Cabot Phillips
Appearances
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
Yeah, I've been the bearer of bad news lately, so it's nice to have some positive news here. On Tuesday, the president announced major developments on a trade deal with South Korea, America's sixth largest trading partner.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
Writing on Truth Social, he said he just finished a, quote, great call with acting President Han Deok-soo, adding that, quote, we have the confines and probability of a great deal for both countries. Their top team is on a plane heading to the U.S. and things are looking good.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
According to the South Korean government, in exchange for reduced tariffs, they're willing to import more American products, particularly natural gas. Likewise, the president said Japan, our fourth largest trading partner, is also sending a negotiating team to Washington. They'll be meeting directly with Treasury Secretary Scott Besson.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
For his part, Besson expressed optimism outside the White House yesterday.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
In the coming days, the Trump administration will also host representatives from Vietnam, our 10th largest trading partner. And on April 17th, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Maloney will visit the White House herself to negotiate on behalf of the European Union. All told, the White House says nearly 70 countries have now expressed a desire to negotiate.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
But it seems clear Trump is prioritizing our biggest trading partners first. According to White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, as those talks kick off, we are the ones with the leverage.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
Now, those seemingly imminent deals sparked optimism on Wall Street as markets jumped 3% to 4% Tuesday morning. But ultimately, that run was short-lived as the Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P each began to slump around noon and ended the day in the red.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
Well, the main corporate appears to be China. On Tuesday afternoon, it became clear that Beijing was prepared for a drawn-out trade war. Remember, while other countries responded to tariffs by seeking a deal, China went the other way, saying they would, quote, never accept such treatment. and slapping additional 34% tariffs on U.S. imports.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
They accused the White House of economic, quote, blackmail, and Trump responded with a 50% tariff on top of those already in place. So starting at midnight last night, the Chinese began facing 104% tariffs on all goods coming to the U.S., It's not exactly breaking news that the U.S. imports a lot of stuff from China, and the expected price increases on those goods is clearly spooking investors.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
In the meantime, the president said he will cease all negotiations with the Chinese until they make an offer. According to Levitt, they can only hold out for so long.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
Right. So the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing yesterday where United States Trade Representative Jameson Greer appeared before lawmakers to defend the president's trade agenda. And it got heated. Here's Virginia Senator Mark Warner, for example, grilling Greer on tariffs against Australia.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
We heard similar combative rhetoric from Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, but Greer stood his ground, assuring lawmakers that the stock market was far less important than America's working class.
Morning Wire
SCOTUS Trump Wins & Stock Market Tariff Turbulence | 4.9.25
So Democrats pushing back on Trump's tariffs, but the White House making clear that they're standing firm.
Morning Wire
LA Fire Forecast & Israel Recovers Hostage Bodies | Afternoon Update | 1.8.25
Prime Minister Mattei Fredriksen responded to Trump, saying Greenland is not for sale. Remarks also follow a personal visit to the island this week by Donald Trump Jr. Fredriksen told Danish TV that Greenland's future is for its own people to decide, dismissing Trump's proposal as unrealistic. Meanwhile, Trump Jr.
Morning Wire
LA Fire Forecast & Israel Recovers Hostage Bodies | Afternoon Update | 1.8.25
toured Greenland's capital, shooting a video for his podcast, but avoiding government meetings. Trump has long claimed Greenland is critical to U.S. security, posting on social media, quote, "'Make Greenland Great Again.'"
Morning Wire
LA Fire Forecast & Israel Recovers Hostage Bodies | Afternoon Update | 1.8.25
Separately, Trump's suggestion to make Canada the 51st state has also prompted some strong reactions from Canadian officials, including both former Prime Minister Trudeau and Conservative Majority Leader Pierre Palliev.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
Well, this is Trump's second press conference since Election Day. Trump, who campaigned on that promise to attract businesses from around the world, announced that Dubai-based development company Demac will be investing $20 billion in the U.S., building new data centers across the Sun Belt and Midwest with American workers. Here's the company's founder and CEO, Hussein Sejwani.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
After that major business announcement, Trump addressed a number of recent moves from President Biden, including his stunning last-minute decision to permanently ban offshore drilling across 650 million acres of federal waters.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
Later on, Trump really set off a social media firestorm after making this announcement regarding the Gulf of Mexico.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
Yeah, so Trump hinted at that idea during his first term, though it was never really clear how serious he was. But in recent months, he has revived that discussion and by all appearances is serious. The president posted on Truth Social, quote, Greenland is an incredible place and the people will benefit tremendously if and when it becomes part of our nation.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
We will protect it and cherish it from a very vicious outside world.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
Now, those comments came as Trump's son, Don Jr., made a visit to Greenland, where he met with locals and toured sites, telling supporters there, quote, And it's worth noting, while the idea might sound crazy, there is some historical precedent. Following World War II, for example, Harry Truman attempted to acquire Greenland, offering Denmark $100 million for the island.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
Andrew Johnson also expressed interest in the plan back in 1867. Now, for those wondering why Greenland, the island's location poses significant strategic advantages and would allow our military an important foothold in the Arctic Circle. And perhaps more importantly, Greenland is rich in natural resources, including rare earth minerals.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
So for background, Trump is scheduled to be sentenced January 10th in the New York hush money trial involving Stormy Daniels. The president's legal team is in the process of appealing that conviction and filed a request Tuesday to delay sentencing until that appeal has gone through. They cited the unprecedented nature of the case and the Supreme Court's recent ruling on presidential immunity.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
But within hours of that latest request, a New York appeals judge struck it down, saying the sentencing must proceed on the 10th. While Trump initially faced up to four years in prison, presiding judge Juan Merchan has indicated that given the election results... He'll send Trump to a lesser unconditional discharge, meaning he is almost certainly not going to face prison, fines or probation.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
We'll have to wait until Friday, though, to see the exact details of the sentence.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Well, we heard a lot. At one hour and 40 minutes, it was the longest address to Congress in American history. Now, much of that was due to interruptions from Democrats. We'll get to that in a bit, but a lot to cover. The theme of Trump's address was, quote, renewal of the American dream. The president took the podium and kicked things off with a simple message.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Now, typically a president's first address to Congress is largely focused on what they're going to do in the future. But Trump started things off by listing off what his administration has already accomplished in the six weeks since he took office. As we expected, he started by touting the record decrease in illegal border crossings last month.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Next, Trump went on to laud the accomplishments of Doge while pointing out especially egregious examples of government waste that his administration has uncovered.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
And as we expected, Trump took aim at DEI policies, vowing to force the federal government and corporations to implement merit-based hiring strategies.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
And the president also used the address to break news on multiple fronts. First, he announced that reciprocal tariffs on our trading partners would officially go into place on April 2nd.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
And then he announced for the first time the capture of one of the masterminds behind the Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members during the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Trump went on to address the war in Ukraine following that contentious meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky last week. According to Trump, he says Zelensky is willing to come back to the negotiating table and end the war swiftly.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Now, as I alluded to earlier, one of the big stories of the night was the response from Democrats. Not only did they refuse to stand or even applaud for really anything Trump addressed, including the capture of terrorists or the return of American prisoners in Russia, they staged a number of protests.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Dozens of members held up signs throughout the evening with words like liar, Musk steals, this is not normal, etc. And there were also a number of loud outbursts and boos. And in a truly stunning moment, one Democratic member, Al Green, stood up and yelled at Donald Trump in the middle of his speech.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Greene ignored numerous warnings from Speaker Johnson, continued to scream for 60 seconds or so, and was finally forced off the floor by the House Sergeant at Arms. It was a wild, unprecedented moment. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
It's worth noting after the address, Speaker Johnson said that there would likely be an effort to censure Greene over that outburst. For his part, Trump took the opportunity to address the Democrats gathered in the chamber.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Absolutely, Georgia. And, you know, there's way more to recap than we have time for, but I'll do my best to highlight some of the most notable moments. We have to start with one of the most tender moments of the night. DJ Daniel, a young Texas boy who was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018 and who dreams of being a police officer.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
He was in the audience dressed in a police uniform given to him by the Houston Police Department. Trump shouted him out and mentioned that he had been made an honorary cop by a number of police departments. And then Trump surprised him with a very special honor. And I'll be honest, I shouted out loud when it happened. Here's some of that incredible moment.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Trump also told the story of Peyton McNabb, a female high school athlete who suffered a traumatic brain injury when a male player who was allowed to play on the girls' team spiked a volleyball into her head.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Also in attendance was Jason Hartley, a high school senior who comes from a family of military service members and law enforcement. As a boy, Jason lost his father, who was a Los Angeles County sheriff. His dream is to be accepted to West Point. Here's what Trump said to him.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
The gallery erupted with that unexpected good news.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Yeah, what a remarkable story. And it ties into the first assassination attempt. As our own Cassie Akiva has reported, Trump promised Mark's mother, Malfeen, that he would get her son back if he was re-elected. He made that promise just minutes before taking the stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a would-be assassin fired at him.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Tonight, Trump said that God spared him that day so he could make America great again, but I imagine Malfeen thinks God saved Trump so he could bring her son home.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
Corey Comparatore's wife, Helen, and two daughters, Allison and Kaylee, were also in the audience. Corey, of course, was in attendance at the Butler rally and who was killed by Trump's would-be assassin. Trump has made it a point to honor Comparatore since then, including over the summer at the Republican National Convention and, of course, again tonight.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Joint Address to Congress | 3.5.25
And it's worth noting that at least three Democrat senators, Mark Kelly, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Richard Blumenthal, did not stand for Riley's family. And those are just the ones we saw on the feed.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
Well, back in November, when Trump announced his cabinet appointments, a few names jumped out as facing the toughest roads to confirmation. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But on Tuesday, both appointees cleared a major hurdle and now appear well on their way to confirmation. First, Kennedy won approval from the Senate Finance Committee by a 14-13 party-line vote.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
The White House had been concerned that his nomination would be killed by Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who really grilled Kennedy last week on his vaccine skepticism, specifically his past claims that vaccines were related to increased rates of autism in children. But ultimately, Cassidy came around, saying on X, quote,
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
and the opportunity to make progress on the issue we agree on, like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes. Cassidy added that the, quote, honest counsel of J.D. Vance helped win him over. Kennedy will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote where he can afford to lose just three Republicans. But so far, none have said they'll oppose him.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
So it appears RFK will be the next health secretary. And then there's Tulsi Gabbard, who also had a strong day yesterday. How did that play out? Right. So like Kennedy, Gabbard could only afford to lose one Republican vote to pass the Senate Intelligence Committee, which seemed like a tall order. Three Republicans on that committee, including Susan Collins, James Lankford and Todd Young.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
had all grilled her during her confirmation hearing and expressed major reservations about her appointment to Director of National Intelligence. But all three fell in line Tuesday, allowing her to pass the committee by another 9-8 party-line vote.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
For his part, Senator Young released a list of assurances that Gabbard had given him, which he said helped win him over, including her promise to go after whistleblowers and the intel community, who illegally disclosed confidential information, along with commitments to refrain from lobbying President Trump for the pardon of NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
Yeah, the looming confirmations of Gabbard and Kennedy and the relatively easy confirmation late yesterday of Pam Bondi for Attorney General are further proof of just how united the GOP is right now behind Donald Trump. Over the last 30 years, the average president had three cabinet appointments fail to win confirmation.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
But if Gabbard and Kennedy get through, that number for Trump will likely be just one. His original pick for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz. Here's how CNN described Trump's cabinet confirmation so far. Trump's picks have been doing better than the average in terms of getting through the United States Senate. Simply put in a word, he's winning.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
Right, a lot to keep up with from the White House. So the Wall Street Journal is reporting that President Trump is preparing an executive order that would dismantle the Department of Education, slashing any programs or functions within the department that are not explicitly laid out in the law.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
The order will also go a step further and reportedly include calls for legislation to abolish the DOE entirely. with federal education funding going directly to states. Since the department's creation under Jimmy Carter, Republicans have been calling for its abolishment, saying it's unnecessary and makes the education system less efficient and more expensive. But we haven't seen action like this.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
Here is Trump speaking on the matter yesterday.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
Ultimately, though, abolition of the DOE must go through Congress, where 60 votes would be needed in the Senate. It will be very much an uphill battle.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
So on Tuesday, the Trump administration began sending flights full of illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay. The White House says the base will be used for, quote, the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. Other criminal legals could also end up in El Salvador.
