Podcasts about defense department

The House fails to pass the ROTOR Act, and the competing ALERT Act is introduced. The military is shooting down drones with a laser, combat action in the Middle East is disrupting commercial flights, former President Biden flies commercial, Breeze Airways continues to expand, and United adds a new passenger requirement to its Contract of Carriage. Plus, more feedback on the Lockheed Constellation, and the passion for flying. Aviation News U.S. House rejects aviation safety bill after Pentagon abruptly withdraws support When we talked about the ROTOR Act last week, we explained that the Senate unanimously passed the bill requiring ADS-B In and that a House vote was scheduled. Before the House vote, the Pentagon withdrew its support, saying that the bill could create “unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks.” The bill failed to meet the required two-thirds majority: 264 in favor and 133 opposed, with more than 130 Republicans voting against it. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said, “This bill will undermine our national security. Requiring our fighters and bombers and highly classified assets to regularly broadcast their location puts our men and women in uniform at risk.” Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., the chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, called the ROTOR Act an “unworkable government mandate” that would be “burdensome” to some pilots. ALERT Act Aviation Safety Bill Introduced in U.S. House . Graves and Rogers put their support behind their own bipartisan bill, known as the ALERT Act, or Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act. It is broader, more process‑driven, and relies more on future FAA rulemaking. The ROTOR Act uses mandates and concentrates on collision‑avoidance and traffic‑awareness, especially mandatory ADS‑B In equipage for aircraft operating near airports, plus related airspace reviews and military‑civil coordination.​ The ALERT Act uses rulemaking to implement essentially all ~50 NTSB recommendations from the DCA midair, including tech, ATC staffing/training, helicopter routes, DCA‑specific procedures, and FAA safety culture reforms. Military Laser Downs CBP Drone, Tiny TFR Established When Federal Agencies Start Shooting at Each Other's Drones, We Have a Real Airspace Problem The Defence Department has a laser weapon that can shoot down drones. Recently, a TFR closed the airspace in El Paso due to a drone downing. Now, Congress has been briefed that along the Mexican border at Fort Hancock, Texas, a Defense Department laser weapon shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone. In response, the FAA issued a TFR for that area. In a statement, three lawmakers said, “Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system.” Also, “We said MONTHS ago that the White House's decision to sidestep a bipartisan, tri-committee bill to appropriately train C-UAS operators and address the lack of coordination between the Pentagon, DHS and the FAA was a short-sighted idea. Now, we're seeing the result of its incompetence.” Hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded by flight disruptions after attack on Iran Military combat in Iran and the surrounding region has forced the diversion and cancellation of flights. Airspace was closed by Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The United Arab Emirates announced a “temporary and partial closure” of its airspace. Reportedly, hundreds of thousands of travelers were impacted and either stranded or diverted to other airports. Important hub airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha were closed. Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad typically move about 90,000 passengers per day through those hubs. Three US Fighter Jets Accidentally Shot Down by Kuwaiti Air Defenses On 1 March 2026, three USAF F‑15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait by Kuwaiti air-defense systems during combat operations against Iran. U.S. Central Command described it as an apparent friendly‑fire incident; all six crew members ejected and were recovered. Biden flies commercial from DCA and winds up stuck in delays like everyone else Imagine getting settled into your seat on a commuter flight from DCA to Columbia, South Carolina, and realizing that your seatmate is a former President of the United States. Breeze adding new nonstop options from Portland, Maine Breeze Airways is adding new, summer seasonal nonstop flights from the Portland International Jetport to Akron/Canton and Cincinnati. Breeze is also adding new Breeze Thru service options, providing same plane, one-stop flights to Savannah, Georgia, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Breeze Thru service to Savannah starts July 1, 2026, with the service to Myrtle Beach on July 2, 2026. BreezeThru flights include a quick stop at an airport along the way to your destination. Just hang out. There’s no need to change planes or recheck bags. Your reservation will have a single confirmation number for both segments. United Threatens To Kick Off Passengers Who Don't Use Headphones United Airlines has added a new passenger requirement to Rule 21 Refusal of Transport in its Contract of Carriage. Item 22 reads, “Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content.” Under the Contract of Carriage, “UA shall have the right to refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis or shall have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point, any Passenger…” for the stated reasons. United Airlines Contract of Carriage. Delta Air Lines Contract of Carriage: U.S. American Airlines Conditions of Carriage. Singapore Airshow 2026 Brian Coleman brings us interviews from the Singapore Airshow. In this episode, he and Grant McHerron talk with Nigel Pittaway, the Editor of Australia Defence Magazine. Mentioned How Live ATC Went Live Stories about Flying: Armchair Accident Investigators Veteran airline stowaway strikes again, this time on a Newark-to-Milan flight Aviation Safety Network, Focke-Wulf FWP-149D, N9145.  Hosts this Episode Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Rob Mark.

The U.S.-Iran conflict enters its fourth day, spreading across the region and pushing oil prices higher. CNBC's Dan Murphy reports on the latest military developments and what the surge in energy costs could mean for markets. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers prepare to vote on President Trump's war powers in Iran. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) explains why he opposes the strikes and argues Congress must reassert its authority. And, as AI becomes a tool of modern combat, Christoff & Co. CEO Niki Christoff discusses the Pentagon's partnerships, Anthropic's dispute with the Defense Department, and whether meaningful guardrails are possible. Plus, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon addresses President Trump's $5 billion debanking lawsuit, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admits a recent defense deal was rushed.   Dan Murphy - 02:49 Sen. Tim Kane - 15:35 Nikki Christoff - 27:37   In this episode: Niki Christoff, @NikiChristoff Sen. Tim Kaine, @TimKaine Kelly Evans, @KellyCNBC Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Zach Vallese, @zachvallese  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of NucleCast, Adam is joined by Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, for a thoughtful discussion on the growing role of artificial intelligence in defense and military operations.Dr. Pettyjohn explores how AI is increasingly shaping everything from logistics and decision‑making to nuclear command and control, while weighing the potential benefits against the serious risks of integration. The conversation examines AI's capabilities and limitations, the ethical and strategic challenges it presents, and what its use could mean for nuclear deterrence and autonomous weapons.She emphasizes the importance of balancing innovation with safety, responsibility, and strategic stability as AI becomes more deeply embedded in modern defense systems.Stacie Pettyjohn is a senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. A leading expert on U.S. defense strategy, force planning, airpower, and wargaming, her work focuses on the future of warfare, including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, drones, and nuclear deterrence in a multipolar world. Previously, she served on the Joint Staff, chaired a Defense Department advisory subcommittee on force integration, and spent more than a decade at RAND Corporation leading major studies and defense wargames. Her work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other major outlets. She holds a PhD from the University of Virginia.Socials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.org

The high-stakes dispute between Anthropic and the U.S. military led to a sweeping decision Friday by President Donald Trump to remove the AI startup's technology from all federal agencies. Already, several agencies are taking action. The General Services Administration, Department of State, and Department of Health and Human Services immediately indicated in public statements, comments, or internal emails that they were moving to boot Anthropic. The fallout is sure to continue as agencies untangle the Claude maker from their workflows. The clash centered on the Defense Department wanting Anthropic to remove stipulations that limited the military's use of the startup's technology in real-world operations, DefenseScoop previously reported. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in a statement Thursday that the company could not accede to the request “in good conscience. Madhu Gottumukkala is out as acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, with current agency executive director for cybersecurity Nick Andersen replacing him as the interim leader. News of Gottumukkala's departure breaks one day after CyberScoop reported on widespread dismay with the agency's performance during the first year of the Trump administration, with significant criticism aimed at Gottumukkala's leadership on both sides of the aisle after a number of unflattering stories about his stewardship. “Madhu Gottumukkala has done a remarkable job in a thankless task of helping reform CISA back to its core statutory mission,” a Department of Homeland Security official told CyberScoop Thursday. “He tackled the woke, weaponized, and bloated bureaucracy that existed at CISA, wrangling contracts to save American taxpayer dollars.” Gottumukkala, served as chief information officer under then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, now secretary of DHS, before he was picked as deputy director of the agency. Sean Plankey's nomination to serve as full-time director of CISA has stalled, leaving Gottumukkala as the acting director in his place. Gottumukkala will take on a new role at DHS, as director of strategic implementation. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

