FEMA, and TSA. This approach would likely prolong the shutdown for the other aspects of DHS and it's a move that Republicans have said is off the table.

The Israeli Defense Forces carried out strikes on Tehran, eliminating Iran's Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib. Khatib was responsible for overseeing Iran's entire global terror apparatus, including sleeper cells in locations around the world. The IDF also targeting Iranian command centers and ballistic missile sites, including the IRGC Security Unit headquarters, which israel says was used to repress protests and riots in Iran.Cuba is facing another nationwide blackout, as economic instability grip the island nation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says a dramatic change in leadership is what's needed. The outages have left millions without reliable electricity, with only limited power restored in parts of Havana. The country is also facing fuel shortages, with no major oil shipments in months.The National Weather Service says there could be record high and record low temperatures, across the country this week. A March heat wave is gripping much of the West, where an unprecedented surge of heat is already rewriting the record books. Temperatures are soaring as much as 30-35 degrees above normal, with triple-digit highs expected in parts of California and the Southwest.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had killed General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force. The defense minister also announced the killing of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in an overnight strike. These recent killings strip Iran of more of its top leaders, following the death of Ali Khamenei in late February.President Donald Trump says he's looking to delay his long-awaited trip to Beijing by about a month. The president says he needs to stay in the United States because of the ongoing war in Iran. This is as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a new round of trade talks with their Chinese counterparts in Paris.Senators are expecting an unpredictable week ahead as they gear up to debate the SAVE America Act. Debate is expected to last for several days or more, some even pushing to match the two-month-long debate that passed the Civil Rights Act.

In an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday, President Donald Trump signaled he may delay his upcoming trip to China, the first in nine years.He didn't indicate how long the meeting might be delayed. In the interview, the president said that other countries, such as China, should help keep the Strait of Hormuz open. China gets 90 percent of its oil via the Strait.Trump says Operation Epic Fury has dealt major damage to Iran's military. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, the president said Iranian military capabilities have been severely degraded since the operation began. On Friday, U.S. forces struck Iran's Kharg Island, one of the country's most important energy hubs.The shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security has entered its fifth week, leading hundreds of TSA agents to quit their jobs. Those who are staying on the job are calling out of work at a rate double the norm, causing some travelers to wait more than 3 hours at busy airports.Nearly 50,000 TSA agents have already missed a partial payment and a full pay payment. Senators failed to approve funding before leaving Washington last Thursday. Democrats are insisting on changes to ICE's operations.

U.S. Central Command says Iran is losing air capability day by day, after releasing footage on Wednesday showing strikes on three Iranian aircraft. CENTCOM says U.S. forces aren't just defending against Iranian threats, but methodically dismantling them. President Trump adding that the U.S. is striking the Iranian regime ‘harder than virtually any country' has been hit in history, and it's not done yet.Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are in the spotlight. The Trump administration is tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease rising gas prices amid the war with Iran. The Department of Energy announced 172 million barrels of oil will be released beginning next week. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says it will take approximately 120 days to deliver based on planned discharge rates.The Trump administration has launched new trade investigations under the ‘Trade Act.' Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the probes will examine excess industrial capacity in 16 major trading partners. The investigations will determine whether foreign policies and practices are unfairly displacing U.S. manufacturing and restricting commerce. A second investigation will focus on imports produced with forced labor, targeting roughly 60 countries.

The Pentagon says U.S. forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying boats near the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of the world's oil travels through the waterway. The military says the vessels were part of a larger group of Iranian naval craft it targeted. President Donald Trump warns Iran that it must remove any mines placed in the strait, or face consequences. Severe storms across the South and Midwest are producing tornadoes and causing widespread damage. The threat stretches from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes, with several states under tornado watches. Meteorologists are reporting multiple tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana. Homes have been leveled and emergency services have been overwhelmed as the storm system moves east. Crude oil prices are expected to drop below $80 a barrel by the end of 2026, according to a new energy report. Prices spiked above $115 this month after the Iran conflict disrupted the Strait of Hormuz. They then fell back to about $85.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on Tuesday that the U.S. was carrying out strikes against Iranian mine-laying vessels. This, as the Strait of Hormuz has been closed off, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week. President Trump is warning Iran not to block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says if Tehran interferes with the key shipping route, the United States will respond with much stronger force.An attack outside the New York City mayor's residence is being treated as an act of terrorism. The FBI has joined the investigation into what the NYPD is calling 'an ISIS-inspired act.' The incident happened on Saturday during a protest, when two suspects tossed a homemade explosive into the crowd. The device did not detonate. Officials say the suspects are being charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS using a weapon of mass destruction and several other charges related to explosives.As America looks ahead to its 250th birthday, officials in Washington, D.C. unveil a special race course for the first-ever IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix racing event. The event will be on August 23rd and will feature 1.7 miles of track and seven turns around iconic landmarks in D.C. The event will be free to the public and officials expect more than a million people to attend the event. The IndyCar race is taking place after President Trump signed an executive order in January. The president also plans to host an Ultimate Fighting Championship match at the White House in July.