Morning Wire
RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25
During a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukhali announced that his country would be willing to accept criminal aliens and even U.S. citizens for a, quote, small fee. It's unclear if Trump will take him up on that offer, but Secretary Rubio said, quote, no country has ever made an offer of friendship such as this.
Morning Wire
Laken Riley Act Signed & Cartel Train Heists | Afternoon Update | 1.29.25
President Trump has signed the Lake and Riley Act into law. That makes it the first piece of legislation to get his signature since retaking the Oval Office. Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olihan was in the room and has the details for us.
Morning Wire
Laken Riley Act Signed & Cartel Train Heists | Afternoon Update | 1.29.25
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced questioning and in many cases fierce opposition from the Senate Finance Committee about his bid to head up Health and Human Services. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has the latest.
Morning Wire
Laken Riley Act Signed & Cartel Train Heists | Afternoon Update | 1.29.25
Nearly a dozen members of the Sinaloa cartel were busted in a train heist involving over $200,000 worth of Nike merch. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce reports.
Morning Wire
Laken Riley Act Signed & Cartel Train Heists | Afternoon Update | 1.29.25
And a powerful storm could bring severe weather including flash flooding and potential tornadoes to the southern plains and Texas. Damaging winds and hail are expected in the Lone Star State tonight with storms intensifying across the south tomorrow. Flash flooding is a major concern from Dallas to Kentucky. with up to five inches of rain expected in some areas.
Morning Wire
Laken Riley Act Signed & Cartel Train Heists | Afternoon Update | 1.29.25
A flood watch is in effect for Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. The system is expected to hit the northeast later this week, bringing rain and possible ice and snow to higher elevations.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Yeah, I know, John, a lot of people hear the words budget resolution and their eyes gloss over. It's certainly not the sexiest topic, but it is hugely consequential. For weeks now, Republicans have been putting together a massive spending resolution that will lay the framework for funding some of Trump's big ticket campaign promises. The heart of the plan contains three major focuses.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
First, it calls for four point five trillion dollars in tax cuts. including renewing President Trump's 2017 tax cuts and also paving the way to eliminate taxes on Social Security payments, tips, and overtime. Next, it includes a $300 billion increase in spending for defense and the southern border.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Finally, in its current stage, the resolution calls for around $1.5 trillion in future cuts to the federal budget, though it's not yet clear exactly where those cuts would come from.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Yeah, because Republicans hold such a small majority, they could only afford to lose a few votes to get this thing passed. That left Speaker Johnson scrambling to appease each wing of the GOP. The budget hawks want more cuts. The moderates support cuts, but want to protect Medicaid. The foreign policy hawks want cuts, just not for defense spending. You get the idea.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Supporters of the resolution are basically saying, don't make perfect the enemy of good. This moves us in the right direction. I spoke with Brandon Arnold, executive director of the National Taxpayers Union. He's in that camp. Here's what he had to say.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Now, coming into Tuesday morning, it looked like everyone in the GOP caucus was finally getting on board. But a handful of hardline conservative members put their foot down, saying the plan was a good starting point, but did not offer enough guaranteed cuts.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Leading the charge was Kentucky Republican Thomas Massey, who said there weren't enough assurances that the resolution would actually cut spending.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
In the end, though, Massey was the only Republican who voted no. All the other GOP members who were on the fence got on board and the measure was passed 217 to 215. It was a major victory for Speaker Mike Johnson and for Donald Trump. It's worth noting the president was on the phone all day calling Republicans on the fence, telling them to fall in line. That pressure campaign continued.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
obviously helped. Now that the resolution has passed the House, the Senate will also have to approve it with a simple majority vote. And again, that could be difficult. Here's Arnold explaining why.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
Right. So President Trump and Putin talked for about two hours. By the end, they had agreed to a limited ceasefire, which will ensure Russia ends strikes on Ukrainian energy and infrastructure facilities for the next 30 days.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
Remember, Moscow has used waves of drones and missiles to target Ukrainian energy plants and refineries, knocking out power across the country and cutting electricity production in half. Likewise, for their part, Ukrainians have had success striking Russian oil refineries, threatening one of their top industries. So both sides benefit from the agreement.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
Now, there had been some optimism that Putin would be willing to sign off on a broader total ceasefire Tuesday. That obviously did not happen, but... It is undoubtedly a major step in the right direction, and the White House says that it's just the start. Right, just the first step. What comes next?
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
Well, the Trump administration was insistent that yesterday's agreement was phase one of a broader, quote, which will begin immediately with further formal negotiations taking place in the Middle East. Up next, the two sides will work on a broader maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, followed by a full ceasefire across both countries. From there, quote, permanent peace will be the goal.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
In the meantime, as further signs of progress, the Kremlin announced that they would conduct a prisoner swap with Ukrainians later today, with 175 prisoners being released from each side.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
Trump, ever the businessman, relied on economic incentives to try and bring Putin to the table, essentially reminding him that a peace deal would allow Russia to reenter the global economy and shake off those crippling sanctions. But again, there is still a lot of work to be done to get Putin to sign off. Yeah, and what is that? What exactly is Putin looking for?
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
So the big sticking point for Russia is continued military support for Ukraine. Putin praised Trump for his, quote, noble goal of peace, but did make clear Tuesday that if he's going to agree to a ceasefire, Europe and the U.S. must agree to an immediate halt on weapon shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukrainians. Now, the Ukrainians have expressed opposition to those demands.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
They fear that the Russians could use that pause in weapon shipments to counterattack. reorganize and rearm and ultimately then break the ceasefire when the Ukrainians are at their most vulnerable. But more broadly, Ukrainian President Zelensky did express support, albeit cautious support for Tuesday's agreement.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
He also confirmed that his country would agree to the terms and would halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. So definite steps in the right direction.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
Yeah, this conflict going in the opposite direction. On Tuesday, Israel launched a series of airstrikes in Gaza, killing hundreds of Palestinians. Hamas says the victims were mostly civilians, including children. Israel says they targeted terrorists. After the strike, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that it was, quote,
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
and his country would continue pushing forward until Hamas has been destroyed and all of the hostages brought home. Netanyahu says that not only has Hamas failed to abide by the terms of the ceasefire, but that Israeli intelligence had proof they were regrouping and preparing new attacks on his nation. For more on the situation, we spoke with Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.