-OpenAI's Sam Altman said the company will amend its deal with the Defense Department to explicitly prohibit the use of its AI system on mass surveillance against Americans. -On Monday, the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether an artwork generated with the help of AI can be copyrighted. The refusal means that a lower court's decision to reject the copyright request will stand. -Starlink is getting ready to launch its second generation of satellites, and it's expected to match the speeds of a traditional terrestrial network. During a keynote at Mobile World Congress, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 790: Neal and Toby talk about the US-Iran conflict that's erupted and the shake up across the global economy. Then, OpenAI reaches an AI agreement with the Defense Department after Anthropic refuses to give it access. Plus, Pokemon celebrates its 30th anniversary and continues to be one of the most valuable brands in the world. Meanwhile, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is the latest case of ‘brain drain' in the move to Australia. Finally, what you need to know in the week ahead.  Learn more about Bland AI at bland.ai/mbd Subscribe to Morning Brew Daily for more of the news you need to start your day. Share the show with a friend, and leave us a review on your favorite podcast app. Listen to Morning Brew Daily Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.swap.fm/l/mbd-note⁠⁠⁠  Watch Morning Brew Daily Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MorningBrewDailyShow⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strategas' Chris Verrone, Requisite Capital's Bryn Talkington and Lauren Goodwin from New York Life Investments tell us what they're forecasting for stocks amid all the geopolitical uncertainty. Plus, OpenAI struck a deal with the Defense Department after the Pentagon cut ties with Anthropic. Plexo Capital's Lo Toney is an Anthropic investor – and he tells us what all this could mean for the future of the AI arms race. And, big news out of DraftKings' Investor Day today. Our Contessa Brewer sits down with the CEO to discuss. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This Day in Legal History: Jones ActOn March 2, 1920, Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act. Enacted in the aftermath of World War I, the statute reflected a national effort to strengthen the United States' merchant marine fleet. Lawmakers believed that a robust domestic shipping industry was essential to both economic growth and national defense. The Act required that goods transported between U.S. ports be carried on vessels that are built in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed primarily by Americans. Senator Wesley L. Jones sponsored the measure, arguing that reliance on foreign ships posed strategic risks.The law reshaped American maritime commerce for decades. By limiting coastwise trade to qualifying vessels, Congress sought to ensure a steady demand for American shipyards and maritime labor. Supporters have long maintained that the Act protects domestic jobs and guarantees a ready fleet in times of war or national emergency. Critics, however, argue that the restrictions reduce competition and raise shipping costs. Those higher costs are often felt most sharply in non-contiguous states and territories such as Puerto Rico and Hawaii, which depend heavily on maritime transport.Over time, the Jones Act has generated extensive litigation and recurring legislative proposals for reform or repeal. Courts have been called upon to interpret its scope, exemptions, and application to modern shipping practices. More than a century after its passage, the statute remains a focal point in debates over free trade, federal power, and national security.President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using artificial intelligence products from Anthropic after the company declined to support certain military applications. The dispute arose when Anthropic said it would not provide its technology for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons systems. Trump accused the company of trying to impose its own political views on the Department of Defense and claimed its stance threatened national security. Shortly after the president's directive, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that military contractors and partners could no longer conduct business with Anthropic. The Defense Department said it would phase out the company's technology within six months while transitioning to another provider.Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei had stated that while AI can support lawful foreign intelligence efforts, mass surveillance of Americans raises serious civil liberties concerns. He also argued that fully autonomous weapons lack the reliability and oversight needed to ensure responsible use. According to Anthropic, the Defense Department required contractors to agree to “any lawful use” of AI systems, including applications the company views as risky. The government also threatened to label Anthropic a national security “supply chain risk,” a designation the company says is usually reserved for foreign adversaries. Anthropic maintains that such a move would be legally questionable and has pledged to challenge it in court. The company further argues that any formal designation would likely apply only to government contract work, not to all commercial activity.Trump Tells Federal Agencies To Drop ‘Woke' Anthropic Tech - Law360Trump admin blacklists Anthropic; AI firm refuses Pentagon demandsOpenAI has completed a massive $110 billion funding round that values the company at $730 billion. The investment was led by Amazon with a $50 billion contribution, while Nvidia and SoftBank each committed $30 billion. The deal was advised by Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz on behalf of OpenAI.As part of the transaction, OpenAI also entered into a strategic cloud partnership with Amazon and secured access to Nvidia's next-generation graphics processing units to expand its AI capabilities. The company said additional investors may join the round as it continues. OpenAI highlighted that more than 9 million paying business customers use ChatGPT, alongside roughly 900 million weekly active users.The funding reflects the accelerating competition among major technology companies to build AI infrastructure, including cloud systems, chips, and data centers. Amazon has already announced plans to invest about $200 billion in AI-related capital spending next year. Across the tech sector, companies such as Meta Platforms and Alphabet Inc. are also committing hundreds of billions of dollars to AI development. OpenAI described the moment as an infrastructure race, emphasizing that scaling capacity quickly will determine leadership in the industry.Wachtell Lipton Steers OpenAI On $110B Amazon-Led Funding - Law360A Los Angeles trial judge warned members of the press that she may impose a gag order in the high-profile social media bellwether case involving claims that major platforms harmed a young user's mental health. Carolyn B. Kuhl said a news report appeared to reference juror conversations overheard in a courthouse hallway, which she viewed as a violation of her directive to keep distance from jurors. She emphasized that preserving the integrity of the proceedings is critical and stated she would hold a hearing on a gag order if necessary.The case, pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court, is the first bellwether trial among more than 1,000 consolidated lawsuits. The plaintiff, identified as Kaley G.M., alleges that platforms such as Meta Platforms Inc.'s Instagram and Google LLC's YouTube used addictive design features that contributed to her mental health struggles. The judge has repeatedly instructed jurors not to discuss the case or consume media coverage, and she has taken steps to physically separate them from reporters and the public. She also restricted any physical descriptions of the plaintiff because her claims relate to harm suffered as a minor.Tensions over courtroom conduct have surfaced before. The judge previously warned attendees about unauthorized recordings and removed a plaintiffs' attorney from a leadership role for filming inside the courthouse. Meanwhile, the trial has included testimony from the plaintiff and expert witnesses who argue that social media addiction is real and harmful. The defendants maintain that other factors, including family dynamics, contributed to her condition. With additional trials planned, the outcome of this bellwether proceeding could influence settlement discussions and expose the companies to significant financial liability.Social Media Trial Judge Threatens Media With Gag Order - Law360Improper juror access in social media case, judge warns mediaA juror in the recent trial of Thomas Goldstein said the defendant's own testimony was a turning point in the case that led to his conviction on multiple tax and mortgage fraud charges. The juror described Goldstein's time on the stand as polished but theatrical, suggesting it felt more like a performance than a candid explanation. Goldstein had argued that errors in his tax filings stemmed from bookkeeping mistakes and reliance on outside accountants, and he claimed he overstated certain gambling winnings. Prosecutors, however, alleged that he intentionally failed to report millions in income, improperly deducted personal expenses, and misrepresented debts on mortgage applications.The jury convicted him on 12 of 16 counts, including tax evasion and mortgage fraud, while acquitting him on several charges tied to later tax years. He has been ordered to remain under home confinement pending sentencing. According to the juror, the government's extensive documentary evidence — including bank records, emails, and text messages — ultimately carried significant weight. Testimony about Goldstein's spending habits and lifestyle was also presented, though the juror said personal matters such as alleged affairs were not decisive.The defense emphasized accounting errors and challenged the venue for certain mortgage counts. Still, the juror said responsibility rested with Goldstein because he signed the tax returns. Prosecutors have praised the verdict, while the defense has not publicly commented. The case was tried in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.Goldstein Testimony ‘Solidified' Case, Juror Says - Law360District of Maryland | Prominent Lawyer Thomas Goldstein Convicted of Tax Evasion and Mortgage Fraud | United States Department of Justice This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Natural disasters at military installations have caused billions of dollars in damage over the past decade, but the Defense Department began tracking those costs just recently. That data, however, remains incomplete and at times inaccurate. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Kristy Williams, director of defense capabilities and management at the Government Accountability Office, about the Pentagon's efforts to improve natural disaster cost tracking.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Senator Mark Kelly wins a preliminary injunction that will stop the Defense Department's disciplinary process in its tracks. Judge Aileen Cannon decides to hide Jack Smith's report on the MAL investigation from the public permanently. The list of Department of Justice failures in court continues to grow. Kash Patel has the best work day at the Olympics ever. Virginia Burger joins Andy to break down the situation around Senator Mark Kelly. More from Virginia Burger: https://www.pogo.org/about/people/virginia-burger Do you have questions for the pod?  Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just $15 a month at  MINTMOBILE.com/UNJUST Follow AG Substack|MuellershewroteBlueSky|@muellershewroteAndrew McCabe isn't on social media, but you can buy his book The ThreatThe Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump Questions for the pod?https://formfacade.com/sm/PTk_BSogJ We would like to know more about our listeners. Please participate in this brief surveyListener Survey and CommentsThis Show is Available Ad-Free And Early For Patreon and Supercast Supporters at the Justice Enforcers level and above:https://dailybeans.supercast.techOrhttps://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr when you subscribe on Apple Podcastshttps://apple.co/3YNpW3P Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Washington Post personal finance columnist, Michelle Singletary, tells the moving story of how a visit to her grade school by the Reverend Jesse Jackson inspired her life and career as described in her column, “How the Rev. Jesse Jackson Taught Me to Keep Hope Alive." Then Ralph welcomes Professor Eric S. Fish from U.C Davis School of Law to explain how grand juries are no longer rubber-stamping frivolous cases brought to them by the Trump Administration. Plus, Ralph gives us his take on Trump's marathon State of the Union speech and the Democratic response.Michelle Singletary writes the nationally-syndicated personal finance column “The Color of Money,” which appears in the Washington Post on Wednesdays and Sundays. In 2021, she won the Gerald Loeb award for commentary. She has written four personal finance books, including, What to Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide and The 21-Day Financial Fast: Your Path to Financial Peace and Freedom.The Trump administration's destruction of diversity, equity, and inclusion—they misunderstand what that means. It doesn't mean that you're giving jobs to people who are unqualified. It means that you recognize that the playing field wasn't even, and let's even this playing field. I liken it to a football team. You can't have a football team of all quarterbacks and win. You have to have a quarterback, a running back, a linebacker, you have to have a good kicker. It's the same thing—your team has to encompass people that represent all kinds of abilities to have a winning team. So DEI isn't a giveaway. It isn't charity. It recognizes that when you have people from different backgrounds and different perspectives and different skill levels, you have a winning team.Michelle SingletaryEric S Fish is professor of law at the UC Davis School of Law. Professor Fish's primary research is in criminal law, with particular focus on the ethical duties of participants in the criminal process, the structure of immigration crimes, and the system's emphasis on administrative efficiency. He has also served as a public defender, first with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, and later as a Federal Defender in San Diego.This has been a really remarkable series of rejections of the Trump administration's prosecutions by ordinary people serving on grand juries, and one that is largely unprecedented in modern American history. I can't think of another example of grand juries rejecting such high-profile cases (and so many of them). Nothing really comes to mind. So in a certain sense, one might say this is the grand jury's original purpose…Initially they were a democratic institution of governance. They were a local check on the colonial oppression of the British (at least in the early colonial period). They refused to indict prosecutions under the Stamp Act, under the revenue laws. They were a tool of anti-colonial resistance to British oppression, and this seems at least broadly analogous to that—local grand juries in places like Minnesota, Chicago, Washington, D.C. are rejecting the Trump administration's attempts to prosecute its political enemies and bring trumped-up charges against protesters.Eric S. FishAll in all, [the State of the Union address] was fodder for political scientists for years to come. A dictatorial serial law violator, self-enriching chronic liar, cruel, vicious to vulnerable people and people without power (which is a majority of the people) elected dictator. This speech—which went for one hour and 48 minutes, the longest State of the Union speech ever—will be analyzed for a long time with the question at the center of the analysis being: How could so many tens of millions of voters be taken in by Trump's mouth, his lies, his false statements, his fantasies, his fake promises, his lack of any kind of record, whether as a businessman where he used bankruptcies as a strategy…and his record as a politician in his first term? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. And it's too easy to say that the Trump voters couldn't stand the Democrats who abandoned them. That's not enough. They could have not voted for Trump. They could have written in a vote. They could have voted for the Green, Libertarian, or other minor parties. They can't use the Democrats as a 100% excuse for voting for Trump. And a lot of them didn't. They just liked Trump. They liked his prejudices. They liked his lies. They liked his fantasies. They liked his fake promises.Ralph NaderNews 2/27/26* Our top stories this week come to us from our southern neighbor, Mexico. First, on February 22nd, Mexican authorities announced they had successfully conducted an operation resulting in the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, aka “El Mencho,” who headed the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In retaliation, the cartels launched a wave of violence throughout the country. Bafflingly, given the obvious enmity between the cartels and the government of Claudia Sheinbaum, Elon Musk implied that Sheinbaum is in the pocket of the very drug cartels with whom she is practically at war. Reuters reports Musk “responded to a 2025 video of Sheinbaum discussing cartel violence and alleged that she was ‘saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say.” Reuters notes that Musk did not provide further evidence. In fact, much of the strength of the Mexican cartels would actually be more accurately attributed to the United States. As USA Today writes, Mexican officials recovered a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 10 long arm [rifles], handguns, and grenades, from El Mencho's weapons stockpile. Mexican Defense Minister, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo estimated that about 80% of the recovered weapons were purchased in the United States and smuggled into Mexico. This represents just the tip of the iceberg of the so-called “iron river” of firearms flooding Mexico's black market from the U.S. As opposed to the lax gun laws in the states, gun ownership in Mexico is “tightly restricted…[and] There is only one military-run gun store in the country.”* Meanwhile, President Sheinbaum is bucking American pressure by continuing to send humanitarian aid to the tiny, embattled island nation of Cuba. AP reports that last week, “Two Mexican Navy ships laden with humanitarian aid docked in Cuba…two weeks after…President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to the island.” These ships carried 800 tons worth of bundles of “Made in Mexico” goods, including rice, beans, amaranth and crackers — complemented by a bottle of oil, large cans of sardines and canned peaches. Another 1,500 tons of powdered milk and beans are expected to be sent to Cuba in the coming days. The U.S. has taken a more bellicose line with Cuba than it has in quite some time, even taking naval action in the waters surrounding the island, making Mexico's support that much more critical.* In another Cuba story, a diplomatic incident is unfolding this week regarding a Florida-registered speedboat. According to the island's government, the boat, carrying 10 passengers, entered Cuban territorial waters and opened fire on Cuban soldiers. The Cubans responded in kind, killing four people aboard the craft and wounding six others. According to the Cuban authorities, most of the passengers “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.” These include Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, both wanted by Cuban authorities based on their involvement in “the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of…acts of terrorism.” The Cubans also claim to have arrested one Duniel Hernández Santos, who was supposedly “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration.” They claim Hernández Santos has confessed. American authorities have so far evinced confusion more than anything else, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying “We're going to figure out exactly what happened.” This from AP.* Whatever cloak and dagger games the administration may be playing in the Caribbean, they have been pointedly unsubtle about their saber rattling regarding Iran – and the reaction from Congress has been meager. While anti-war members in the House and Senate are pushing war powers resolutions, namely Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie along with Senator Tim Kaine, not even the nominal opposition party is supporting these efforts. According to Capital & Empire, Democrats are seeking to “dampen momentum” and even “prevent the Iran war powers vote from advancing.” Democrats Josh Gottheimer and Jared Moskowitz, both arch Iran hawks, have publicly stated they will not back the war powers resolution, and many others have sought to split the difference, saying Trump should only move on Iran after consulting with Congress. As the Hill notes, the Senate did pass a war powers resolution restricting the president's use of military force against Iran without congressional approval during Trump's first term, with eight Senate Republicans backing the Democrats in support of the bill. It is hard to imagine such a bipartisan show of force this time around.* In more disappointing congressional news, on Tuesday the House voted down the bipartisan ROTOR Act, which would have beefed up aviation safety standards, NPR reports. This bill was drafted in the wake of the deadly midair collision over Washington D.C. last year. This bill, principally authored by Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees transportation, would have required wider use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast – safety technology designed to transmit an aircraft's location to other aircraft. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in December, with the support of the Defense Department – now styling itself the Department of War – but the Pentagon yanked its support just before the House vote, citing “unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks.” The final House vote was 264 in favor and 133 opposed, 132 Republicans and Democrat Lizzie Fletcher of Texas. Despite the lopsided majority in favor, the bill needed a two-thirds vote to pass and was therefore defeated by the minority.* In another aviation related story, FBI Director Kash Patel is embroiled in a new scandal based on his alleged misuse of the FBI's Gulfstream jets for personal travel. CNN reports Patel's frequent jetsetting has even caused delays or issues in high-profile investigations, such as the assassination of rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk and the Brown University shooting last December. According to a letter authored by Senator Dick Durbin, Patel's incessant misuse of the official FBI planes for personal travel “has even frustrated White House and DOJ senior staff.” This story hits particularly hard at the present moment, with images of Patel chugging beer in the locker room celebration of the Olympic men's hockey team going viral. The FBI then had to spend days running cover for Patel, claiming the director was in Italy for “long-planned official business,” which just happened to coincide with the occasion.* Our next two stories concern AI. First, a new Public Citizen report documents how the AI industry is deploying a veritable army of lobbyists on Capitol Hill, absolutely dwarfing not only their opposition, but practically every other industry as well. According to this report, more than one quarter of all federal lobbyists are now lobbying on AI issues, representing a rise in lobbyist activity on AI issues of more than 265 percent over the past three years. This report finds the Chamber of Commerce hired the most AI lobbyists in 2025 at 91, followed by Microsoft at 63, Meta at 55, Intuit at 51, and Amazon at 48. This meteoric rise in AI lobbying activity is sure to give the industry massive firepower in the halls of Congress, ensuring a favorable regulatory environment for years to come. This will be particularly critical for data centers, which have faced a rash of local opposition. Per this report, that particular subset of the AI lobbying industry has expanded by a staggering 500 percent since 2023.* For all its newfound political clout however, the AI business seems to have found itself a formidable new opponent – Pope Leo XIV. This week, Pope Leo addressed priests from the Diocese of Rome and implored them to resist “the temptation to prepare homilies with Artificial Intelligence.” The pontiff argued “Like all the muscles in the body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little so as not to lose this capacity.” He added that “to give a true homily is to share faith,” and that AI “will never be able to share faith.” This from Vatican News.* Turning to media news, this week, Paramount submitted a new offer to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Paramount's new bid amounted to $31 per share and, following a period of consultation with the Warner board of directors, this offer was deemed “superior” to the proposed deal with rival bidder Netflix. This triggered a clause in the Netflix merger agreement giving the streamer four days to submit a new, superior offer. However, that same day Netflix issued a statement officially declining to submit a new, higher offer, with representatives writing “the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer,” means “the deal is no longer financially attractive.” With Netflix out of the way, Paramount, led by Trump-aligned billionaire scion David Ellison, will now proceed with their acquisition of Warner Bros., including their prodigious intellectual property back catalogue and the cable news titan, CNN. A friendly relationship with the Trump administration means regulators are unlikely to hold up this deal. The Ellisons have already acquired CBS News, installing Bari Weiss as “editor-in-chief.” It seems likely they will follow a similar playbook regarding CNN.* Our final stories this week concern the continuing fallout of the Epstein scandal. This week saw the arrest of former British-U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson, joining Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) in the collection of high profile British individuals arrested in connection with the Epstein scandal. Meanwhile, at Harvard, former University President Larry Summers will resign from his academic and faculty appointments, including his University Professorship, at the Ivy League school following the conclusion of this academic year. Until then, he will remain on leave, per the Crimson. Summers regularly exchanged messages with Jeffrey Epstein about topics ranging from women, to politics, to Harvard-related matters as late as July 2019, the day before Epstein's final arrest. But the most noteworthy Epstein-related news this week came from Chappaqua, New York. On Thursday and Friday, Bill and Hillary Clinton testified about their relationships with the late financier and sexual predator. After much wrangling, these potential blockbuster hearings were held behind closed doors on the Clintons' home turf. What exactly was said remains shrouded in mystery. According to the BBC, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said he hopes to make videos of both Hillary and Bill Clinton's depositions publicly available soon. Robert Garcia, the Democratic Ranking Member on the committee, said a “new precedent” had been set by calling a former president to testify and demanded that Trump be called to testify before the committee next. We shall watch this space.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Hawk breaks down the rapidly escalating conflict between the Pentagon and Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude model, after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanded that Anthropic remove two core safety restrictions from its terms of service. Those restrictions prohibit using Claude for mass surveillance of American citizens and for programming weapons to fire without human intervention. Hegseth labeled these protections "woke" and threatened to terminate Anthropic's $200 million Defense Department contract and blacklist the company as a danger to all defense supply chains unless Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei agreed to his demands. Amodei said no. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Grok chatbot, which previously generated child sexual imagery and declared itself "Mecca Hitler," has been cleared for use in classified Pentagon settings. Sam Altman of OpenAI is now positioning his company to step into the gap, exploring whether ChatGPT models can meet Pentagon requirements while maintaining safety guardrails. Hawk also covers the broader AI reality check happening in corporate America. Mark Benioff of Salesforce laid off 4,000 employees to replace them with AI and now says he regrets it. Jack Dorsey just cut 50% of Square's workforce for the same reason. Studies suggest 95% of deployed AI agents in corporate settings are ineffective. And Sam Altman reportedly believes there is a 1 in 5 chance that artificial intelligence destroys humanity entirely. The people designing these systems do not fully understand what they will do. The only thing standing between Pete Hegseth and AI-powered mass surveillance of Americans is one CEO with a conscience. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Join Jim and Greg for the Friday edition of the 3 Martini Lunch as they examine whether U.S. military action against Iran is imminent, Virginia Democrats voting themselves a massive pay raise, and the Pentagon's escalating dispute with AI company Anthropic over autonomous weapons systems.First, they react to the U.S. ordering embassy personnel out of Israel and Iraq, a move that has fueled speculation that military action against Iran could be just hours or days away. They discuss what such a strike might look like and what the potential endgame would be.Next, they sigh as Democrats in the Virginia legislature vote to nearly triple their pay in the next session. Jim says politicians raising their own pay is always a bad idea and he says the last thing we want are full-time state lawmakers.Finally, they break down the growing clash between the Pentagon and AI firm Anthropic over the future of artificial intelligence in warfare. Anthropic's CEO claims the company cannot partner with the Defense Department due to concerns about autonomous weapons systems and mass domestic surveillance. Pentagon officials dispute that characterization, and Jim emphasizes the need for clear legal and constitutional guardrails as the U.S. races to develop advanced AI capabilities in competition with Communist China.Please visit our great sponsors:Take your personal data back with Incogni—use code 3ML for 60% off an annual plan at https://Incogni.com/3MLLive better, longer with BUBS Naturals. For a limited time, get 20% off your entire order with code 3ML at https://BubsNaturals.comHelp protect your home systems.  Plans start at just $4.99 a month.  Visit https://HomeServe.com to find the plan that's right for you. New episodes every weekday. 

