Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) appeared on MSNBC's *The Weekend Primetime* on Sunday, where she argued that U.S. air strikes against Iran do not constitute war, describing them instead as "strategic strikes." Luna distinguished between the strikes and a full-scale invasion, noting the absence of ground troops, while dismissing characterizations that the actions amount to starting a war. Her comments came in defense of President Trump's military actions targeting sites in Iran.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has filed a court motion seeking to dismiss a Trump administration Department of Justice demand for voter registration and election records, arguing the request violates state privacy laws protecting sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and signatures. Fontes contends the DOJ has not clearly explained how the records would support a civil rights investigation and suggests the real goal is building a national voter database to check immigration status. He also argues that Arizona already verifies citizenship during the voter registration process, making the requested records unnecessary for identifying noncitizen voters. A federal judge in California recently dismissed a similar DOJ request against that state, calling the agency's justification "contrived," and Arizona is one of more than two dozen states facing such lawsuits.
Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on February 26, 2026, urging the Department of Justice to investigate Chinese-owned surrogacy agencies operating in the United States. The senators cited reports of more than 107 such agencies in Southern California alone, alleging they help wealthy Chinese clients obtain U.S. citizenship for their children, who are then raised in China under CCP influence. The letter raises national security concerns and requests information on potential federal violations, including immigration fraud and foreign-agent registration, with written responses due by March 13, 2026.
A federal habeas corpus case, *Aguilar Perez v. Bondi et al* (1:26-cv-21359), was filed on March 2, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The petitioner, Elder Geovany Aguilar Perez, has named several government officials as respondents, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons, and others with alleged custody over the petitioner.
Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), along with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), have introduced War Powers resolutions in response to President Trump's military strikes on Iran, which they argue are unconstitutional and unauthorized by Congress. The article contends that the strikes lack legal justification under both the Constitution and the War Powers Act of 1973, as they do not meet the criteria of responding to an attack on the U.S. or its forces. Legal experts cited in the piece assert that Trump had no unilateral authority to order the military action, as no imminent threat was demonstrated. The article argues that Congress has a constitutional duty to assert its war-declaring powers, though efforts to do so face significant obstacles from Republican congressional leadership.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie warned President Trump that the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," cannot serve as a distraction from the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The strikes, which began Saturday and resulted in the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, launched shortly after Bill Clinton testified before the House Oversight Committee about his ties to Epstein. Several Republican figures, including Massie, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Sen. Rand Paul, have criticized the military action — with Paul arguing it was constitutionally improper without congressional approval. Early polling indicates only about one in four Americans supports the operation, which Trump has said could last four to five weeks.
Unauthorized stickers designed to resemble Hollywood Walk of Fame stars, dubbed the "Jeffrey Epstein Walk of Shame," appeared near the White House in Washington's Farragut Square, featuring the names of politicians and businesspeople linked to the late convicted sex offender. The stickers include QR codes linking to Department of Justice documents and include figures such as Elon Musk, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, billionaire Les Wexner, former President Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew, among others. The installation comes amid ongoing congressional scrutiny of Epstein's associates following the release of new Epstein files. It remains unclear who placed the stickers.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a press conference Monday alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine to outline U.S. rationale and objectives for joining Israel in striking Iran. Hegseth grew visibly irritated during the Q&A session, pushing back on reporters who questioned whether the conflict could escalate into a longer war and dismissing an NBC News correspondent's question about a four-week timeline as a "gotcha" question. When pressed on specific objectives, Hegseth stated the mission was to prevent Iran from using its conventional military capabilities to pursue nuclear weapons, though he declined to provide detailed plans or timelines, citing operational security. The press conference was notably held before a press corps that includes more Trump-friendly outlets, after Hegseth's policy change stripped traditional media organizations of their Pentagon press credentials.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that no U.S. troops are currently on the ground in Iran while declining to rule out a future ground presence. When pressed on military objectives, Hegseth stated the U.S. "would go as far as we need to go" but offered no specifics on whether ground troops could be deployed at a later stage. The remarks came amid broader U.S. military operations against Iran, referred to as Operation Epic Fury, which has already resulted in at least four American service member deaths.
Upon returning to the White House the day after announcing a military assault on Iran, President Trump declined to answer reporters' questions about the operation's objectives, the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, or the three U.S. service members killed in the conflict. Instead, Trump paused to praise newly installed statues of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin in the Rose Garden, saying "Unbelievable statues," before walking away without addressing the media. His response drew widespread criticism on social media, with users and public figures condemning his remarks as inappropriate given the ongoing military conflict and U.S. casualties.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at a Pentagon press conference that military strikes against Iran will not lead to "endless war," while acknowledging the operation will take significant time to complete. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that achieving military objectives will be "difficult and gritty work" and that additional U.S. casualties are expected, with a fourth service member already having died from injuries sustained in the operation. The U.S.-Israeli strikes, conducted under operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury, entered their third day Monday, with President Trump previously suggesting the campaign could last up to four weeks. Kuwait's air defenses mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack, and Iranian leadership has shown no signs of yielding despite the ongoing strikes.
President Trump told CNN that the U.S. has "not even started hitting them hard" in its military campaign against Iran, suggesting a larger wave of strikes is forthcoming, while stating he initially anticipated the conflict lasting about four weeks and believes it is "a little ahead of schedule." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at a Pentagon press conference, declined to provide a timeline for Operation Epic Fury, saying the administration would not disclose operational details, though he initially ruled out U.S. ground troops in Iran before hedging on whether that would remain the case. Military leaders confirmed four U.S. service members have been killed in Iran's counterattack and warned additional casualties are expected. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found only one in four Americans support the military action, with more than half viewing Trump's use of force as excessive.