Morning Wire
Putin Moves Toward Peace & JFK Files Released | 3.19.25
For their part, the White House stood by Israel Tuesday, saying the two countries were, quote, in lockstep. And the Netanyahu had consulted with the White House before launching those strikes. A continued solidarity between the White House and Israel.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
So get us up to speed here. Yeah, some major diplomatic developments out of Saudi Arabia, where the U.S. and Russia met in earnest for the first time in three years. The two sides agreed Tuesday to appoint special teams of negotiators who would begin formal negotiations on a peace deal in Ukraine and worked on arranging a face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
European allies and Vladimir Zelenskyy decried the meeting as an affront to Ukraine. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Trump is doing what no one else can do and what he was elected to do.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
And to Rubio's point, it's certainly remarkable just how quickly these peace talks have come about. Trump and Putin had their first call of Trump's second term last week. And now seven days later, their top deputies are meeting face to face. Usually these things take much longer months to work out. The White House says it's proof that Trump is a swift mover when it comes to negotiating peace.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Now the big question, just how productive was this meeting? Well, we're still a ways off from any substantive movement on the war itself, though the U.S. did call for a ceasefire on attacks on energy facilities from both sides while the talks move forward. But zooming out, the most consequential development It was simply the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Russia. U.S.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, called the meeting, quote, positive, upbeat, and constructive, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was, quote, very useful. So they were positive coming out as a sort of sign of goodwill. The two countries agreed Tuesday to allow staff to return to their respective embassies in Moscow and Washington.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Rubio also made sure to remind Russia that if they agreed to a deal, the U.S. would be willing to engage in new economic partnerships. He also suggested Trump would be willing to lift sanctions on Moscow. So trying to sweeten the pot there.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
So Trump's goal is fairly simple. He wants Russia to withdraw their troops and end the invasion. But it's likely that'll only happen if Putin is allowed to hold on to some Ukrainian territory he's already taken, specifically in Crimea and the Donbass. Putin desperately wants to avoid coming back empty-handed and has made clear that he will keep fighting if a deal does not include that land.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Now, for his part, Zelensky has previously said he would not agree to any deal that allowed Putin to keep territory, but he likely won't have much choice. And there are those in the White House who believe that Zelensky is well aware of that fact, but wants to save face.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Trump's assertiveness here could be a way to do that, as Zelensky can essentially tell his people, look, I tried to get all our land back, but the U.S. forced this on me. At least that kept us from being conquered. Right.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Tell us about those complaints. Yeah. Again, the White House says Ukraine will be given a seat at the table once the negotiations begin more formally. But Trump had a message for Zelensky when asked about the matter yesterday.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
But while Trump said he's willing to allow Ukraine in on negotiations, he still says European leaders will not be taking part. Trump has long argued they've not done enough to fund the war effort on their own continent. And he's basically saying, if you want a seat at the table, you've got to ante up. And he's giving them that chance.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
In the last week, the White House sent out questionnaires to European leaders asking them to lay out just how much money they'd commit to Ukrainian security moving forward and if they'd be willing to put boots on the ground after the war.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
As the State Department spokesman put it, the administration, quote, has been clear that we expect European partners to take the lead in establishing a durable security framework and look forward to their proposals. All right. So Trump really holding their feet to the fire there.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Right. Well, since the DOJ moved to have the corruption case against Adams dismissed, Hochul has been under pressure from Democrats to act. Recently, there have been calls for Adams to step down, even from Hochul's lieutenant governor, which puts more pressure on her to act if Adams refuses. And so far, Adams is staying in.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Democrats say that Adams' corruption case has merit, and the DOJ is only letting him off so he can be a pawn for Trump. So far, four of his top deputies have resigned in protests, suggesting he's been too cooperative with Trump. Here's Democratic strategist James Carville on MSNBC on Monday.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Now, Hochul has worked relatively well with Adams up until this point, and she's got her own reelection next year to think about. Ousting a sitting mayor and potentially angering his voters may not be in her political interest, but in the middle of all the pressure on her, she won't rule out forcing Adams out. Here she was on MSNBC last week.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
Adams was charged with accepting about $100,000 in illegal gifts from Turkey. The Justice Department under Trump has decided to drop the charges, though, because it says Adams was another target of the Biden DOJ's political weaponization. The Justice Department also says that the case was needlessly interfering with Trump's immigration agenda.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
It's that latter point that has caused some critics to accuse the Trump administration of striking an agreement with Adams to drop the charges in return for his help on deportations. Borders are Tom Homan and Adams went on Fox News and pushed back against that. Here's Adams.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Seek Peace & DC’s Housing Market Chaos | 2.19.25
If Hochul removes Adams, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo may benefit the most. He's seen as the favorite if he jumps into the mayoral race, but he and Adams pull a lot of the same base of support. So getting Adams out of the way would ease Cuomo's comeback after he resigned as governor amid sexual harassment allegations.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Yeah, so first, quick refresher on the debate surrounding Hegseth. Democrats say he's unqualified for the role and painted him as a Fox News host, a role he did hold most recently. But it's a bit disingenuous to just call him a TV personality.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Hegseth graduated from Princeton before enlisting in the Army, serving 20 years as an officer with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, where he received numerous medals, including two Bronze Stars. After that, he ran Concerned Veterans for America, a large nonprofit advocating for vets.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
During his opening statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth laid out his and Donald Trump's vision for the Department of Defense.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
That's a very different word. And while the audience was full of his supporters, including dozens of Navy SEALs and Green Berets, there were also a handful of protesters who tried to disrupt the hearing for being physically carried out by police. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Well, they went after Hegseth on both a personal and professional level. A number of Democrats brought up Hegseth's past infidelity, along with uncorroborated reports of sexual misconduct. Now, Hegseth strongly denied those allegations, but conceded that he had been unfaithful in the past and had asked forgiveness from God.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Other Democrats brought up media reports quoting anonymous former co-workers of his who claimed he'd routinely come to work drunk, though it's worth noting the only former co-workers who spoke about him on the record said those accusations were totally false. According to Hegseth, those stories were part of a smear campaign organized by those threatened by him taking control of the DOD.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Later on, Hegseth also touched on the topic of race and gender quotas in the military. In his words, lowering the standards to accommodate DEI quotas leaves the military unprepared.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Now, remember, as long as Hegseth secures votes from 50 of the 53 Republican senators, he's in. At the start of the process, he really was viewed as anything but a sure bet, though. And there were very real concerns that some GOP members would not get on board for his confirmation. But this first hearing is any indication the party appears united around him.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
What are we looking at here? Yeah, most financial advisors will tell you not to look at your 401k too frequently. And that is especially sound advice this week. Since Monday morning, the Dow has fallen over 1,000 points, or over 2.5%. The S&P 500 has dropped about 2.7%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq plunged by around 3%. The Nasdaq in particular had its worst day Monday since September of 2022.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
All right, so significant dips. The obvious question, what's causing this market turmoil? Well, it depends on who you ask. Many economists and lawmakers say the dip is a direct result of President Trump's tariffs, and in particular, the shifting nature of those policies. Markets hate uncertainty, and the on-again, off-again tariff threats do seem to have investors spooked.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
For more on that, I spoke with E.J. Antoni, an economist at the Heritage Foundation.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
Others, however, say the market has been artificially propped up for years by excessive government spending and inflationary policies that have allowed the market to grow at a pace that was never aligned with economic reality. So now, as Trump is implementing federal spending cuts and vowing to cut the deficit and lower inflation, many investors are seemingly selling off.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
Here's Antoni to that point.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
They argue that the unrest is temporary, but ultimately necessary in order to reorient America's standing in the global economy. Trump World has used the phrase detox to describe their trade policies, saying we've got to break our reliance on foreign manufacturing and force our allies and adversaries to implement more favorable trade policies.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
even if that does mean short-term economic disruptions. Here's Antoni with more on that so-called detox.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
This week, the White House published a list of a dozen companies that announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S., creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. They say that it's proof the president's strategy is working and that our economy will be better prepared for the future as we decrease our reliance on foreign business.
Morning Wire
Wall Street Turmoil & Ukraine’s Ceasefire Agreement | 3.12.25
But in the meantime, markets have been on a bit of a roller coaster. The White House certainly hoping things settle down soon.
Morning Wire
Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed & Cartel Drug Tunnels | Afternoon Update | 2.12.25
President Trump says he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to begin, quote, negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. This comes after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine in his first address before the alliance. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has more.
Morning Wire
Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed & Cartel Drug Tunnels | Afternoon Update | 2.12.25
A new congressional report finds that Chinese espionage threats against the U.S. have increased over the past four years. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce breaks down the findings.
Morning Wire
Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed & Cartel Drug Tunnels | Afternoon Update | 2.12.25
and Disney is scaling back on DEI. A company memo confirms the removal of the Reimagine Tomorrow initiative and a shift in how executive performance is evaluated. Disney is also adjusting content advisories on classic films and renaming employee resource groups. The changes come as other corporations, including Google and Meta, reevaluate DEI efforts under the Trump administration.
Morning Wire
Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed & Cartel Drug Tunnels | Afternoon Update | 2.12.25
The Delivery of Government Efficiency Subcommittee held its first hearing today, which got heated at some points. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has the latest.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
Yeah, world leaders and tech founders from across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East huddled Tuesday for the third annual AI Action Summit in Paris. Attendees, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, called for increased global collaboration that would foster a, quote, "...open, inclusive, and ethical approach to the technology."