The State of the Union foreign policy lightning round; the possibility of imminent war with Iran; confusing signals from the US; strategic clarity and the effectiveness of deterrent threats; the challenges of finding another Iran deal; tension between Anthropic and the Defense Department; hints of AI governance; and Marcus isn't sure premium gas is worth itThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.See all Cheap Talk episodes

While nearly all major federal agencies saw staffing declines in the first half of 2025, the size of those separations varied. NASA's workforce, along with civilian staff at the Defense Department, declined by less than 5%. But the Education Department lost more than 20% of its workforce in the same timeframe. That's all according to new data analysis from the Government Accountability Office. GAO says it will continue issuing updates on federal workforce staffing changes over time.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An expunged record at the state level may not be enough to qualify for military service. A federal appeals court says the service branches can enforce stricter enlistment standards than those set by the Defense Department, and don't have to honor state expungements when evaluating potential recruits. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke to Ira Rushing, associate with Tully Rinckey PLLC, about how the court's decision could impact current service members or potential recruits.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Good?Google to build data center in Minnesota with new solar, wind power and battery storageThe tech company will also bring 1,900 megawatts of new renewable energy to the state under an agreement with utility Xcel.1,900 MW is enough to provide electricity for roughly 1.5 million average homes: enough to power every household in a city roughly the size of ChicagoUK fines Reddit for not checking user ages aggressively enough$19.6 million“Our investigation found that Reddit failed to apply any robust age assurance mechanism and therefore did not have a lawful basis for processing the personal information of children under the age of 13… These failures meant Reddit was using children's data unlawfully, potentially exposing them to inappropriate and harmful content” Microsoft Signs 1.8 Million Ton Carbon Removal Deal to Restore African Rainforest1.8 million tons is equivalent to taking approximately 428,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road for an entire year.or the annual energy use of about 235,000 average American homesSupreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs, rebuking president's signature economic policyFedEx sues for refund of Trump tariffs, days after Supreme Court ruling‍ ‍Ted Sarandos Pushes Back On Trump's Call For Netflix To Fire Board Member Susan Rice"This is a business deal, not a political deal"“He Likes To Do A Lot Of Things On Social Media” Farmer turns down $15.7 million offer from data center developers: ‘It breaks my heart … the rest of every square inch is going to get built on'After farming for more than six decades in Pennsylvania, 86-year-old Mervin Raudabaugh was offered $60,000 per acre by the developers for his 261 acres—amounting to $15.7 million.But in December, the Lancaster Farmland Trust bought the development rights for just under $2 million, guaranteeing that Raudabaugh's land will only be used for farming.Revenge of the English majors: The age of AI is driving new respect for humanities skills Trump team livid about Dario Amodei's principled stand to keep the Defense Department from using his AI tools for warlike purposes‍ ‍New York nurses union wins 12% raise, AI safeguards in a tentative deal to end monthlong strikeMeta and YouTube are now facing a legal reckoning that harkens back to cases against big tobacco New Mexico's historic move to give universal child care to parents in the state is paid for by an oil and gas windfallNew Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan GrishamTrump Notwithstanding, America's Unions Actually Grew Last YearA 16-Year High: In 2025, the total number of workers represented by a union reached 16.5 million.That is a net increase of 463,000 workers in a single year, the highest volume of unionized labor in the U.S. since 2009.The Youth Surge: Growth wasn't driven by "old-school" labor alone. Workers under the age of 45 accounted for a staggering 92% of the growth (428,000 of the 463,000 new members). This highlights a generational shift where younger workers are viewing unions as a primary shield against AI and job instability.Walmart exec says it's ‘unfortunate' that other companies are slashing workforces in the name of AI—it's offering training to 1.6 million workers insteadThe retail giant has just announced that its 1.6 million workforce will be provided free AI training.Both frontline and corporate staff in the U.S. and Canada will have access to an eight-hour course on the fundamentals of AI, as part of its partnership with Google's new AI Professional Certification.Donna Morris, Walmart's chief people officerThe Stupid?Skin-Crawlingly Awkward Video Shows Sam Altman and Dario Amodei Refusing to Hold Hands‍ ‍Sam Altman gets defensive about AI's massive electricity usage: ‘It also takes a lot of energy to train a human' Uber employees have an AI clone of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi — and use 'Dara AI' before talking to the big boss himself ‍ ‍Pope Implores Priests to Stop Writing Sermons Using ChatGPT‍ ‍Tech CEOs Confused by Why Everybody Hates AI So MuchMcDonald's CEO is a ‘supersubscriber' of AI tools—and even used it to photoshop all his kids into a Christmas card

The Defense Department's much-delayed background investigation system is years behind schedule and billions over budget. DoD officials say they have a plan to finally deliver the system in the coming years. But lawmakers are concerned about more schedule slips and a lack of permanent leadership to oversee the program. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Folks over at the Defense Department are not happy and it all has to do with unrestricted use of artificial intelligence and that is where we start this evening. This is the Business News Headlines for Tuesday the 24th day of February, thank you for listening. In other news, FedEx is suing the U.S. government and, yes, it's all about money. We've got a new report about consumer confidence that we'll share with you. Reddit has been hit with a 20 million dollar fine…think children. The former CEO of a non-profit that helps homeless in San Francisco is accused to stealing $1.2 million dollars. We will check the numbers in The Wall Street Report and another ruling from the Supreme Court and this time its about the Postal Service. Let's go. Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

