Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) clashed with MSNBC hosts on Sunday after arguing that U.S. airstrikes against Iran do not constitute war, characterizing them instead as "strategic strikes." Hosts pushed back, noting that President Trump himself has described the operations as "major combat operations" and acknowledged that American casualties are likely, using the word "war" in his own statements. Three U.S. service members have already been killed in retaliatory Iranian attacks, and Trump's unilateral military action has not been approved by Congress. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is asking a federal judge to block the Trump administration's efforts to obtain voter registration and election records from the state. Fontes acknowledges that some information, such as names, addresses, and party affiliation, is publicly accessible, but argues that much of what the Department of Justice is demanding is protected under state privacy laws. The protected information includes Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, mother's maiden names, birthplace, email addresses, and signatures.
Democratic Representatives Deborah Ross, Jamie Raskin, and Ro Khanna have sent a letter to Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall demanding an explanation for Ghislaine Maxwell's transfer from a low-security Florida facility to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas. The transfer occurred shortly after an unusual interview in which Maxwell reportedly stated she never witnessed President Trump behave improperly during their time together with Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats argue that the Epstein Files Transparency Act legally requires the release of all documents related to Maxwell, including those concerning her transfer and any special privileges she has received. Attorney General Pam Bondi has denied involvement in the transfer and claimed, inaccurately, that Maxwell was moved to a facility of the same security level.
Four U.S. service members have died from injuries sustained during U.S. military attacks on Iran, according to an announcement from the military on Monday. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the U.S. did not initiate the conflict but intends to see it through.
Michigan state and local officials are exploring multiple avenues to block a proposed ICE immigrant detention center in Romulus, including permit denials, zoning challenges, and potential legal action by Attorney General Dana Nessel. The Department of Homeland Security plans to convert a 473,158-square-foot warehouse into a secure detention facility, and ICE confirmed it has already purchased the property, estimating the project would create over 1,400 jobs and generate more than $33 million in tax revenue. Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight has pledged not to issue permits for the facility, and the city council unanimously passed a resolution opposing it, while a similar dispute is unfolding in Southfield over ICE office space. Legal experts note the federal government may have authority to preempt some local zoning laws, leaving officials with limited but still-contested options.
The House is expected to vote Thursday on a war powers resolution that would require Congressional approval before President Trump orders further military action against Iran, with the vote pushed by a bipartisan group led by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). House Speaker Mike Johnson informed Republican lawmakers of the upcoming vote on a Sunday call, while urging members to vote against the resolution. Republican leadership faces a narrow margin, as Johnson can only afford to lose one vote if all members are present. Johnson also indicated plans for a separate vote this week on Department of Homeland Security funding amid an ongoing partial government shutdown.
SAN ANTONIO — At the Commodity Classic here Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that USDA is establishing a “One Farmer, One File” technology system “to create a single, streamlined record that follows the farmer...
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly urged President Trump in private calls to attack Iran, a regional rival, as Saudi Arabia and the UAE — both of which have extensive financial ties to Trump and Jared Kushner — lobbied for military action. Kushner's private equity firm, Affinity Partners, received a $2 billion investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund and approximately $200 million from the UAE, while Trump envoy Steve Witkoff holds a significant stake in a crypto firm that received hundreds of millions from UAE-linked entities. Despite having previously pledged to stay out of government, Kushner participated as a key negotiator in last-ditch mediation talks with Iran in Geneva, after which both he and Witkoff expressed disappointment with Iran's position. The article also notes that the Trump Organization recently finalized a $7 billion Saudi-funded development deal, and that the conflict has already resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members and hundreds of Iranians.
ICE has significantly expanded its operations under the Trump administration, receiving a funding boost estimated at $22 billion annually and conducting large-scale enforcement actions such as Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which resulted in 3,000 arrests. The agency has faced criticism over the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, the detention of children including those with active asylum cases, and reports that 170 U.S. citizens were detained in the first nine months of Trump's second term. Concerns have been raised about ICE's growing role beyond immigration enforcement, including its presence at overseas diplomatic events and former Trump advisor Steve Bannon's stated intention to deploy agents at polling stations during the 2026 midterm elections. Critics argue these developments reflect a broader shift toward domestic surveillance and political militarization, raising questions about democratic oversight and civil liberties.
President Donald Trump has engaged in an unprecedented campaign to attach his name to federal buildings, institutions, currencies, and programs during his second term, with historians noting this is unlike anything seen from previous American presidents. While past presidents have had landmarks named after them posthumously or through others' initiatives, Trump is actively lobbying to name things after himself while still in office — something historians describe as entirely new in the history of the republic. Many of these renamings lack congressional authorization and could be reversed by a future administration, though some, like the renaming of Palm Beach International Airport, have been codified into law. Historians and preservationists have raised concerns about the top-down, self-directed nature of these commemorations, contrasting Trump's approach with that of predecessors like George Washington, who rejected grandiose titles, and Gerald Ford, who vetoed a bill naming a federal building after himself as "improper."
The U.S. and Israel jointly killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, triggering an expanding conflict across the Middle East, with Iranian-backed militias launching retaliatory strikes on targets including Erbil Airport in Iraq, which hosts U.S. military assets. The Department of Defense reported three U.S. service members killed, five seriously injured, and six others stable after ejecting from fighter jets shot down in a friendly fire incident in Kuwait. President Trump stated that combat operations would continue "until all objectives are achieved" and suggested the conflict could last four to five weeks, though the ultimate goals — whether regime change or eliminating Iran's nuclear program — remain unclear. Congressional Democrats are pushing for a War Powers Resolution vote to require Trump to seek congressional approval for military action, while most Republicans have backed the president's decision.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation on Saturday, along with several top Iranian security officials including the defense minister and Revolutionary Guard commander. The large-scale operation, dubbed "Epic Fury" by the Pentagon and "Roaring Lion" by Israel, involved approximately 200 Israeli fighter jets striking around 500 targets across Iran, with the stated goal of eliminating Iran's missile program and toppling the Islamic regime. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and several Gulf nations, killing and injuring dozens, while Iran's Red Crescent reported over 200 deaths from strikes across the country. President Trump warned Iran against further retaliation, threatening an unprecedented military response, while the UN Secretary-General condemned the strikes from both sides and called for peaceful resolution.