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
Leaders from the EU used the conference to argue for AI decentralization. Essentially, they argued that America is hoarding AI tech and infrastructure and that the world would be better off if resources were spread to Europe and India. To that point, President Macron took a clear shot at Trump, saying Europe was ready for clean energy innovation that would power the future of AI.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
At the end of the summit, 60 countries, including France, India, Canada, and China, signed a joint declaration calling for, quote, inclusive and sustainable AI that would, quote, protect human rights, gender equality, linguistic diversity, and protection of consumers. But notably, that declaration was missing the signature of two countries, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
Well, the Trump administration has made clear that they view AI as an arms race between America and China, and that heavy-handed regulations, regardless of their intention, will hamper innovation and cause the U.S. to fall behind. Vice President Vance made that point clear during his address to the summit, his first appearance on international soil.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
Vance went on to say that whether the EU likes it or not, America will be the leader on AI and the Trump administration will not agree to any measures that threaten that supremacy. He also stressed the importance of fighting back against any efforts to use AI to censor speech or certain political ideologies.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
Yeah, so for context, Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI, which now runs ChatGPT, back in 2015. At the time, it was technically a nonprofit. Now, Musk left the group in 2019 and started his own AI company, and in recent years has been accusing Altman of exploiting OpenAI's charity status while essentially running it as a business. He's gone as far as filing numerous lawsuits against OpenAI.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
And now he's taking a different approach and is trying to buy them outright. This week, Musk and a group of investors offered OpenAI's board of directors $97 billion for control of the company. Altman responded quickly saying, no, thank you.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
Now, it's important to note Altman is in the process of turning OpenAI into a for-profit venture. And a big legal question is how much it's actually worth, because that would help determine how much compensation would go to the nonprofit and its investors.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
For obvious reasons, Altman wants the company valued as low as possible for those negotiations to save him money and allow him to keep more control. But Musk's bid, whether he accepts it or not, will almost certainly drive the value of the company higher and cost Altman in the end.
Morning Wire
US takes AI Lead & Ending DOJ Corruption | 2.12.25
So there are plenty of folks who questioned whether Musk's offer was legitimate or if he was playing a little 4D business chess.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
Well, Luigi Mangione is currently being held in Pennsylvania, where he made his first court appearance yesterday after being denied bail. The big question at the moment is when he'll be extradited to New York, where he was charged with murder.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
We've also learned in the last 24 hours that Mangione's manifesto included the line, quote, to the feds, I'll keep this short because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn't working with anyone.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
As Mangione was led into the courtroom for his extradition hearing yesterday, he began struggling with police, frantically shouting at reporters. Have a listen. We also heard yesterday from a customer who was in McDonald's Monday morning and helped identify Mangione, joking with his friends at the time that he looked like the suspect.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
An employee taking Mangione's order overheard that customer and thought the same thing before calling police.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
Yeah, as they worked to piece together a timeline leading up to the murder, investigators say Mangione took meticulous steps to evade detection. For example, he traveled to New York by Greyhound bus, meaning he was able to avoid using his real name or credit card. And he stayed in a hostel for 10 nights prior to the attack. paying with cash and wearing a mask for the duration of his trip.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
But it was one crucial error that ultimately led to his capture. According to authorities, Mangione was flirting with an employee at the hostel who at one point asked him to lower his mask and show his face. He complied and it was that smiling image captured on a security camera that that was then shared with the public and ultimately used to identify him. One little slip there.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
So what more do we know about his potential motive? Well, it's now clear he was driven in large part by a hatred for corporate America and healthcare companies in particular. According to an NYPD intelligence report, Mangione, quote, appeared to view the targeted killing of the company's highest-ranking representative as a symbolic takedown and a direct challenge to its alleged corruption.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
That report also cited his opposition to what they called, quote, corporate greed. But there's also growing evidence of an apparent personal connection. According to multiple reports, Mangione had been suffering from severe chronic back pain for years, which left him debilitated at times. At some point in the was apparently unsuccessful.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
Friends say following that surgery, he essentially fell off the map and became impossible to reach. So much so that on November 18th, Mangione's mother reported him missing to the San Francisco Police Department. That's where she believed that he might have been living.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
His family released a statement Tuesday saying they were, quote, shocked and devastated by the news, offering prayers for the family of Brian Thompson and all involved.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
Yeah, this has really stunned a lot of people. Within hours of the shooting, before Mangione was even identified, large numbers of folks online began praising the act, not as an egregious crime, but as a heroic act of defiance. And that sort of hero worship only grew once Mangione was caught.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
His social media accounts were flooded with literally tens of thousands of supportive messages, while users flooded the Yelp account of the McDonald's where he was caught in Pennsylvania, leaving one-star reviews calling the employees their rats and snitches for turning him in. So a lot to take into account here as we prepare for a trial that will surely draw the eyes of millions of Americans.
Morning Wire
CEO Shooter Celebrated & Hegseth Support Surges | 12.11.24
No doubt about that. Cabot, thanks for reporting.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
And we're now learning that the horrifying attack could have been even worse. Once the suspect was taken down, law enforcement began sweeping the surrounding area. And according to multiple FBI sources, at least two potential explosive devices were found and safely detonated. Officers also found a separate large ice chest in the truck with a number of explosive devices, which had not yet gone off.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
Well, according to Nolan News, the terrorist has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsu Din Jabbar, an American from Texas. Authorities say he was wearing full military gear at the time of the attack and was carrying a black ISIS flag in his truck. So early reports do seem to indicate ties to radical Islam. In the hours after the attack, law enforcement also responded to a residential fire at a
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
It's there that they believe the suspect had been staying. It's unclear at the moment if that fire was intended to destroy evidence or could have been set off by an explosive device. Authorities say they're now working to find out if Jabbar was working alone or had accomplices. Specifically, they're looking into the rental truck used in the attack and if someone else rented it on his behalf.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
To that point, Fox News is reporting that authorities believe there are, quote, four or five other suspects involved in the attack. President Trump responded to the incident Wednesday morning, writing on Truth Social, "...our hearts are with all of the incident victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
The Trump administration will fully support the city of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil." This is obviously a developing story, so we'll have more updates in the hours and days to come.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
Well, it was around 3.15 early this morning when a man intentionally drove his pickup truck through Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter, which was packed with folks celebrating the new year. A prime target for someone if they're trying to inflict as much harm as possible. As he drove, the suspect fired shots out of his window before coming to a stop and exchanging fire with police.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
The suspect was killed quickly by responding officers, but not before he had killed 10 people and injured at least 35 others, including two officers who were hit with gunfire. Video captured at the scene shows the absolute carnage, with first responders and Good Samaritans performing CPR on victims as stunned partygoers witnessed the scene in shock.
Morning Wire
BREAKING: New Orleans Terrorist Attack | 1.1.25
Here's New Orleans Police Commissioner Ann Kirkpatrick.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips is here to break down what it means for the economy and the consumer at home. Hey, Cabot, so the market turmoil continuing to dominate the global conversation. We discussed this Monday, new developments since then.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
What's the latest? Yeah, the roller coaster continued Monday as uncertainty remained over how long those tariffs will stay in place and what they'll mean for the cost of goods. Stocks in Hong Kong saw their worst day in nearly 30 years, plunging more than 13%. It was a similar story for markets across Europe and the rest of Asia.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Here on Wall Street, we saw wild swings throughout the day, but ultimately the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq each ended up within 1% of where they began when markets opened. So a little less craziness. For his part, President Trump continued urging Americans to trust his plan. Here he is speaking at the White House Monday afternoon.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
And while his base and allies are certainly holding strong, reminding folks of the economy's success during his first term, there's no doubt that markets are less than confident.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
And we got an example of that volatility yesterday amid a fake headline saga, which was very interesting. What happened there?
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Yeah, a wild story. So around 10.10 yesterday morning, a large Twitter account posted that President Trump was considering a 90-day pause on all tariffs. By 10.15, five minutes later, a CNBC guest repeated the claim and markets soared, gaining literally trillions of dollars in value in literally minutes. The S&P 500 spiked 7%, going from down 4% to up 3%.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
But moments later, the White House issued a statement calling the report fake news and markets fell right back down, erasing all of those gains. I spoke with Kenny Pocari, the senior market strategist for SlateStone Wealth, for his take on that swing.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Pocari said that he thinks we've already seen the worst of the market drops.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
So a more measured take from Pocari. Now, the president also signaled Monday that he'd be willing to implement even more tariffs on China if they don't come to the table. What's he proposing?
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
So rather than expressing an openness to a deal, as we've seen from dozens of other countries, China responded with 34 percent tariffs on American goods. President Trump expressed a willingness to go tit for tat in response.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Officials in Beijing even accused President Trump of, quote, bullying their country. And in a remarkable twist, the Chinese embassy in Washington responded by posting clips of then President Reagan expressing his distaste for tariffs.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
I never thought we'd see that. Yeah. So President Trump and his allies seem to remain in lockstep, but some in the GOP have begun to waver. What are we seeing on that front?
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Right. A number of senators have crafted the Trade Review Act of 2025, a new bill that would require congressional approval for future tariffs. Among other things, the law would give Congress the power to dissolve unilateral tariffs issued by the president.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Seven Republicans have already joined a number of Democrats in endorsing that measure, including Chuck Grassley, Mitch McConnell and Tom Tillis. President Trump, for his part, threatened to veto the legislation if it's passed. All right, Kevin, thanks for reporting. My pleasure.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
And female athletes across the country take a knee rather than face off against men allowed to play in women's sports.