This Day in Legal History: Marbury v. MadisonOn February 24, 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Marbury v. Madison, a case that permanently reshaped American constitutional law. The dispute arose after President John Adams appointed several “midnight judges” in the final hours of his administration. One of those appointees, William Marbury, never received his commission because it was not delivered before Thomas Jefferson took office. Jefferson instructed his Secretary of State, James Madison, not to deliver the commission, prompting Marbury to seek relief directly from the Supreme Court.Presiding over the case was Chief Justice John Marshall, whose involvement added a striking layer of irony. Before becoming Chief Justice, Marshall had served as Secretary of State under Adams and had been responsible for sealing the very commissions at issue. In other words, Marshall was now reviewing the legal consequences of actions taken by his former office. Rather than recuse himself, he authored the opinion that would define the Court's authority.Marshall concluded that Marbury had a legal right to his commission but held that the statute granting the Supreme Court power to issue writs of mandamus conflicted with Article III of the Constitution. Because the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, Marshall reasoned, any conflicting statute must be void. In declaring part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional, the Court asserted the power of judicial review for the first time.The decision simultaneously denied Marbury his remedy while expanding the Court's institutional authority. It avoided a direct political confrontation with Jefferson while firmly establishing the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government. What began as a minor political dispute over an undelivered commission became the foundation for the Supreme Court's power to strike down unconstitutional laws.A federal judge has permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing a prosecutor's report concerning the classified documents case against President Donald Trump. The ruling was issued by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who concluded that making the report public would amount to a “manifest injustice” because the case never went to trial. She reasoned that publishing detailed allegations of criminal conduct without a jury verdict would undermine basic fairness principles.The case had been brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith and accused Trump of unlawfully retaining sensitive national defense materials at his Mar-a-Lago property and obstructing government efforts to recover them. Trump and his co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, pleaded not guilty and described the prosecution as politically motivated. In 2024, Cannon dismissed the charges, finding that Smith had not been lawfully appointed.After Trump returned to office, the Justice Department supported efforts to keep the report confidential. Although special counsels are typically required to submit reports explaining their charging decisions, Cannon held that releasing this one would conflict with her earlier rulings, including her determination that Smith's appointment was invalid. She also cited concerns about exposing grand jury material.The decision prevents public disclosure of substantial details about one of the four criminal cases Trump faced after leaving office. It follows the Supreme Court's recent decision limiting Trump's tariff authority and marks another significant legal development in the ongoing disputes surrounding his post-presidency investigations.US judge permanently blocks release of report on Trump documents case | ReutersThe chief judges of two major federal appeals courts have announced plans to step back from active service later this year, creating new vacancies for President Donald Trump to fill. Debra Ann Livingston of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Jeffrey Sutton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit both notified the president that they intend to take senior status. Livingston plans to assume senior status on July 1, while Sutton will do so on October 1.Their decisions come ahead of the November midterm elections, when control of the U.S. Senate could shift, potentially complicating confirmation of successors. Because judicial vacancies have been relatively scarce during Trump's second term, the openings present an opportunity to expand his appellate appointments. During his first term, Trump appointed 54 appellate judges, significantly influencing the judiciary's ideological direction.Both judges were originally appointed by President George W. Bush. Livingston, who has served on the Second Circuit since 2007 and became chief judge in 2020, has at times issued notable dissents, including in cases involving LGBTQ workplace protections and congressional subpoenas tied to Trump's business records. Sutton, on the Sixth Circuit since 2003 and chief judge since 2021, has been an influential conservative jurist. He authored a 2014 opinion upholding same-sex marriage bans that the Supreme Court later overturned in Obergefell v. Hodges.Senior status allows eligible judges to continue hearing cases on a reduced basis while enabling the president to nominate full-time replacements. Their departures will hand Trump two high-profile appellate vacancies at a time when few others are available.Two chief US appellate judges to leave active service, handing Trump vacancies | ReutersIn my weekly column for Bloomberg Tax, I examine the Trump administration's proposed 0.125% “land port maintenance tax” and question whether it is truly infrastructure policy or contingency planning after the Supreme Court curtailed its tariff authority. The proposal is framed as a parity measure to mirror the Harbor Maintenance Fee, but I argue the timing is hard to ignore. Just this week, the Court in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose tariffs, reaffirming that Congress controls taxing power absent clear delegation. In my view, that ruling narrows executive trade authority and invites efforts to find alternative mechanisms embedded elsewhere in the customs code.I suggest the land port tax looks like one such alternative. Although labeled a “maintenance” fee, it would be imposed at the border and function economically like a tariff, with costs passed to US importers and consumers. Because most land-based trade flows through Canada and Mexico, I note that the charge would operate in practice as a North American supply chain tax. Calling it infrastructure policy does not change its price effects.I also argue that the Harbor Maintenance Fee analogy falls apart on inspection. Whatever its flaws, the HMF at least carries a user-fee logic tied to dredging and port upkeep. By contrast, the new proposal appears loosely connected to land-border infrastructure and bundled within a broader maritime industrial policy agenda. If shipbuilding is a national security priority, I contend Congress should fund it transparently through the Defense Department and regular appropriations. If the HMF distorts shipping routes, it should be reformed directly rather than replicated inland.Ultimately, I maintain that after Learning Resources, any border charge that operates like a tariff will face legal skepticism. If policymakers intend to subsidize maritime industry, they should say so clearly, define measurable goals, and subject the costs to democratic accountability. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

A new director with both military command and education experience will take over Defense Department schools beginning next month. Paul Craft, an Ohio Army National Guard officer with more than three decades of service, will replace Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, who brought extensive public education leadership experience to the role. The abrupt leadership change signals a shift in educational priorities for schools serving military families around the world. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Craft will “swiftly reorient DoDEA towards patriotic values and classical learning.” The Defense Department Education Activity serves more than 67,000 military-connected students. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump goes to the Hill for his first State of the Union address of his second term. Schumer vows Democrats will block any further tariff extensions. Ahead of a House vote, the Defense Department objects to a Senate aviation safety bill. Kristina Karisch has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.

Federal Chief Information Officer Greg Barbaccia will be adding two new titles — at least temporarily — to his work in government. The General Services Administration announced Thursday that Barbaccia will join the agency as the acting director of Technology Transformation Services. He'll be replacing Thomas Shedd, one of the few officials left at the agency who helped carry out the so-called Department of Government Efficiency's cost-cutting initiative last year. Shedd will remain at the agency as its senior advisor for fraud prevention, which the GSA said is “an area of increasing importance for the agency and the administration.” The federal CIO was also tapped as senior advisor to the GSA administrator, the agency said. In this role, advising former privacy equity executive Edward Forst, Barbaccia will focus on “emerging technologies, best practices in digital delivery, and cross-government collaboration.” The Pentagon will adhere to existing laws and regulations associated with surveillance, security and democratic processes as it fast-tracks the military's frontier AI adoption, but it won't permit companies supplying the technology to determine its rules for operation, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael told DefenseScoop. His comments come as the Defense Department is locked in a high-stakes dispute with Anthropic about the U.S. military's use of the startup's Claude AI model in real-world operations. During a meeting with a small group of reporters on the sidelines of the annual Microelectronics Commons summit Thursday, Michael provided updates on the department's GenAI.mil rollout and pushed for the ethics-related rift between the Pentagon and Anthropic to be resolved. “I believe and hope that they will ‘cross the Rubicon' and say, ‘This is common sense. The military has certain use cases. There are laws and regulations that govern how those use cases can be done. We're willing to comply with them,'” he said. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

One of the key highlights of the Defense Department's recent memo on multi-factor authentication for unclassified and secret networks is the clarification that DoD Public Key Infrastructure — not the common access card itself — is the department's primary authenticator. Previous policies would often go back and forth between describing the CAC or PKI as DoD's primary credential, creating confusion. Plus, the memo finally introduces passwordless authentication methods designed to give service members faster, more flexible access to systems. For more, Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Alex Antrim and Adam Oliver, senior solutions engineers at Yubico..See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Department is bringing in industry experts to help overhaul its acquisition process. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the new Business Operators for National Defense program, or BOND, has already engaged over 100 industry experts, including dozens of former CEOs, COOs and CIOs already advising senior Pentagon officials. “BOND embeds elite private sector patriots, leaders with decades of experience at world class companies such as Apple, Ford, Microsoft and Tesla, directly into our acquisition process," Hegseth said. "Think of the best of the best leaders of our best private sector companies coming and joining the War Department.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Department has locked itself into another decadeslong lease this time for privatized military barracks, expanding a housing model that has posed significant challenges for military family housing for decades. A Senate lawmaker now warns that the 50 year agreement will limit the Pentagon's ability to change contract terms and hold private companies accountable for inadequate living conditions. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The full impact of continuing resolutions is hard to pin down for the Defense Department, but a government watchdog says the funding lapses consistently lead to delays, higher costs, added administrative work and operational disruptions — including a facilities sustainment contract at Joint Base San Antonio that more than doubled after CR‑related delays. They also disrupted training and exercises and forced financial staff to rework budgets to navigate CR limits instead of supporting the mission. For more, Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Rashmi Agarwal, a director on the Government Accountability Office's defense capabilities and management team.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen

Many Americans by now have received their W-2s or other important tax documents, which can only mean one thing: it's officially tax filing season. You might be ready to submit your documents, but is the IRS itself ready? That's a big question mark looming over the 2026 filing season after the tax agency unleashed seismic cuts to its workforce last year and has pumped the breaks on many of its efforts to modernize. Matt Bracken, editor in chief of FedScoop, has kept close watch of the IRS under the second Trump administration, chronicling the cuts made in 2025 and measuring the possible impact that could have on processing times and backlogs during this filing season. Matt joins the podcast to discuss the outlook for 2026 tax filing, how AI comes into play and much more about the tax agency's ongoing efforts to modernize. The Defense Department announced Monday that it will incorporate OpenAI's ChatGPT into the military's generative AI platform that's already being used by more than a million personnel. ChatGPT has been wildly popular in the commercial sector since it was widely released in 2022. Now the Pentagon plans to add the tech to its GenAI.mil system, which DOD leadership — including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — have been pushing hard for the department's employees to use since it was launched in December. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Marine Corps have already adopted the system as their preferred generative AI platform. The Department of Energy is launching a Genesis Mission Consortium as its latest move to deepen the public-private partnerships fueling the AI platform. The initiative, announced Monday, will facilitate structured partnerships as well as working groups, which will focus on ensuring model validation and reliability, addressing data governance and compliance standards, enabling federated data sharing and accelerating research throughput via reduced operational bottlenecks. The consortium will act as a “collaborative hub” and a “single, coordinated access point” for members and resources, according to the agency. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