Morning Wire
Trump Trade War & Defunding the Ivy League | 4.8.25
Despite Trump's executive orders against males in women's sports, many trans-identifying males are still being allowed to play and win against women.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
Yeah, on Monday, just two weeks before leaving office, President Biden issued a stunning executive order that will ban offshore oil and gas drilling permanently along the entire East Coast, the coasts of California, Washington, and Oregon, and other enormous swaths of the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska's Bering Sea.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
All told, the order will prevent more than 625 million acres from being drilled. For context, that is a chunk of land larger than all of Mexico and Spain combined. In a statement announcing the move, President Biden said, that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation's energy needs. It is not worth the risks.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
All right, so could President Trump reverse this order? Well, it'll be very difficult. That's because Biden's order invoked the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a 1953 law that grants the president fairly broad authority to block any oil and gas development in federal waters. And importantly, that law does not specifically give future presidents the power to overturn such action.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
So any reversal, if it's even legally possible, would likely have to come through new legislation passed in Congress. Regardless, though, President Trump told Hugh Hewitt yesterday that he will work to overturn it.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
Yeah, Democrats argue that we already have plenty of oil and gas reserves that are currently being tapped into. They say America is already at all-time highs in oil production under the Biden administration, which is true, and that nearly all of the land included in the order is not currently being drilled anyway.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
For their part, Republicans say it's insane to handcuff ourselves in the future by making oil-rich areas untouchable for future generations. They also argue the timing of the move makes it clear Biden is trying to hamper oil and gas production under President Trump's second term.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
And they basically questioned why Biden waited until the last days of his presidency if this was such a pressing matter. For example, Trump Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt called the order a, quote, disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
For more from those who oppose the order, I spoke with Faith Burns, a fellow for energy policy at the right of center Americans for Prosperity.
Morning Wire
Trudeau Calls It Quits & Biden’s Drilling Ban | 1.7.25
So with less than two weeks left in office, President Biden still attempting to make consequential changes. Now we'll see if President Trump is able to reverse them. And in his famous words, drill, baby, drill. Yeah, a lot of people hoping he does just that.
Morning Wire
Pardon Chauvin Petition Launched & LA Mayor Recall Effort | Afternoon Update | 3.4.25
Among those hosted by the president this evening will be American school teacher Mark Fogel, who was recently freed from a Russian prison after nearly three years in detention. The parents of Lakin Riley and Jocelyn Nungare will also be in attendance, as the president is expected to call on lawmakers to increase resources for deportation efforts.
Morning Wire
Pardon Chauvin Petition Launched & LA Mayor Recall Effort | Afternoon Update | 3.4.25
Riley and Nungare were both brutally murdered by illegal immigrants. Another special guest to the president will be Peyton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player severely injured by a transgender opponent. Daily Wire editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro and host Matt Walsh will also be in attendance as special guests of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Morning Wire
Pardon Chauvin Petition Launched & LA Mayor Recall Effort | Afternoon Update | 3.4.25
The address, titled Renewal of the American Dream, starts at 9 p.m. Eastern from the U.S. Capitol. You can watch the entire thing live on Daily Wire's platform starting at 8.30 Eastern.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Right. Coming into Friday's meeting, basically everyone believed the U.S. and Ukraine would sign that minerals deal. And the stage would be set for a ceasefire and formal negotiations with Moscow. But after that disastrous event at the White House, everything has changed.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Zelensky was in London late Sunday night seeking financial support from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and told reporters that he peace deal with Russia is, quote, still very, very far away. And no one has started all these steps yet. That just outraged Trump, who has said there could be a peace deal right now if Zelensky were willing.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Here he is elaborating on that sentiment during a press conference Monday.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Trump went on to discuss his shifting relationship with Zelensky.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Right. On Monday night, we learned that President Trump would be pausing all military aid to Ukraine. That pause will apply to all weapons, ammunition and other equipment not already inside Ukraine's borders. A White House official told The Daily Wire, quote, President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. According to European officials, without any new weapons from the U.S., Ukraine would, at its current pace, have enough resources to last until this summer. So this could be a means of Trump attempting to force Zelensky to the negotiating table.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
For context, here's Trump National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Fox ahead of that decision being made public.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Now, as you talked about yesterday, in the fallout of Friday's meeting, European leaders rallied around Ukraine, taking open shots at the U.S., accusing Trump of siding with Putin and abandoning democracy. For their part, White House officials were quick to point out that the European Union actually gave more money to Russia last year than to Ukraine.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
The EU purchased $23 billion worth of Russian oil and gas in 2024 compared to the $19 billion in military and financial aid to Ukraine. So they're essentially calling the Europeans hypocrites. And it's worth noting that here stateside, the American public does seem to back Trump's approach to ending the war.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
According to a new CBS poll, Trump has a net approval rating of plus two on Russia-Ukraine. When President Biden left office, he was at negative 22%.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Well, he's almost certain to touch on Ukraine, but more broadly, from what we're hearing, the president is going to tout his efforts to fulfill campaign promises and reverse course from the Biden administration. Specifically, expect to hear him focus a good chunk of time on immigration, where we've seen perhaps the most drastic turnaround.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
According to the latest government data, in the month of February, there were just 8,450 illegal crossings along the southern border. For context, last February, that number was 140,000. It's now 8,000. That means that Trump's first full month in office saw the lowest number of illegal border crossings for any month since, get this, 1968. Wow.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Fallout & Tariffs Hit Canada, Mexico | 3.4.25
Trump vowed to secure the border on the campaign trail. He's clearly doing just that. A stunning turnaround. We'll certainly hear about that when he takes the podium this evening.
Morning Wire
Trump Plans Executive Action & Guantanamo Flights Begin | Afternoon Update | 2.4.25
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has passed the Senate Finance Committee hurdle by a narrow 14-13 party-line vote. He now heads to a floor vote in his bid to head up the Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard has made it through the Senate Intelligence Committee in her nomination for Director of National Intelligence, despite having a tough confirmation hearing.
Morning Wire
Trump Plans Executive Action & Guantanamo Flights Begin | Afternoon Update | 2.4.25
She made it through with a narrow 9-8 party line vote. Ahead of the vote, Gabbard secured critical GOP support from Senators Collins, Lankford, and Young, who had been on the fence. During her hearing, she defended her record, pledging stronger oversight on intelligence leaks. We'll have more on the confirmations tomorrow morning.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
Yeah, very fast indeed. So we'll start with Mexico. As we discussed yesterday, President Trump ordered 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada, saying they would remain in place until the countries made more of an effort to prevent drugs and legal immigrants from crossing into the U.S. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum initially struck a defiant tone,
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
announcing 25% tariffs of her own. But on Monday morning, there was an apparent diplomatic breakthrough. Following a phone call between the two leaders, which Trump called very friendly, he agreed to pause the implementation of those tariffs for a month to allow for further negotiations.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
That pause came after Mexico agreed to send 10,000 soldiers to the border to, in Scheinbaum's words, quote, prevent drug trafficking from Mexico to the U.S., particularly fentanyl. Scheinbaum added that for his part, Trump has agreed to increase efforts to, quote, prevent the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
Now, while the White House is touting the news as proof that Trump's use of tariffs as leverage is getting results, Democrats, as you can imagine, say otherwise. They argued that Trump quickly agreed to lift the tariffs because he was worried about the stock market, which did slip Monday morning on fears of a trade war, but then jumped back up at the news of these deals.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
A number of Democratic lawmakers are saying that Trump supposedly blinked first.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
And Vice President J.D. Vance echoed that sentiment Monday, lauding Trump's strategy.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
Yeah, initially it appeared Canada was gearing up for a fight. Leaders in both parties, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called for Canadians to unite against the tariffs by boycotting American products in favor of domestic goods. But speaking in the Oval Office Monday, Trump stood his ground, saying Canada needs America far more than America needs Canada.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
Trump and Trudeau held a phone call shortly after those comments. And as Trump supporters put it, Trudeau bent the knee, offering a long list of concessions in exchange for a 30-day pause on tariffs. The list is very long, so I'll just read the post that Trudeau made. Quote, I just had a good call with President Trump.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan, reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology, and personnel, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a fentanyl czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24-7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada-US joint strike force to combat organized crime, fentanyl, and money laundering. So... Quite the list there.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
Right. So quick refresher. President Trump last month threatened to reclaim the Panama Canal if the country's leaders did not offer cheaper passage to American naval vessels and do more to combat China's growing influence over the canal.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
But following a trip from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Panama's President Jose Raul Molino announced that he would not only be offering free passage through the canal for American naval vessels, but that his country would be withdrawing from China's Belt and Road Initiative entirely.
Morning Wire
Trade War Detente & USAID Closes Up Shop | 2.4.25
So a major victory for the White House and, importantly, a significant blow to China's influence over the canal and Central America more broadly.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
Yeah, so for the last year, the general consensus has been that America is leaving the rest of the world in the dust when it comes to artificial intelligence, especially generative AI like ChatGPT. But yesterday, a new player introduced itself in a major way, stunning Silicon Valley and leaving Wall Street in a frenzy.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
That new force is Chinese startup DeepSeek, which announced Monday that their latest generative AI service, DeepSeek R1, was not only on par with top models like ChatGPT, but but that it had been created, or trained as they put it, at a fraction of the cost. Shortly after the news broke, DeepSeek rocketed to the top spot on the App Store.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
For more, I spoke with Tom Kalopoulos, an AI expert and author of Giga Trends.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
Yes, it did. Tech stocks in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. tumbled following the news. By Monday afternoon, Nvidia, which had enjoyed a record-breaking 2024, was down a whopping 15%. That translated to over $500 billion in losses. That's the single largest one-day drop-off of any stock in history.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
Elsewhere, large AI companies like Micron Technology and Advanced Micro Devices were down 10% and 6% respectively, while Microsoft, which backs OpenAI, fell 3%. Altogether, those dips represented over a trillion dollars in value.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
Now, the big reason for that sell-off is that prior to Monday, the general idea was that generative AI required incredibly expensive high-tech chips to operate, chips manufactured by companies like NVIDIA. But DeepSeek appears to have upended that notion, seemingly proving that groundbreaking AI can be trained and operated at a much lower cost and with less complex chips.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
For context, DeepSeek says they trained their latest model for just $5.6 million. Similar programs here in the U.S. cost anywhere from $100 million to a billion dollars. So you can see why the news sent such a shockwave. Here's Colopolis.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
Now, keep in mind, this all comes as President Trump just announced a collaboration between the federal government and tech giants OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank that will pour up to $500 billion into AI infrastructure here in the U.S. Trump really has made clear that America must lead the way on AI and cannot afford to fall behind China in this new arms race.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Military Overhaul & Wall Street’s DeepSeek Disruption | 1.28.25
For his part, Colopolis views it as a cold war.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai announced Monday that they'd be investing more than $20 billion in the U.S. to build new steel and auto plants.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Yeah, Hyundai joining the long list of companies pouring billions of dollars into American manufacturing, otherwise known as onshoring. On Monday, the South Korean auto giant announced a nearly $21 billion investment in the U.S., For context, that is equal to the total amount they've invested here since 1986. As part of that effort, they'll be building a $6 billion steel plant in Louisiana.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
That'll employ more than 1,400 Americans. The company currently has two major auto plants on American soil. Now it will be three. They're opening a third in Georgia, which will create another 8,000 jobs. Hyundai's executive chair, Yu-Sung Chung, appeared alongside President Trump at the White House Monday to break the news.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
As we've discussed, President Trump has already implemented 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and additional levies are coming on Asian auto imports. So Hyundai is certainly looking to save money. As Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Munoz put it, the best way for Hyundai to navigate tariffs is to increase localization, aka manufacturing cars here in America.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
For his part, President Trump has argued all along that his tariffs were intended to pressure foreign businesses to do just that. Here he is yesterday.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Last month, Apple announced it was pouring $500 billion into new American manufacturing projects. Before that, Japan's SoftBank announced $100 billion investment. Asian chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor is pouring $100 billion of their own to build high-tech chips in America. United Arab Emirates announced a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment. The list goes on and on.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Again, that's all in the last three months. According to the president, there have been up to $4 trillion worth of new investments in the U.S. since Inauguration Day. Here he is to that point during a cabinet meeting yesterday.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Yeah, one of the crazier stories you'll hear out of Washington, and that's saying something. On Monday, Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a story titled, quote, the Trump administration accidentally texted me its war plans. And that is exactly what happened. Two weeks ago, Goldberg was mistakenly added to a group chat on the messaging app Signal.com.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
The chat included VP Vance, SecDef Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, along with the heads of the CIA, DNI, etc. Over the course of multiple days, the group debated whether or not to launch airstrikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen who've been attacking ships in the Suez Canal for years. Goldberg published a number of those messages.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
In one, VP Vance weighs the potential risks of airstrikes, writing, quote, 3% of US trade runs to the Suez, 40% of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public does not understand this or why it's necessary. The strongest reason to do this, as POTUS said, to send a message.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
The White House and Congress ramp up pressure on a judge standing between the Trump administration and its deportation agenda.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Later, Vance said that he, quote, hates bailing Europe out again, but would support the strikes if the team was in agreement. Ultimately, the group led by Hegseth did opt to push for those strikes, which were carried out successfully on March 15th.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
So while there were no real incriminating messages published, it's obviously an embarrassing mishap for the administration, and there could be consequences. A number of prominent Democrats on the Hill have called for heads to roll and vowed to investigate why sensitive national security conversations were being held in such a manner.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
For their part, the White House did confirm the legitimacy of that group chat, telling our own Mary Margaret Olihan, quote, we were reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain. They added, quote, the thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Here to talk about the challenges Trump's immigration agenda is facing is Daily Wire reporter Tim Pearce. Hey, Tim, so a lot happened yesterday with this case. What did we see in Judge Boasberg's court on Monday?
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
And audiences across the country are disenchanted by Disney's live-action Snow White as the remake bombs at the box office.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
No surprise there. Now, we've seen reports that Congress is taking action to counter these lawsuits.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
We've never seen a flood of injunctions like we've seen against the Trump administration at this point. Now, Trump's agenda continues to be hampered by sanctuary city laws as well. Homan seems to be particularly angry with Massachusetts. Tell us what's going on in that state.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Really shocking that these characters were released back into the streets in Massachusetts. Tim, thanks so much for reporting. Thanks for having me. After a year of delays, Disney's latest live-action remake, Snow White, has disappointed at the box office. The film, once poised to be a crown jewel in Disney's lineup, has instead become a cautionary tale.
Morning Wire
Car Maker Invests Big & Snow White Bombs | 3.25.25
Thanks for waking up with us. And if you enjoyed what you heard this morning, share this episode with a friend.
Morning Wire
Colony Ridge Arrests & Inmate Gets New Trial | Afternoon Update | 2.25.25
The GOP's sprawling budget resolution cleared the House Rules Committee late Monday along party lines, setting up a chamber-wide vote possibly as early as this evening. We'll be right back.
Morning Wire
Colony Ridge Arrests & Inmate Gets New Trial | Afternoon Update | 2.25.25
The bill includes $4.5 trillion to extend Trump-era tax cuts and boost spending on border security and defense, while seeking up to $2 trillion in cuts elsewhere, potentially including Medicaid.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
Yeah, it's definitely worth noting the meeting comes at a tumultuous time for America-Europe relations. But on Monday, Macron, who in the past has called Trump brain-dead, struck a much friendlier tone, calling him a personal friend and commending him for working on a deal to end the war.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
Trump, for his part, called Macron a very special man in my book and assured him that any peace deal would benefit Europe. Now, one of the president's biggest gripes with Europe is that they have not done enough to fund their own defense, as well as Ukraine's. But on Monday, Macron said he and other leaders were ready to step up.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
As part of that effort, Macron said he and other European leaders would be willing to send troops to Ukraine to serve as peacekeepers once a deal is presumably reached. Russian President Vladimir Putin had initially expressed opposition to the idea of more European boots on the ground in Ukraine. But Trump said Monday that Putin would accept those terms.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
Yeah, Trump says once a deal is reached with Moscow, the Ukrainians must find a way to pay the U.S. back for the $100 billion-plus we've poured into protecting them. He wants access primarily to the country's vast oil and mineral reserves, along with a cut of revenue from future energy deals there. Zelensky was initially opposed to that idea, saying, quote, I cannot sell our country.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
But now he's apparently on board, as long as the U.S. will offer Ukraine security guarantees in the future. Trump says the final agreement there could be signed as early as this week.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
For more on that deal, I spoke with Niall Gardner, a former advisor to Margaret Thatcher and current fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
Yeah, for those who missed it, over the weekend, tens of thousands of federal workers began receiving an email from the Office of Personnel Management asking them to justify their employment by listing off what they had accomplished the previous week. Those emails came with the subject line, what did you do last week?
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
And read, please reply to this email with approximately five bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. That message came shortly after an ex-post from Elon Musk saying, quote, failure to respond will be taken as a resignation. Now, Democrats expressed outrage at the email saying it was a form of intimidation against the federal workforce, but Trump stood by it.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
It's worth noting there were a number of agencies which directed their employees not to respond, including the Defense Department, State Department and FBI. New Director Kash Patel sent a bureau wide email telling employees to, quote, pause any responses, saying they'll handle reviews internally. Trump says those working on confidential matters like the FBI and State Department would be exempt.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
So Abbott announced yesterday that the Department of Homeland Security and the Texas Department of Public Safety were teaming up in a joint operation targeting the development. The governor wrote on X yesterday that, quote, Colony Ridge is being targeted, adding that, quote, Texas DPS troopers and special agents are assisting Homeland Security investigations with an operation in Colony Ridge.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
And to remind listeners, Colony Ridge is a massive land development just north of Houston, and it's been extensively reported on here at The Daily Wire. The development covers roughly 60 square miles, and we've reported that it systematically attracts illegal aliens through its marketing and shady financial tactics.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
Abbott also said that he had worked on the operation with border czar Tom Homan for months and noted that criminals and illegal aliens would be targeted in the raids. What's brought this action to a head now? Colony Raid has been under a lot of scrutiny for some time now, particularly since we visited the development and released our first investigation on it in September of 2023.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
The development encourages people to, quote, own land in the United States and allows buyers to purchase property by using a taxpayer identification number rather than a social security number. A clever loophole if you're looking to attract illegal aliens. Their strategies have come under scrutiny and even provoked lawsuits from the Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
But there's no denying that the development's tactics have sparked rapid growth. And the development has also attracted numerous criminals into the area, with many being caught in the last month.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
There's been a long list of illegal alien crimes in the development. Two illegal alien murder suspects who were wanted by the international police for murder were both caught living there. And a Guatemalan human smuggler, who the feds say was responsible for a mass casualty event, had purchased multiple properties at the development.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
Colony Ridge CEO John Harris just recently claimed that crime is a non-issue at the development. And then days later, three illegal aliens were arrested, resulting in a major drug bust. Law enforcement found that the previously deported illegal alien had 344 pounds of meth stashed away in a trailer at his Colony Ridge property.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
And just before that bust, an illegal alien pled guilty to luring a woman into the development before shooting and killing her along with two accomplices. Todd Benzman is a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies. And he told me that these raids are particularly significant given that the area had previously been under-policed. Here's what Benzman had to say.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
So the area surrounding Colony Ridge is represented in the Texas State House by Representative Janice Holt. She took the seat of Ernest Bales, who was ousted by voters in the primary after we reported on his financial ties to Colony Ridge. Representative Holt recently introduced legislation that would allow the state government to more accurately document land sales.
Morning Wire
Trump-Macron Ukraine Meeting & Colony Ridge Raided | 2.25.25
And that bill could help officials track foreign nationals and illegal aliens who purchase Texas land.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ Begins | 1.21.25
Reporting from D.C. is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips, who braved the cold along with the rest of the Daily Wire team there. Hey, Cabot, so quite a day yesterday with Trump headlining not just the inaugural ceremony, but multiple events. First, what were the takeaways from the inauguration?