The Defense Department says it's cutting ties with Harvard University. The Pentagon says this will be the final school year for its graduate level professional military education programs affiliated with the university. DoD's Harvard fellowships and certificate programs will end too. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he made the decision because of what he calls “globalist and radical ideologies” at the university. Hegseth says the department will be reviewing its relationships with other schools in the coming weeks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Department is backing a new study to see whether an autonomous oxygen system can help medics deliver safer, more precise care in the field. The University of Colorado Anschutz team will test the O2matic technology in real prehospital settings to see if it can lighten medics' workload, conserve oxygen, and improve survival in both military and civilian emergencies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ralph welcomes Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson to discuss a wide range of topics, including NATO, Greenland, Gaza, and more. Then, Ralph speaks to Rabbi Alissa Wise (founding director of Rabbis for Ceasefire) about the “Jews for Food Aid for People in Gaza" campaign. Finally, Ralph and the team address some current events.Lawrence Wilkerson is a retired U.S. Army colonel. Over his 31 years of service, Colonel Wilkerson served as Secretary of State Colin Powell's Chief of Staff from 2002 to 2005, and Special Assistant to General Powell when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993. Colonel Wilkerson also served as Deputy Director and Director of the U.S. Marine Corps War College at Quantico, Virginia, and for fifteen years he was the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and Mary. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network, senior advisor to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and co-founder of the All-Volunteer Force Forum.You aren't a newspaper, not really, if you don't have the guts to go out and get the news wherever it's happening. And you're reporting, nonetheless, to the American people [on the truth]. And it's nothing about the truth. It's as bad as what Netanyahu does in his own country in Hebrew. It's propaganda. And in many cases, it's not even accurate propaganda. It's falsified propaganda. You know, there used to be a law. And the law prohibited anyone in the Defense Department, for example, but any of the government agencies (Defense Department was the most guilty) that said: you cannot propagandize the American people. You can propagandize foreign audiences—even in wartime, you can propagandize those audiences, but you must not propagandize the American people. You have to tell them the truth or tell nothing at all. And if you're a media outlet, you should be telling them the truth, or the truth as you best can determine it. We don't honor that law anymore.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonI think [NATO and the EU are] gone, but I think the prospect for the future ought to be that we replace them. We don't just let them go and not have a replacement. And the replacement should be a European security architecture, which includes the Russians. And last time I checked a Rand McNally map, Russia (at least from the Urals inward) was a part of Europe. And it needs to be based not on spheres of influence, but on economic and financial and other needs that all of that group of people have. That's how you create something that will keep Europe and Russia together and not at loggerheads.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonI've said this a number of times (publicly I've said it) —the January 6th attempt to overthrow the United States government in favor of Donald Trump didn't fail because the system held. It failed because the coup plotters were incompetent, and their incompetence was most visible in not having the military (or a sizable segment thereof). They will not do that again.Colonel Lawrence WilkersonRabbi Alissa Wise is the Lead Organizer of Rabbis for Ceasefire, which she founded in October 2023. She was a staff leader at Jewish Voice for Peace from 2011-2021 and co-founded the JVP Rabbinical Council in 2010. She is co-author of “Solidarity is the Political Version of Love: Lessons from Jewish Anti-Zionist Organizing”. She is also one of the organizers of the “Jews for Food Aid for People in Gaza” campaign.I think there is a lot of support in the Jewish community for living up to core liberatory values that there are within Jewish tradition. This is true in every religious tradition and it's true in Judaism, where you can open the sacred text and find a justification for oppression or you could open a sacred text and find a pathway to liberation. And so what we're inviting people into is to pull the thread of liberatory Judaism. And making the conscious choice that those are the threads of the tradition that we want to pull on.Rabbi Alissa WiseThere's nothing Jewish about what the state of Israel is doing—about the state of Israel at all. It's not actually a fulfillment of Jewish practice or tradition or Torah. It's not a Torah-based government. It's government. It's a nation state. It's a military. And it uses—as I was saying before, one could open the Torah and identify justification for endless war or justification for freedom. And I think they often use their Jewishness as a fig leaf in order to shield themselves from criticism because “when you criticize them, you're being anti-Semitic.” And they pull on certain quotes or elements of Jewish teachings that either seem to uphold what they're doing while at the same time being palatable and accessible to the Christian Zionists that actually have for a long time been empowering US foreign policy.Rabbi Alissa WiseNews 2/6/26* Last week, we discussed the showdown in Congress over forcing Bill and Hillary Clinton to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding the Epstein probe. Despite pressure from Democratic House leadership, many Democrats broke ranks to vote in favor of holding the former President and former Secretary of State in contempt of Congress. If this vote had gone to the full House, it is possible the couple could have been jailed until they agreed to testify. Instead, this week, Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to appear before the Committee. Bill Clinton's relationship with Epstein is well-documented through the flight logs and photos that have emerged since the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Hillary Clinton claims never to have met or spoken with the late sex offender and financier, per the BBC. Former President Clinton will appear for a deposition on February 27th; the former Secretary of State will appear the day before. This piece notes that this will mark the first time a former president has testified to Congress since Gerald Ford did so in 1983 – marking a watershed moment for Congress reasserting its constitutional authority.* In more news of Congress asserting its authority vis-a-vis the Epstein scandal, Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie appeared on “Meet the Press,” this week and said that while the release of the latest batch of files is “significant,” it “is not good enough.” Khanna estimates that only about half of the Epstein files have been released so far. Given how much we have learned from the files so far, it is anyone's guess what lurks in the files they have yet to release. Crucially, withholding the files is in direct contravention of the law authored by the two lawmakers. Khanna stated plainly that “If we don't get the remaining files…Thomas Massie and I are prepared to move on impeachment,” of Attorney General Pam Bondi. This from CNBC.* The Epstein scandal has contributed to growing fissures in the MAGA movement. Perhaps the most notable defector from that camp is retired Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. This week, Greene sat for an interview with conservative radio personality Kim Iversen, and said that President Trump's Make America Great Again slogan was “all a lie…a big lie for the people,” adding “What MAGA is really serving in this administration, who they're serving, is their big donors,” per the Hill. Elaborating further, Greene said that Trump's financial backers are the real beneficiaries of the supposedly populist movement, saying “They get the government contracts, they get the pardons, or somebody they love or one of their friends gets a pardon.” While Greene has resigned her seat in Congress, she shows little sign of disappearing from the public eye. Many speculate she could seek political office in the future, even the presidency, charting a path forward for a post-Trump GOP.* Another major fight in Congress has to do with checking the out of control Department of Homeland Security. While congressional Democrats' response to the events in Minneapolis leaves much to be desired, Senate Democratic leadership is pushing for reforms to “rein in” ICE and Border Patrol, including “body camera requirements, an end to roving patrols, elevated warrant requirements and a measure to ban officers from wearing masks,” per the Hill. While these reforms fall far short of what is needed, they would go a long way toward checking the worst excesses of these out of control organizations that have come to resemble nothing so much as secret police.* At the state level, the New York Times reports New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office will “deploy legal observers to document raids conducted by federal immigration authorities across the state.” These observers, who will be outfitted with clearly identifiable purple vests, are intended to serve as “neutral witnesses on the ground,” and will be “instructed not to interfere with enforcement activity.” This piece highlights that California and New York have already “unveiled online portals for residents to upload photos and videos of misconduct by federal agents that could be used in state lawsuits against the federal government.” A similar effort is being launched by New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill. It remains to be seen whether these attempts to step up oversight of ICE and CBP activity will check the flagrant misconduct we have seen in places in Minneapolis.* In more state and local news, the Root reports the Gullah-Geechee people – descendants of enslaved Africans who formed unique communities including a distinct culture and even language on the coasts of states like Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas – have scored a victory against gentrification on Sapelo Island, the only surviving Gullah-Geechee community in Georgia. In 2023, developers came in and, with local commissioners in their pockets attempted to “eliminate special zoning laws… [and] double the maximum home size on the island…to 3,000 square feet.” In response, local activists and groups like Keep Sapelo Geechee collected thousands of signatures to force a community vote on the matter. This measure passed late last month by a margin of 85%. While small in scale, this victory shows that when residents organize to protect their communities they can win, even in the face of long odds.* A more disturbing story of the American periphery comes to us from Bolts Magazine. This story concerns a family from American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. Pacific territory where residents are “American Nationals” but not citizens of the United States. This family – Tupe Smith, her husband Mike Pese and their children – moved to Whittier, Alaska in 2017 to be close to Pese's mother. Smith, a pillar of the local community, was recruited to run for the school board and won unanimously. However, because she is only a National and not a citizen, despite having a U.S. passport and Social Security number, she was in fact not eligible to run for office or even vote. Smith was arrested and indicted on two charges of felony voter misconduct. The irony of this story is that “The Alaska DMV, which doubles as a voter registration office…did not [even] include [the option to identify as a non-citizen U.S. national on official forms] until 2022” and the state has admitted that it “registered an unspecified number of non-citizens to vote between 2022 and 2024.” Now, because of Alaska's own mistakes, some Nationals are beginning to be deported over their erroneous registrations. Beyond the bureaucratic incompetence, this is a story about the American empire designating people outside of U.S. mainland second-class citizens, or more precisely, Nationals, for no discernible reason other than keeping them as a permanent colonial underclass.* Speaking of American imperial expansion, the Financial Times reports Trump administration officials held covert meetings with fringe separatist groups from Canada's oil-rich province of Alberta, such as the far-right Alberta Prosperity Project. According to this report, separatist leaders have met with US state department officials in Washington three times since April 2025, and the separatists are seeking another meeting next month with state and Treasury officials to ask for a $500 billion credit line to help keep the province afloat financially if an independence referendum is passed. This blatant undermining of Canadian sovereignty triggered outcry in the country, with British Columbia premier David Eby saying “To go to a foreign country and to ask for assistance in breaking up Canada, there's an old fashioned word for that, and that word is treason.” This from another story in the FT.* In more Trump news, after a slew of embarrassing incidents including composer Philip Glass pulling his new Lincoln symphony from the Kennedy Center in protest and the arts director resigning after just days on the job, NPR reports the president announced he will close the center for two years for “Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding.” As the NPR piece notes, this announcement has sent ripples of confusion through the D.C. arts world, including everyone from performers in long running shows like Shear Madness, which is currently booked at the center through October as well as unions with Kennedy Center contracts, such as the musicians of the National Symphony and backstage crew. Moreover, technically Congress would have to approve of this overhaul, though considering how deferential Republican congressional leaders have proven, they would likely rubber-stamp any proposed changes. Regardless, a long-term closure of the Kennedy Center would be a tragic loss for the cultural landscape of Washington and a humiliating acknowledgment of Trump's own mismanagement of the venerable institution.* Finally, we turn to the tiny island nation of Cuba, which has held out against imperialist pressure from the United States for so many decades. This week, President Trump told reporters “Mexico is gonna cease sending [Cuba] oil,” though he did not explain why, per Reuters. At the same time, the Guardian reports Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to send humanitarian aid to Cuba adding that Mexico is “exploring all diplomatic avenues to be able to send fuel to the Cuban people,” despite the pressure campaign by the United States. She further claimed that despite Trump's comments, “We never discussed…the issue of oil with Cuba.” The Reuters piece however notes that “Trump has privately questioned Sheinbaum about crude and fuel shipments to Cuba,” and Sheinbaum “responded that the shipments are ‘humanitarian aid,'” and that Trump “did not directly urge Mexico to halt the oil deliveries.” On Sunday, the Hill reported Pope Leo XIV weighed in to beseech that the two nations engage in a “sincere and effective dialogue in order to avoid violence and every action that could increase the suffering of the dear Cuban people,” echoing a call by the Bishops of Cuba.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

This Day in Legal History: 20th AmendmentOn February 6, 1933, the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially went into effect, reshaping the timeline of federal political power transitions in the United States. Commonly known as the “Lame Duck Amendment,” it was ratified just weeks earlier, on January 23, 1933, but became operative on this day. The amendment moved the inauguration dates of the president and vice president from March 4 to January 20 and newly elected members of Congress from March 4 to January 3.This was a significant reform. Previously, there had been a long delay—about four months—between election and inauguration. The result was a period where outgoing officials retained power despite potentially losing their mandates, often leading to inaction and political stagnation. This was particularly problematic during times of crisis. For example, after Franklin D. Roosevelt won the 1932 election, he had to wait until March to take office while the nation was deep in the throes of the Great Depression, and President Hoover remained largely inactive.The 20th Amendment also clarified procedures for what should happen if the president-elect dies before taking office, a scenario not fully accounted for in earlier constitutional provisions. Section 3 addresses this contingency, while Section 4 gives Congress the authority to legislate procedures for succession and emergencies.By speeding up the transfer of power, the amendment reduced the influence of “lame duck” sessions, promoting a more responsive and democratic governance structure. It also underscored a constitutional shift toward greater efficiency in the federal system.The Trump administration has appointed 33 new immigration judges, 27 of whom are temporary, following the dismissal or departure of over 100 judges since Trump's return to office in January 2025. This reshaping of the immigration court system is part of a broader push to increase deportations and speed up case processing. The newly sworn-in judges will serve in courts across 15 states, including Texas, California, and New York.A significant number of the appointees have military experience—half of the permanent judges and all of the temporary ones—reflecting a Pentagon-supported effort to deploy Defense Department lawyers into immigration roles. Critics, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association, argue that the mass firings have severely depleted judicial capacity, especially amid a record backlog of 3.2 million pending immigration cases.The administration is also set to introduce a regulation reducing the time migrants have to appeal deportation rulings from 30 to 10 days. This fast-track process would give the Board of Immigration Appeals greater authority to summarily dismiss appeals, a move likely to draw legal challenges given prior rulings against similar reinterpretations of immigration law.Trump administration names 33 new immigration judges, most with military backgrounds | ReutersBrad Karp has stepped down as chairman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP following revelations of his extensive correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein. The emails, released by the Department of Justice, revealed years of personal and professional interaction between Karp and Epstein, including Karp's praise of legal arguments dismissing victims' claims and discussions about sensitive financial matters involving Epstein's associates. Though Karp has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing, the disclosures created internal and public pressure leading to his resignation.Karp will remain at the firm in a non-leadership role, while corporate department head Scott Barshay has assumed the chairmanship. Barshay is known for high-profile mergers, including deals involving Chevron and Anheuser-Busch. Karp had led the firm since 2008, building its revenue significantly and taking on both corporate defense and progressive political causes.The fallout also reignited criticism over Paul Weiss' controversial 2025 deal with the Trump administration. In that arrangement, Karp brokered pro bono legal commitments in exchange for the rescission of an executive order that limited the firm's federal work—an effort that involved direct lobbying by Robert Kraft and a meeting with Donald Trump.Epstein emails lead Brad Karp to resign as Paul Weiss law firm chairman | ReutersA federal jury in Phoenix has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to Jaylynn Dean, who said she was assaulted by a driver at age 19. The trial, the first of over 3,000 consolidated cases, served as a bellwether to assess the legal strength and settlement value of similar claims. The jury found the driver acted as an agent of Uber, making the company liable, but declined to award punitive damages.Dean's lawyers argued Uber knowingly failed to implement safety improvements despite rising reports of assaults. The case highlighted Uber's marketing to women as a safe option, which attorneys said misled passengers about real risks. Dean was intoxicated when she ordered a ride in Arizona in 2023 and was allegedly attacked after the driver stopped the vehicle.Uber denied liability, stating the driver had no criminal record and that the incident was unforeseeable. The company emphasized that it passed background checks and claimed the jury's decision supported its broader safety efforts, though it plans to appeal.The trial has implications for both Uber and Lyft, whose shares dipped following the verdict. Analysts believe the case may lead to enhanced background screening across the ride-hailing industry.Uber ordered to pay $8.5 million in trial over driver sex assault claims | ReutersA legal fight has emerged between a group of U.S. states and pharmacist T.J. Novak, a whistleblower seeking a portion of the $4.7 billion opioid settlement the states reached with Walgreens. Novak previously filed a federal False Claims Act case accusing Walgreens of unlawfully filling opioid prescriptions and billing government health programs. The U.S. government settled with Walgreens for $300 million, including $150 million tied to Novak's claims—earning him a whistleblower payout of over $25 million.Novak now argues that the states' massive 2022 settlement with Walgreens also resolved his state-level claims under their respective false claims statutes, entitling him to additional compensation. The states dispute this, saying their deal addressed public nuisance concerns, not false claims violations. They warn that granting Novak a cut would force courts into a complex and inconsistent analysis across 28 different state laws and could open the door to broad whistleblower entitlements in future state actions.Key states like Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Virginia filed briefs opposing Novak's claim, stressing the differences in statutory frameworks and the nature of the claims resolved. The outcome could impact future whistleblower litigation involving parallel state and federal claims tied to nationwide corporate settlements.States square off with opioids whistleblower over payout from $4.7 billion Walgreens settlement | ReutersThis week's closing theme is by Felix Mendelssohn.This week's closing theme is Lied ohne Worte, Op. 109, by Mendelssohn, a composer whose refined lyricism shaped the early Romantic era. Born in 1809, Mendelssohn was a prodigy who bridged Classical form and Romantic expression with grace and clarity. His Lieder ohne Worte—or “Songs Without Words”—are brief piano pieces that aim to convey the emotional depth of a song, but without lyrics. Op. 109, one of the last in the series, is especially introspective and serene, a quiet farewell rendered in music alone.Today, February 6, holds subtle resonance in Mendelssohn's legacy. Though his death is commonly dated to November 4, 1847, some historical sources using the Julian calendar recorded it as February 6, making this date a quiet point of remembrance in certain circles. In that light, Lied ohne Worte, Op. 109, feels like a particularly appropriate selection—a final musical gesture from a composer who believed some feelings transcend words.It's also a fitting close to a week of heavy stories—legal struggles, political reshuffling, and institutional reckonings. Mendelssohn offers no commentary, just clarity and calm. In the hush of his music, we're reminded that reflection doesn't always need a headline.Without further ado, Lied ohne Worte, Op. 109, by Felix Mendelssohn – enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Molly Roberts, Michael Feinberg, and Troy Edwards to talk through the week's big warrant-related national security news, including:“Tulsi Went Down to Georgia, She Was Looking for a Vote to Steal.” This past week, the FBI executed a warrant to search Fulton County's election center for ballots and equipment related to the 2020 election, with the help of an unlikely senior administration official: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was reportedly there in-person at the order of President Trump. Observers are concerned that the search is the beginning of a broader effort to relitigate the 2020 election—especially as Trump calls for Republicans in Congress to “nationalize elections” in advance of the November mid-terms. What do we know about the legal basis for this search? And what does it tell us about what the Trump administration has planned for November?“I Hear the Jury's Still Out on the Fourth Amendment.” Over the past week, whistleblowers have revealed that ICE has issued a series of internal memos to agents advising that they do not need judicial warrants to detain or search the homes of people suspected of being undocumented immigrants. Instead, ICE has attempted to side-step the regular judicial process by suggesting that agents only need an administrative warrant, a controversial move that will almost certainly be challenged in court. What do we think of ICE's decision to shift to such a legally dubious policy, and where do we expect it to go from here?“Ex Post Justification.” Last month, the FBI conducted a search on the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson as part of an investigation into alleged leaks by a Defense Department contractor. During the search, agents seized Natanson's personal and professional devices, which drew concern from media outlets and civil liberty groups over potential First Amendment and privacy violations. A magistrate judge has now ordered that the FBI cannot access Natanson's materials at least for now, while some of these issues are litigated. How should federal law enforcement balance the need to conduct leak investigations with press freedoms? And is this case on the right side of the line?In object lessons, sometimes all you can do is cry: Molly is remembering better days for the Washington Post and mourning the fall of a once-great paper. Sometimes all you can do is get lost in the music: Mike is celebrating the still-great Miles Davis with the long-awaited release of The Complete Miles Davis Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965 on vinyl. Sometimes all you can do is laugh: Scott is delighting in his former State Department colleague's new Substack, Ridiculocracy. And sometimes, all you can do is wear something fabulous: Troy is modeling the new wardrobe must-have for the “Government in Exile.”To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Molly Roberts, Michael Feinberg, and Troy Edwards to talk through the week's big warrant-related national security news, including:“Tulsi Went Down to Georgia, She Was Looking for a Vote to Steal.” This past week, the FBI executed a warrant to search Fulton County's election center for ballots and equipment related to the 2020 election, with the help of an unlikely senior administration official: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was reportedly there in-person at the order of President Trump. Observers are concerned that the search is the beginning of a broader effort to relitigate the 2020 election—especially as Trump calls for Republicans in Congress to “nationalize elections” in advance of the November mid-terms. What do we know about the legal basis for this search? And what does it tell us about what the Trump administration has planned for November?“I Hear the Jury's Still Out on the Fourth Amendment.” Over the past week, whistleblowers have revealed that ICE has issued a series of internal memos to agents advising that they do not need judicial warrants to detain or search the homes of people suspected of being undocumented immigrants. Instead, ICE has attempted to side-step the regular judicial process by suggesting that agents only need an administrative warrant, a controversial move that will almost certainly be challenged in court. What do we think of ICE's decision to shift to such a legally dubious policy, and where do we expect it to go from here?“Ex Post Justification.” Last month, the FBI conducted a search on the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson as part of an investigation into alleged leaks by a Defense Department contractor. During the search, agents seized Natanson's personal and professional devices, which drew concern from media outlets and civil liberty groups over potential First Amendment and privacy violations. A magistrate judge has now ordered that the FBI cannot access Natanson's materials at least for now, while some of these issues are litigated. How should federal law enforcement balance the need to conduct leak investigations with press freedoms? And is this case on the right side of the line?In object lessons, sometimes all you can do is cry: Molly is remembering better days for the Washington Post and mourning the fall of a once-great paper. Sometimes all you can do is get lost in the music: Mike is celebrating the still-great Miles Davis with the long-awaited release of The Complete Miles Davis Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965 on vinyl. Sometimes all you can do is laugh: Scott is delighting in his former State Department colleague's new Substack, Ridiculocracy. And sometimes, all you can do is wear something fabulous: Troy is modeling the new wardrobe must-have for the “Government in Exile.”To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government is in a partial shutdown, Democrats refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security as well as other major departments and their agencies, including the Defense Department, State Department, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service. Melania the movie is triggering lefties and their news outlets as it crushes at the box office with best opening weekend for a documentary in 14 years. Don Lemon has been indicted by a grand jury and is now on his Leftist martyrdom tour, he got a stand ovation at The Grammy's and is set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel tonight. Dr. Ben Carson joins me today to discuss his role as advisor to the USDA and HHS. The Trump administration has ended the war on whole milk. The nutrients in whole milk are essential to our children's development and the kids actually love the way it tastes. Flipping the food pyramid and encouraging people to eat real food will have a tremendous impact on the overall health of Americans and increase life expectancy, which has actually gone down before the Trump administration. In 1963 a Florida Congressman introduced 45 Communist goals, it's shocking how many of the have made their way into American society. One of which is to infiltrate our school systems to soften the curriculum and transmit Socialist and Communist propaganda. Dr. Carson wants to see an expansion of school choice so parents can thwart this indoctrination and send their children to a school of their choosing. President Trump acknowledged national school choice week with a proclamation to renew our commitment to empowering every American parent with the freedom to forge their family's — and our Nation's — future. Featuring: Dr. Ben Carson Founder | American Cornerstone Advisor | USDA, HHS, FDA Little Patriots is a free, online resource to teach children American history and values today: https://www.youtube.com/@littlepatriotslearning Champion Conservative solutions to our nation's toughest challenges: https://americancornerstone.org/ My latest book Trump 2.0: The Revolution That Will Permanently Transform America is available for preorder, just click the link: https://a.co/d/67kKgje Today's show is sponsored by: Beam Are you tossing and turning at night and running on fumes during the day? If so, then you are missing out on the most important part of your wellness, sleep. If you want to wake up refreshed, inspired and ready to take on the day then you have to try Beam's Dream powder. This best-selling blend of Reishi, Magnesium, L-Theanine, Apigenin and Melatonin will help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed. So if you're ready for the best night of sleep you ever had just head to https://shopbeam.com/SPICER to receive 40% off your order. American Financing American Financing has been helping homeowners save money for 25 years. American Financing is America's home for home loans. Right now, mortgage rates are at a three-year low, and my friends at American Financing are helping homeowners pay off that high interest debt at rates in the low 5s. American Financing customers are saving an average of $800 per month. So call 866-891-7332 today to see how you can save or visit ⁠https://apply.americanfinancing.net/spicer⁠ and tell them Sean Spicer sent you! ------------------------------------------------------------- 1️⃣ Subscribe and ring the bell for new videos: https://youtube.com/seanmspicer?sub_confirmation=1 2️⃣ Become a part of The Sean Spicer Show community: https://www.seanspicer.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Last Trade: Gold and silver surge while bitcoin stalls — Mel Mattison unpacks the macro divergence, the Clarity Act's failure, and why the fundamental case for non-USD assets is only getting stronger.---

York Space Systems CEO & Founder Dirk Wallinger joins Morgan Brennan to discuss his company's IPO, its work with the Defense Department, and the impact of a potential SpaceX IPO on the industry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

York Space Systems CEO & Founder Dirk Wallinger joins Morgan Brennan to discuss his company's IPO, its work with the Defense Department, and the impact of a potential SpaceX IPO on the industry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After spending five years and tens of millions of dollars developing a new travel management system, the Defense Department abruptly scrapped the effort in 2023 and reverted to the legacy Defense Travel System it was meant to replace. A government watchdog looked into why the program failed and how the Pentagon can avoid repeating the same mistakes. For more, Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Vijay D'Souza, Director of GAO's Information Technology and Cybersecurity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stars and Stripes, the venerated, independent award-winning newspaper that has served the armed services for roughly a century, may be getting an uninvited makeover, courtesy of Pete Hegseth's Defense Department.  In a statement posted on X earlier this month, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that Stars and Stripes would no longer be carrying wire reports from  the Associated Press, and that it would steer away from all that is woke or might sap morale. Parnell said the defense department would be bringing the newspaper “into the 21st century.”  Brooke spoke to Erik Slavin, Editor-in-Chief of Stars and Stripes. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