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ Begins | 1.21.25
Right, serious allegations they're now shielded from. Yeah. Now, Trump also laid out some of his key executive actions, which we'll get to next segment. But in his post-inaugural rally yesterday evening, he announced some pardons of his own. Tell us about that.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ Begins | 1.21.25
Really a remarkable moment and day. Kevin, thanks so much for reporting. Anytime.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ Begins | 1.21.25
Thank you. Trump wasted no time on day one signing numerous executive orders in a matter of hours of his swearing-in ceremony.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ Begins | 1.21.25
And a series of shock and awe executive orders look to transform the nation on everything from gender to free speech to energy.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ Begins | 1.21.25
Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more news you need to know.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
So today's conversation will likely center on a potential ceasefire. At the moment, it seems that Putin will only agree to a ceasefire if he has assurances that the U.S. would pause new weapons shipments to Ukraine in the meantime and that Ukraine would not be allowed to mobilize new forces during that 30-day period.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
But there are plenty of folks, including Vladimir Zelensky, who say Putin is exaggerating his openness to a ceasefire.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
So over the weekend, he told reporters that, quote, the Russians say we support a ceasefire, but, and then after the but, they start coming with various details to delay the process. He says Putin is well aware that Western support for Ukraine is starting to dwindle and he wants to drag out the ceasefire process.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
to allow his side to gain as much territory as possible ahead of negotiations so that, you know, he'll have more leverage. And to that point, Moscow has recently launched a counteroffensive in the Kursk region, territory in Russia that had fallen into Ukrainian hands last summer after a surprise incursion. Putin says thousands of Ukrainian troops there are currently surrounded.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
He called on them to, quote, lay down their arms and surrender in exchange for their lives. So the longer a ceasefire is delayed, the more time Putin will have to close in on those troops. and the more leverage that he would likely have once talks begin. For that reason, among others, Zelensky is calling on Trump to exert pressure on Moscow to accept a ceasefire now.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Over the weekend, he issued a plea for, quote, maximum additional sanctions on Russia if they continue to stall. For his part, Trump said, quote, Speaking from the Kennedy Center, President Trump addressed his looming call with Vladimir Putin.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Well, the biggest debate will be over territorial concessions. At this point, it's pretty clear that Ukraine will need to cede land to the Russians in order for this war to end. The question is really just how much. Putin has shown a clear willingness to continually throw young and old Russians into the front lines and is unlikely to end the war if it means coming back empty-handed.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Specifically, he wants to formally retain control of Crimea as well as the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine. For his part, Zelensky had insisted that he would never cede land to Putin. This week, he said, quote, we do not recognize the occupied territories as territories of Russia, and we will never recognize them.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
But at this stage, it's all but guaranteed that he'll have to agree to some land being lost in order to end the war. As the Trump White House sees it, the cost of retaking that land is just too high, even if it is unfair. Here's Trump National Security Advisor Mike Waltz speaking to CBS about that difficult reality.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
The other big points of contention surround peacekeeping forces in Ukraine following a potential agreement. Putin has said from day one that he will never agree to a deal that includes NATO membership for Ukraine. And to this point, most of Europe and the US seem to agree that they will not be given member status.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
So that makes it likely that Ukraine will push for European peacekeepers within their borders after the war. European leaders have already agreed to send boots on the ground. Now the question becomes if Putin will sign off on a deal that includes such a security guarantee. Hopefully we'll get some more answers later today.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Sure. On Friday night, President Trump signed an executive order invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allowed suspected gang members in the country illegally to be deported without a judicial hearing. The signing wasn't promoted, but the media caught wind of it on Saturday morning. The left-wing ACLU then jumped in and filed a court order trying to stop the deportations.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
By Saturday afternoon, however, the planes were already in the air. By the time Judge James Boasberg's order was issued, the flight was already outside U.S. airspace. That's according to a senior administration official speaking to Axios. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, dismissed the ruling, saying he and Trump will not stop until America is safe.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
That's the legal battle that's now taking shape. The Trump DOJ filed a response in court saying, quote, plaintiffs cannot use these proceedings to interfere with the president's national security and foreign affairs authority. They also asked to vacate the hearing and stop interfering with the executive branch.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
The other legal issue here is the use of the Alien Enemies Act and whether it gives the president the authority to deport illegal immigrants without a judicial hearing. But the White House welcomes the fight. In fact, Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt addressed the topic in her press briefing on Monday.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Well, ever since Trump was inaugurated, Democrats have fought tooth and nail to keep illegal immigrants, even those convicted of violent crimes, from being deported. California set up a legal slush fund to fight deportations, and other sanctuary cities have said they would openly defy administration orders.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
And just recently, emails were leaked showing Minneapolis area lawyers actively working to keep ICE from apprehending illegal immigrants. Minneapolis is one of many sanctuary cities that said it wouldn't comply with ICE.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, issued a formal legal opinion after emails were sent from a leftist legal organization saying that state law, quote, prohibits state law. and local law enforcement agencies from holding someone based on an immigration detainer if the person would otherwise be released from custody.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
In the first 50 days of the Trump administration, ICE made more than 32,000 enforcement arrests, just a hair shy of the total number of arrests made in all of fiscal year 2024. Nearly half of those arrested were convicted criminals, and about a third had pending criminal charges, meaning 75% of those arrested were accused or convicted criminals.
Morning Wire
Trump-Putin Phone Call & COVID Lab Leak Coverup | 3.18.25
Illegal border crossings also fell by 94% in February compared to the previous year, and illegal encounters at the Del Rio sector declined by 99% since 2023. In fact, Trump has been so successful with illegal immigration in his first two months of office that concerns about the issue have dropped from a top priority to a fourth priority for a majority of voters.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
U.S. and Russian officials reportedly developed a framework for peace at their meeting today in Saudi Arabia. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
Hamas will release six more hostages on Saturday, as well as the remains of four hostages who were killed on Thursday. The deceased includes young children. Last week, the terrorist group threatened to delay releases, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire, but later proceeded with the exchange. As part of the trade, Israel freed 369 Palestinian prisoners.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
President Trump had warned Hamas to release all remaining hostages by Saturday or risk Israel resuming military action.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has officially entered the 2026 California governor's race, vowing to restore the promise of California by tackling crime and affordability. At a campaign event in Riverside, Bianco criticized Democratic leadership, blaming them for California's problems while positioning himself as someone who could bridge the partisan divides.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
Governor Gavin Newsom is facing a recall effort. Regardless, his term will end in 2026. At least a dozen candidates, all Democrats aside from Bianco, have entered the race. There is also speculation that VP Kamala Harris may be considering a run herself.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
After a Delta Airlines flight crash landed and overturned at Toronto Pearson Airport, the company's CEO is responding. The crash, which happened yesterday, injured nearly two dozen people. Video shows smoke and passengers fleeing the overturned aircraft. Here's some of the frantic evacuation.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.
Morning Wire
Russia-US Talk Peace & Border Apprehensions Plummet | Afternoon Update | 2.18.25
Officials say the plane encountered strong winds upon landing, causing it to turn upside down. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement that the hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected and gave special thanks to first responders. The FAA is investigating the crash as Toronto Pearson has resumed normal operations.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
So delegations from the U.S. and Russia will sit down in Saudi Arabia today for the most substantive negotiations on the war in Ukraine since Putin first invaded three years ago. On one hand for the U.S. will be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The Russians are sending their foreign minister and a top aide to Putin.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
For their part, the State Department tempered expectations a bit, saying these meetings were viewed as the opening round of a longer process. Moscow echoed that sentiment, saying the talks would be, quote, devoted primarily to restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
So while today's talks are unlikely to result in any major diplomatic breakthroughs, they're still important because it marks a significant departure from the Biden administration's past strategy, which had been to isolate Putin entirely. Trump is taking a much more head-on approach. The two spoke on the phone last week and now are working out details on a face-to-face sit-down.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
Well, Zelensky had initially been open to Trump brokering a peace deal. After years of saying he would not agree to any diplomatic solution, he reversed course after Trump's victory and said he was ready to end the war peacefully as soon as possible. But he's not happy with how the president has gone about things and is furious that Ukraine is not present at today's meetings in Saudi Arabia.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
Now, the White House made clear that he would have a seat at the table if talks with Russia move to formal negotiations. But that did little to alleviate his displeasure. Here's Zelensky talking to NBC on Sunday.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
And the next day, he went a step further, saying today's talks, quote, won't yield results if Kyiv is not at the table.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
Right. So as we reported yesterday, our allies in Europe have made clear they are not fans of Trump's one on one approach to Moscow. In response, they huddled for an emergency summit Monday, as you mentioned, with leaders from France, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
Germany's foreign minister, for example, said it was, quote, an existential moment in time for, quote, Europe to stand up. While Poland's foreign minister made a bizarre threat to withhold the Nobel Peace Prize from Trump.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
But look, ultimately, the U.S. has far more leverage here because Europe is just so reliant on our defense capabilities. Even British Prime Minister Keir Starmer conceded that point, saying, quote, U.S. support will remain critical and a U.S. security guarantee is essential for a lasting peace because only the U.S. can deter Putin from attacking again.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
But it's worth noting, Trump officials say that while European allies are not directly at the table with Russia, they're still being taken into account. Here's Mike Waltz to that point on Fox Sunday.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
And one final note on all this, the American people certainly appear to be tiring of the country's long-term support of the war in Ukraine. According to Quinnipiac polling, 41% now say the U.S. is doing too much. That number was just 7% back in 2022. And at the same time, support for Zelensky has also cratered. In 2022, 72% said they were confident he would do the right thing.