The Pentagon said it consolidated policies around protecting American military facilities from drone threats after unclear guidance that left base commanders scrambling on how to respond and years of increased unmanned aerial system sightings over key Defense Department assets. Drone incursions over American military bases jumped considerably over the last several years, alarming officials, and a Pentagon watchdog report released last week said the DOD's confused policies meant some facilities in the U.S. couldn't adequately protect themselves. Following the release of the Defense Department Inspector General report last Tuesday, which noted dire gaps in military counter-UAS policy that limited base responses to drone threats, the Pentagon said it had already adjusted its guidelines last month in an effort to give commanders “expanded authority and flexibility needed to dominate the airspace above their installations.” Countering drones in the U.S. is complex and has been a yearslong, thorny problem for the military, especially as the tech becomes ubiquitous for both hobbyists and adversaries. Stateside drone defense means navigating a delicate balance between protecting military installations while avoiding civilian harm or infrastructure damage. But the issue is only growing, top military officials have said, and the new guidance is the latest attempt by the Pentagon to manage it. The policies, which the release said was signed on Dec. 8 by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, expanded base commanders' defensive area around facilities, explicitly identified any unauthorized drone surveillance over installations as a threat, allowed UAS sensor data sharing between other federal agencies and authorized top service leaders to designate facilities as “covered,” a special classification that allows for drone defense. With tax filing season officially gearing up, the Treasury Department's watchdog is warning the IRS that its workforce reductions and delays to modernization projects have left the tax agency in a precarious position. In a memo sent Monday to the IRS commissioner, Diana M. Tengesdal, deputy inspector general for audit, wrote that the agency's cuts have brought staffing back to October 2021 levels, prior to the Inflation Reduction Act funding infusion aimed at strengthening enforcement on wealthy individuals and corporations and modernizing antiquated IT systems. The loss of personnel has led to a backsliding on previous agency priorities, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration official noted, pointing specifically to a pandemic-created backlog of tax returns awaiting processing. The tax agency had made serious strides in addressing that backlog, TIGTA found in a September 2023 report, but Trump administration staff cuts combined with the recent government shutdown have led to inventory levels that are 129% higher than pre-pandemic figures. “Inventory that is not worked during the current processing year will be carried into the 2026 Filing Season and may affect the IRS's ability to timely process tax returns during the filing season, especially with reduced staff,” Tengesdal wrote. “This could result in delays in taxpayers receiving refunds and could result in the IRS paying interest,” she continued. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton A closer look at what Congress protected in the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science bill and how lawmakers plan to hold agencies accountable for how that funding is used On the eve of a major public‑service award, a look at why integrity, courage, and principled leadership still define excellence in government The Defense Department is taking a closer look at 8(a) contracts, and reshaping how innovation is managedSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Department is sending two clear signals to the contracting community this month: it's reviewing large 8(a) contracts, and it's reshaping how innovation moves through the Pentagon. We'll walk through what's under review, what's changing in the innovation ecosystem, and what industry should be paying attention to right now with Jim Carroll, CEO of the Professional Services Council.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Civil Rights: May the Defense Department bar transgender citizens from serving in the military? - Argued: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 6:8:26 EDT

The Department of Homeland Security would need to follow stricter guidelines when using mobile biometric applications under legislation introduced Thursday by the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee and other Democrats. The Realigning Mobile Phone Biometrics for American Privacy Protection Act seeks to prohibit the use of such technology except for identification at ports of entry, bars DHS from sharing the apps with non-law enforcement agencies, and implements a 12-hour storage limit on data in the apps. The legislation points to the DHS app Mobile Fortify, other mobile identification apps and potential successor apps as the prime targets. If the bill gains ground, DHS would need to remove the technology from any non-DHS IT systems and workflows outside the ports of entry. Mississippi's Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, said in a press release accompanying the bill's introduction: “DHS should not be conducting surveillance by experimenting with Americans' faces and fingerprints in the field — especially with unproven and biased technology. We can secure the Homeland and respect the rights and privacy of Americans at the same time.” The bill's other co-sponsors are Democratic Reps. Lou Correa of California, Shri Thanedar of Michigan, Yvette Clarke of New York, Grace Meng of New York, and Adriano Espaillat of New York. In written statements, members pointed to concerns around privacy, constitutional violations, civil liberties and the technology's potential deficiencies. The Army's top civilian leader said that the service will “kill NIPR” at multiple locations — likely starting next month — in an experiment to see if commercial internet solutions would be more effective. Speaking to soldiers at a town hall at Fort Drum, New York, on Monday, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said “we're going to bring you down to the commercial internet and we think it will solve all sorts of problems.” If the evaluation is successful, the Army will scale it across the service, he added. NIPR, which stands for Non-classified Internet Protocol Router, is the military's communication network for unclassified information. Defense Department personnel can access commercial browsers or email through NIPR, for example, but the network is owned and secured by the military. An Army spokesperson told DefenseScoop that the service is evaluating “a shift” from NIPR to a commercial solution that can handle data at Impact Level 5. IL5 includes Controlled Unclassified Information, according to the Defense Information Systems Agency, which is considered sensitive and necessary to protect, but does not meet criteria for classification. The spokesperson said that the evaluation is intended to “cut costs, boost performance and enhance cybersecurity.” They added that the effort was in coordination with the Pentagon's Office of the Chief Information Officer, DISA and other military services. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Today's Headlines: After a year of publicly badgering Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not bending interest rates to his personal preferences, the Trump administration is now having the DOJ investigate Powell over his testimony about renovations to the Fed's DC headquarters. Powell responded with a rare straight-to-camera video accusing Trump of using the probe as retaliation for not manipulating rates. Meanwhile, the Defense Department announced it's taking a $150 million preferred equity stake in ATALCO, the only major U.S. producer of gallium — a critical mineral used in military radar and satellites — in a move that looks a lot like soft nationalization but for national security. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is suing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after Hegseth tried to strip him of his Navy captain rank and retirement benefits, a fight that is very much still unfolding. Trump's EPA also announced it will stop factoring in lives saved and health benefits when setting air pollution regulations, which feels like an interesting new definition of “cost-benefit analysis.” In labor news, roughly 15,000 nurses at major NYC hospitals went on strike demanding safer staffing ratios, better pay, and improved security — aka the bare minimum to keep hospitals functioning. On the tech-politics crossover beat, Meta named Dina Powell McCormick — former Trump deputy national security adviser and wife of GOP Sen. David McCormick — as its new president and vice chair, a hire Trump was thrilled to personally endorse online. Elsewhere, a 19-year-old appeared in federal court on arson charges for allegedly setting fire to Mississippi's historic Beth Israel Congregation synagogue, and former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola announced she's running for Alaska's U.S. Senate seat in 2026, giving Dems at least one race to daydream about. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: U.S. Prosecutors Are Investigating Fed Chair Jerome Powell Bloomberg: Trump Administration Takes Stake in Critical Mineral Firm ATALCO Axios: Mark Kelly hits Hegseth with lawsuit over Navy rank demotion threats NYT: E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved by Limiting Air Pollution NYT: Nearly 15,000 Nurses Go on Strike at Major New York City Hospitals Alaska Public: Mary Peltola enters Alaska U.S. Senate race NYT: New York Seeks Ban on A.I.-Generated Images of Candidates CNBC: Meta names former Trump advisor Dina Powell McCormick as president, vice chair Clarion Ledger: Hearing set for Madison County man accused of setting fire at Beth Israel in MS Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MCNAMARA'S REDEMPTION AT THE WORLD BANK Colleague William Taubman. After leaving the Defense Department, McNamara sought redemption as President of the World Bank, shifting its focus to aiding the "poorest of the poor" and combating diseases like river blindness. He viewed this humanitarian work as an attempt to explain the lives lost in Vietnam, later admitting that the bombing campaigns he oversaw failed to break enemy morale just as they had in World War II. While he claimed ignorance regarding the toxicity of Agent Orange and struggled with family estrangement due to the war, he eventually attempted to reconcile his legacy and his relationship with his son. NUMBER 8 1897

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe WSJ is predicting higher electricity costs in 2026. Trump is bringing down the cost of energy and implementing new energy sources. Electricity increased because of the the green new scam. Trump is now going after the Federal Reserve for gross incompetence, this will lead to exposing the Fed’s criminal activity. The [DS] infiltrated Congress going all the way back to 1929, the continued to present day. They made it so they have the ability to control those people they install. There are no term limits, this allows these people to stay in their positions for a very longtime. Trump is now setting the stage to return the power back to the people. This is much bigger than a few arrests. Economy Average Electricity Rates by State, What Do You Pay?  Hawaii and California have the highest rates. Idaho the lowest. Average Residential Electricity Rates by State   Electricity Cost 10 Lowest States Be Prepared to Keep Paying More for Electricity The Wall Street Journal says Be Prepared to Keep Paying More for Electricity Source:  mishtalk.com  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2005964583727780156?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2005751158149615698?s=20  Trump claims the project has overrun by $4 billion (he mentions $4.1 billion total for “a few small buildings”), calling it the “highest price in the history of construction.” He contrasts this with his own White House ballroom project, which he says is under budget and ahead of schedule despite its cost doubling to $400 million from an earlier $200 million estimate.  Yes, discovery could occur—if the case advances past initial hurdles. This would allow Trump’s side to subpoena Fed documents, emails, financial records, and testimony related to the renovations. This could effectively let them “look into” specific aspects of what the Fed has been doing, such as budgeting, contracting, and project management for the HQ overhaul. Discovery rules under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are broad, potentially uncovering internal Fed communications or decisions tied to the alleged incompetence.    Trump could request a GAO investigation into the HQ project overruns. Political/Rights Longtime Democrat George Clooney and His Family Ditch America, Move to France, and Secure French Citizenship Hollywood elitist and longtime Democrat activist George Clooney has officially joined the growing list of wealthy, left-wing celebrities who preach “American values” while quietly distancing themselves from the United States. Clooney, along with his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children, has reportedly obtained French citizenship through a naturalization decree. The couple's 8-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, were included in the process.  Clooney went on to explain that he feared raising his children in Los Angeles. “I was worried about raising our kids in L. A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France—they kind of don't give a shit about fame. I don't want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don't want them being compared to somebody else's famous kids.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/2005844962769064196?s=20 beliefs. Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome. The arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it. https://twitter.com/Oilfield_Rando/status/2005834821503705445?s=20 DOGE Geopolitical New Report Appears to Confirm Covenant School Shooter Audrey Hale Bought Guns With Student Loan Money The FBI has just released more pages from the manifesto of Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale, which suggest that she bought the guns used in the 2023 shooting with money she had from a Pell Grant. Hale's parents suggested this two years ago and this report appears to confirm that. The Tennessee Star reports: Latest FBI Release of Covenant School Manifesto Files Appears to Confirm Trans-Identified Killer Bought Guns with Pell Grant Money The FBI on Monday released another 230 manifesto pages written by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the biological female who identified as a transgender man on March 27, 2023, when the 28-year-old killed six at the Covenant School in Nashville, the Christian elementary school she once attended. This latest journal appears to have been written sometime in late 2021, and includes lengthy sections about the weapons the killer planned to use to commit a mass shooting at a school sometime that year. Following multiple pages full of weapons to purchase, the journal includes a page labeled “Account Savings Record,” which appears to reference the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It also records multiple payments received from Nossi during the period when Hale attended the Nossi College of Art and Design in Nashville. “FASFA [sic] grant checks started at $2,050.86,” wrote Hale at the top of the entry. The page then lists a series of apparent ledger entries, starting with, “$2,656.87 (x3 checks from Nossi).” The next ledger entry states, “+$530.00 (x1 check Nossi) ($3,186.87).” This reference to Hale's federal student aid, located in the writings next to her entries about guns she considered buying, appears to corroborate the claims made by her parents to Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) detectives in 2023, when they told law enforcement their child purchased the firearms using federal Pell Grant money.  Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/Noahpinion/status/2005425950306263265?s=20 War/Peace https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2005747398614847766?s=20 https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2005757621278761205?s=20 Trump clarifies that if Hamas do not disarm like they promised, that any number of the 59 countries who signed onto the peace deal, will completely wipe out Hamas.  Protests Erupt Across Iran As Angry People Flood Streets  The mullahs have ruled in Iran since 1979. So you had millions that went to helping to prop up the terrorist state. But the Iranians are a persistent people, it would appear, especially when you hurt them in their wallets and make it challenging to survive. We’re at another one of those moments in history where hope has sparked again in the country, and people are in the streets, calling for change. Nationwide strikes and protests by merchants continued across Iran, with shops shuttered in major commercial hubs including Tehran's Grand Bazaar, Lalehzar Street, Naser Khosrow and Istanbul Square. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans calling for the downfall of the ruling clerics and demanding the leadership step aside. Video circulating online showed protesters inside a major shopping complex in Tehran's Grand Bazaar chanting, “Have no fear, we are all together,” while hurling insults at security forces and calling them shameless. Source: redstate.com Crushed by inflation, soaring living costs, and a future stolen by the regime, Iranians are back in the streets to protest. In a chilling echo of Tiananmen's Tank Man, one man defiantly sits down before the riot police. Desperation has met courage. Funds have been cutoff to the Mullahs/DS. They will lose control in the end and the people will rise up and take back their country. Cyber attacks ‘tipping point' warning issued after Harrods and M&S targeted Cyber attacks surged into prominence in 2025, inflicting significant financial damage on major British businesses and exposing widespread vulnerabilities across the economy. High-profile targets included automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover, retail stalwart Marks & Spencer, and luxury department store Harrods, underscoring how firms of all sizes are susceptible to sophisticated digital threats. Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, articulated his belief that cyber attacks represent one of the most substantial threats to UK financial stability, stressing the “critically important” need for collaborative defence. He stated: “Cyber attacks are far from new, but 2025 has shown just how deeply cyber risk is intertwined with economic stability and business continuity.” Source:  uk.news.yahoo.com  President Trump Responds to the 91-Drone Attack on Putin's Residence in Novgorod region During an impromptu press availability beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump responded to a question about a drone attack against the personal residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Trump noted that he was informed of the attack by President Putin during an early Monday phone call between the two leaders. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied the accusation that Ukraine carried out this particular attack.  The attack took place while Zelenskyy was in Florida meeting with President Trump. U.S. media have said the attack on Putin may be a lie; however, with physical evidence from the defense operation, it is less likely Russia just made up the attack.  At this moment in the conflict, Putin doesn't need domestic propaganda. CONTEXT: British intelligence previously confirmed their participation in the successful Ukraine drone attack against long-range Russian bombers.  That operation, highly controversial at the time, was previously confirmed by President Trump saying the U.S. was not informed in advance. The “coalition of the willing” has also expanded.  Outside the Ukraine regime, the current group making up the “coalition of the willing” includes: the U.K, France, Germany, Canada and Australia.  It is worth noting the additions are all part of the British commonwealth (U.K, Canada, Australia).   I suspect the British did it Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2005810672672624746?s=20   and utilities have materially underperformed the broader market over the last few years. This has been fueled by the outsized gains in the US technology sector. A similar pattern occurred during the 1990s, while the opposite took place during the 2008 Financial Crisis, when global defensive stocks outperformed. Defensive sectors are lagging. Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda Soros family reportedly donated more than $71,000 to Letitia James campaigns Leftist billionaire George Soros and members of his family have donated more than $71,000 to political campaigns supporting New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James since 2019, according to a report published Sunday by the New York Post. The report, citing campaign finance records, said the total includes $31,000 contributed toward James' 2026 reelection bid. Soros personally donated $18,000 in July 2024, while his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Soros, contributed $13,000 in May. With earlier donations included, Soros and his family have provided James with roughly $40,000 more since 2019, the Post reported. The figure does not include the indirect support James has received through left-leaning organizations backed by Soros. The report said Soros' Open Society Foundations have given more than $865,000 to the New York branch of the Working Families Party since 2018. Source:  rsbnetwork.com  https://twitter.com/SteveRob/status/2005683753432351171?s=20 https://twitter.com/mazemoore/status/2005361462580011272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2005361462580011272%7Ctwgr%5E084f3c4b7bd7fa1059f91dab99d5e9dce1ab3cec%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fnick-arama%2F2025%2F12%2F29%2Fthis-didnt-age-well-what-tim-walz-said-about-child-care-providers-during-2024-debate-n2197568 in Minnesota.” Yes Tim, you sure did make it easy for people to open childcare businesses. They don’t even need to provide childcare to get paid. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005702559239946273?s=20  admitted to the scheme and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the underlying fraud, with nearly $48 million ordered in restitution. Separate sentencing remains pending for the bribery conviction. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2005794263091798284?s=20   in there until today. That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” a local said. About 20 kids were seen “streaming in and out” of the center, according to the Post. “You do realize there's supposed to be 99 children here in this building, and there's no one here?” Shirley said in his viral video. The owner’s son, Ali Ibrahim, claims Shirley came before they opened and is blaming their graphic designer for messing up the sign. “What I understand is [the owners] dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn't think it was a big issue,” Ibrahim said https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2005812805786607882?s=20   children for the cameras. https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2005766571487289395?s=20   citizens.” – MN AG Keith Ellison https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005871452562555304?s=20  shootings the morning of Saturday June 13th at approximately 2:30am and 3:30am, in around [unclear] that I will probably be dead by the time you read this letter. I wanted to share some info with you that you might find interesting. I was trained by U.S. Military people off the books starting in college. I have been on projects since that time in Eastern Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa. All in the line of duty what I thought was right and in the best interest of the United States. Recently I was approached about a project that Tim Walz wanted done, and Keith [unclear] was also aware of the project. Tim wanted me to kill Amy Klobuchar and Tina [unclear]. Tim wants to be a senator and he doesn't trust [unclear] to retire as planned and this is meant to stay in the last mile with Amy & [unclear] gone. Tim would get one of the open senate seats, and [unclear] was to be VP, and Keith Ellison would be rewarded with a lucrative governing position. I told Tim I wanted nothing to do with it and that I didn't call off that plan I would go public. He said he would call it off himself if I didn't play ball. Then he set up a meeting with me and [unclear] and [unclear] to take care of me when I refused. They had some people waiting to kill me. I was able to get away by God's mercy. So I went back a short time later and shot back at [unclear]. You should notice how I didn't fire me rounds at any police officers and by God I have plenty of opportunity. Ask for the report on how many weapons and ammunition I had with me. Cops were pulling up right next to me in unmarked vehicles and I had an AK pistol across my lap. And I could have left a pile of cops dead but I did not. Short burst towards law enforcement. You can ask them. Because I snapped the police and chose not to see them hurt. But it may end up my wife and kids next time. I won't give them a pass. If you think I'm making this up just get on the phone and tell Tim you have a few questions for him. Then ask Tim Walz if he knows me and see what he says? If he says he doesn't know me, or never met me, look in the files and you will see that Tim personally approved me to be on his Governor's workforce. Bridges are the business representatives. He is probably trying to destroy that note but it is public record. Then ask Tim Walz why they kept the shots silent from the media when they first happened. Not a word in the press and I. Why? They needed to get their stories figured out. So everyone was on the same page about what happened. Tim is probably crapping bricks right now because I'm still at large and he knows what I can disclose and that I know about all the buried skeletons are. So I will be shot on sight you can bet on that. If you want me to turn myself in it need to be directly to you and then I need to be held at a military prison or in the Middle East, or at least on a ship. These guys have military backgrounds and can get to anybody. I am willing to spill all the beans. I just want my family safe. They had nothing to do with this and are totally innocent. This was a lone person https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005811252409344411?s=20 Tim Walz is trying to bury the evidence of Somalian money laundering. His government website showing all the daycare licenses is having a mysterious “outage”. They are freaking out. https://twitter.com/feelsdesperate/status/2005736682100777121?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2005699538808697062?s=20 Trump fires 17 government watchdogs at various federal agencies President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at various federal agencies late Friday, a Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News, as he continues to reshape the government at a blistering pace. Trump dismissed inspectors general at agencies within the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of Veterans Affairs and more, notifying them by email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the Washington Post first reported. “It's a widespread massacre,” one of the terminated inspectors general told the Post. “Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system.” Source: foxnews.com Trump has been in office for 11 months. The Trump US Attorney has been in control of the Minneapolis Office less than that. These are programs the Biden DOJ did not investigate — they investigated “Feeding our Future” only. So the investigations of 13 other federally funded welfare programs started from scratch.   https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2005764911427731459?s=20 THREAD https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2005688449026908544?s=20 https://twitter.com/politico/status/2005765912167911931?s=20 https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2005851479425310785?s=20  https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2005864187575128397?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005816218226233847?s=20 The National Guard is building a “quick reaction force” (QRF) of some 23,500 troops trained in crowd control and civil disturbance that can be ready to deploy to U.S. cities by early next year, according to a leaked memo reported by multiple outlets Wednesday.  The Oct. 8 memo, signed by National Guard Bureau Director of Operations Maj. Gen. Ronald Burkett, orders the Guard from nearly every U.S. state, Puerto Rico and Guam to train 500 service members. States with smaller populations such as Delaware will have 250 troops in its force, while Alaska will have 350 and Guam will have 100, Task & Purpose reported. Attorney General Pam Bondi Directs DOJ to Investigate Obama-Biden Era ‘Lawfare' as Ongoing Criminal Conspiracy Attorney General Pam Bondi has confirmed that the Department of Justice is actively probing what she describes as a decade-long pattern of government weaponization and “lawfare” under the Obama and Biden administrations. Bondi has directed U.S. Attorneys and federal agents to treat these actions as an “ongoing criminal conspiracy,” potentially allowing prosecutors to bypass statutes of limitations and hold high-ranking officials accountable for alleged election interference and civil rights violations. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  child-like illogic. And if you want to jump in and comment on whatever your particular axe to grind is and how disappointed you are that axe did not get ground in 11 months, please refer to the preposterous, child-like illogic mentioned above. https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/2005766903579701465?s=20 Look at the structure itself. 435 representatives for more than 300 million citizens. One voice per 700,000 people. The founders envisioned one per 30,000. That ratio was frozen in 1929, locked by the Permanent Apportionment Act, ensuring the number would remain manageable. Manageable for whom? One hundred senators. 535 total legislators controlling the direction of the largest economy in human history. You do not need to purchase a nation. You purchase 535 people. Or fewer. Buy the committee chairs. Fewer still. Buy the leadership. A few dozen individuals, properly leveraged through money or blackmail (it's actually both), steer everything. The bottleneck is artificial. Engineered for efficient capture. The Federal Reserve arrived in 1913, transferring monetary sovereignty from the people to a private banking cartel. That same year, the 17th Amendment removed state legislatures from Senate appointments, severing the balance between federal and state power. The intelligence apparatus emerged after World War II as a parallel government operating beyond electoral accountability. The administrative state metastasized into an unelected fourth branch writing rules with the force of law. Layer upon layer. Each generation inherits chains from contracts they never signed, bound by compromises made long before their birth. Yes, the Founding Fathers intended for the House of Representatives to expand as the population grew. The U.S. Constitution’s Article I, Section 2 established an initial apportionment ratio of no more than one representative per 30,000 inhabitants (with each state guaranteed at least one), implying that the total number would increase based on census results every ten years. the framers expected regular adjustments to maintain proportional representation as the nation expanded.  James Madison, in Federalist No. 58, directly addressed concerns that the House might not grow, arguing that the Constitution’s mechanisms—such as decennial reapportionments—would “augment the number of representatives” over time, and that political incentives (e.g., larger states pushing for increases) would ensure it happened.  This intent is further supported by the proposed (but unratified) Congressional Apportionment Amendment from the original Bill of Rights, which aimed to set a formula preventing the House from becoming too small relative to the population.  However, the House was permanently capped at 435 members by the Apportionment Act of 1929, diverging from this original vision. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2005740095979069669?s=20   attempt instead chase smaller game, run interference, attack each other, send you down rabbit holes, and offer limited hangouts that lead nowhere. The silence is bipartisan. The silence is the tell. If your enemy acts and your ally does nothing despite holding every lever of power, you do not have two sides. WAIT… THERE'S MORE… https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005729994782466232?s=20   our walls, with Antifa and radical Islamic terrorist groups still at large, without Trump's people in position, without the public being informed of the treasonous conspiracy, without the wars around the globe being settled, without rogue Deep State elements like Iran's nuclear capabilities being shut down, all while the public are extremely emotionally charged after the election cycle and have been repeatedly brainwashed to believe that Trump is Hitler about to unleash a military dictatorship… There's levels to this shit. Many variables must be accounted for and many pieces must be in place before we can do something of this magnitude. But if you've been paying attention, you'd see that much of these things have already been taken care of over Trump's first year. I'm more optimistic than I've ever been, and frankly I don't understand how people don't see what Trump is doing. The price to pay for striking early, could result in mass civilian casualties, the entire operation will be ruined, the Republic will fall to the Deep State, and all of us will be tax/labor slaves forever. We can't afford to miss. Everything must be perfect, and Trump is putting the pieces into place to make it happen. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien sits down with Cristin Dorgelo, a former senior adviser for management at the Office of Management and Budget, and Rob Storch, who served as the inspector general of the Defense Department until the Trump administration fired him and many of his colleagues in January of this year. They discuss those firings, other Trump administration attacks on the offices of the inspector general, and various attempts by the administration to undermine oversight and evade accountability, all covered in a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities called “Trump Administration's Undercutting of Oversight Hurts Taxpayers and Beneficiaries.”To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.