Morning Wire
US-Russia Talks Begin & DOGE Targets IRS | 2.18.25
Today, that number is down at 48%. And finally, nearly 80% of Americans support a peace deal to end the war.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Well, the event started with major economic news. As Trump announced, the Japanese telecommunications company SoftBank had agreed to invest at least $100 billion in America over the next four years. According to the company's CEO, who joined Trump at the podium, that investment will create 100,000 American jobs.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Now, Trump campaigned on a promise to attract businesses from around the world and create jobs here in America.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Yeah, this story has only gained attention as more and more sightings have been reported online. Like you said, not just in New Jersey, but a number of other surrounding states. Over the weekend, unknown drones were spotted over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. That's one of the largest such bases in the country.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
That drone activity prompted officials to close airspace over the base for roughly four hours early Saturday morning. Here's just fascinating audio of air traffic control warning a plane of, quote, extreme UAS activity over the base. UAS means unmanned aircraft systems, aka drones.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Lawmakers have continued to express outrage with the Biden administration and Pentagon, saying the American people deserve answers. They say if the drones belong to the U.S., their silence on the matter is only creating more fear and confusion. And if they aren't ours, the Pentagon ought to be taking action to get them out of our airspace.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
For his part, Trump said he believes the White House and Pentagon know what's going on, but are hiding it from the public. The government knows what is happening.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Trump would not comment on whether he's received intelligence briefings on the drones, but did say he was confident they do not belong to a foreign adversary.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Later on, he addressed alleged CEO killer Luigi Mangione and specifically the folks who've celebrated him as a hero.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
Yeah, a major victory there with ABC. But Trump said Monday he'll continue to pursue legal action against a number of other media outlets he feels defamed him or engaged in election interference. That list includes CBS for seemingly editing a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Remember, They seem to remove bad answers of hers.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
That includes author Bob Woodward, who Trump says repeatedly misquoted him, and the Pulitzer Prize board for giving awards to reporters covering the now-debunked Russia collusion story.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Press Conference & Wisconsin’s School Shooting | 12.17.24
So Trump vowing to continue his legal fight against a number of legacy media outlets and reporters. I'll certainly be following those cases very closely as he prepares to take office. Indeed, as will those legacy outlets, no doubt.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
The roughly 15-month war between Israel and Hamas could soon come to an end.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
Officials involved in the talks say Hamas has accepted a draft ceasefire deal that includes releasing 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The agreement, mediated by Qatar and endorsed by the U.S., awaits Israeli cabinet approval.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
Under the three-phase plan, hostages will be freed, humanitarian aid increased, and Israeli forces will gradually reduce their presence in Gaza. Hamas has demanded a full withdrawal for the deal's completion, while Israeli officials vow to prevent the group from retaining power.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee today for a hearing to confirm his nomination. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips reports.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
A new study reveals the staggering rise in dementia risk among Americans, with nearly half of those over 55 expected to develop the condition. A study published in Nature Medicine shows that 42% of Americans 55 and older face a lifetime risk of developing dementia, doubling previous estimates.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
The increase is linked to an aging population, genetic factors, and lifestyle factors leading to hypertension and diabetes.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
And the Princess of Wales announced she's in remission after completing cancer treatment last year. Kate Middleton shared the joyous news today, less than nine months after announcing her diagnosis last March. In an emotional Instagram post, the 43-year-old royal thanked the staff at London's Royal Marsden Hospital for their exceptional care.
Morning Wire
Jack Smith Report Released & Terror-Related Exemptions | Afternoon Update | 1.14.25
Middleton revealed she is now joint patron of the hospital and hopes to support groundbreaking cancer research and patient care.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Canadian Tariff Win & NIH Vaccine Hesitancy Research | Afternoon Update | 3.11.25
The massive drone attack killed at least two people and injured 18. Russian officials reported downing over 240 of the drones nationwide. Moscow's mayor called it the biggest assault on the capital since the war began, forced all four international airports to halt operations after railway tracks and buildings were reportedly damaged.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Canadian Tariff Win & NIH Vaccine Hesitancy Research | Afternoon Update | 3.11.25
The display of force by Ukraine took place hours before Kyiv's delegation was set to meet U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia to push a proposed air truce. The Kremlin says its air defense has performed well, but expects more attacks, while declining to comment on the truce proposal ahead of the talk's outcome.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Canadian Tariff Win & NIH Vaccine Hesitancy Research | Afternoon Update | 3.11.25
Hours later, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire deal, putting the ball in Russia's court.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
So this all started back on inauguration day when President Trump signed an executive order freezing all funding for foreign aid and ordering a review of the tens of billions of dollars going out the door. According to Trump, the program was rife with fraud and poured the taxpayer funds into causes that he said did not serve the interests of the American people.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
So for the last seven weeks, the State Department and Doge have been reviewing all 6,200 programs within USAID. And on Monday, before he left for Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of them had been cut.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
Writing on X, Rubio said, quote, "...the 5,200 contracts that are now canceled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, and in some cases even harmed, the core national interests of the United States."
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping, approximately 1,000, to now be administered more effectively under the State Department. Here's Rubio speaking last month about his efforts to reform USAID.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
Now, for context, last fiscal year, USAID dispersed about $40 billion to more than 100 countries. While it was initially created in 1961 to promote humanitarian interests, Republicans say that in recent decades, more and more funding has gone to overtly political or just downright wasteful programs.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
Well, the White House issued a memo with some of the more controversial examples. It included $1.5 million for DEI inclusion in Serbian workplaces, $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia, $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru, $2 million for sex changes and LGBT activism in Guatemala. You get the idea. Hmm.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
The Trump administration has also raised concerns over USAID funding making its way into the hands of American enemies. For example, federal prosecutors say up to $10 million worth of USAID funds went towards food for the Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda-linked terror group in Syria.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
In Afghanistan, the White House says millions of taxpayer dollars went towards farming equipment and fertilizer used for poppy cultivation and heroin production, ultimately benefiting the Taliban. During a recent oversight committee hearing, Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett questioned Greg Roman, the executive director of the Middle East Forum, about U.S. foreign aid making its way to terror groups.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
Yeah, the left, as you can imagine, has expressed outrage, saying foreign aid is an effective means of stabilizing regions, building alliances, and fostering goodwill abroad. They view USAID as a means of exerting soft power and argue that China will gladly step in to fill the void left by these cuts.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
And there's also been plenty of legal pushback as aid groups have sued the Trump administration, alleging these cuts have violated existing federal contracts. Now, for their part, the administration says they're still keeping the most important aid programs. Sources within the State Department have told The Daily Wire the secretary, quote, retained programs critical to protecting U.S.
Morning Wire
USAID Programs Slashed & Anti-Israel Activist Detained | 3.11.25
interests overseas. including food assistance, life-saving medical treatments for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and critical support for nations like Lebanon, Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and others.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
Yeah, Donald Trump stressed over and over on the campaign trail his affinity for tariffs, which he calls, quote, the most beautiful word in the dictionary, saying he would use them to prevent other countries from taking advantage of us and spur domestic manufacturing. And after three weeks in office, he showed he was not kidding.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
On Monday, Trump announced that he'd be ordering new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
And the president says this is just phase one, and that by the end of the month, he'll roll out plans for similar across-the-board tariffs on everything from computer chips and copper to oil, gas, and pharmaceuticals. According to Trump, these tariffs are simply a response to those already in place from other countries. As he put it, quote, they charge us, we charge them.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
Here's White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Fox speaking to that point.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
So as Trump allies put it, the president sees two different types of tariffs, punitive and structural. For example, punitive tariffs would be like those threatened against Canada and Mexico last week. They're intended more as punishment, in that case for illegal immigration, and the goal is non-trade related. These latest steel and aluminum tariffs, though, are different.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
In fact, they're meant as a long-term structural change to US trade policy more broadly. Trump firmly believes that tariffs are a quick way to increase revenue, offset trade deficits, and spur manufacturing here in the US. Remember, he believes businesses will be encouraged to bring production stateside to avoid paying these tariffs at the border. But that is a gamble for a few reasons.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
First, Trump himself has admitted that the plan could result in price increases as businesses pass the cost of these tariffs on to consumers. He says those price spikes would be short term, but even a short term increase would hurt him politically. And second, other countries could well respond with tariffs of their own, something we're already starting to see.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
Well, on Monday, Chinese tariffs officially went into effect. Those include 10 to 15% on crude oil, natural gas, and other American goods. Beijing issued a statement saying, quote, we urge the US side to stop its wrongful actions and refrain from politicizing and instrumentalizing economic and trade issues.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
Likewise, the EU vowed Monday to respond with higher tariffs of their own, calling Trump's order unlawful and counterproductive. So, things certainly could get messy. Now, domestically, the response has been mixed.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
American steel and auto workers celebrated the move and domestic steel and aluminum stocks soared, while Democrats and a handful of more traditional free market Republicans expressed opposition, saying no one wins a trade war and the consumers will ultimately foot the bill.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Retaliatory Tariffs & North Carolina Recovery | 2.11.25
Yeah, on Monday night, Tulsi Gabbard moved one step closer to being confirmed as the next director of national intelligence. The Senate voted to advance her nomination to a final vote and opened up a 30-hour window for debate on the floor. She'll need to get 50 votes. That vote will likely be held this week. And then all eyes will turn to RFK.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Just hours out from Donald Trump's Liberation Day, consumers, corporations, and international trading partners are preparing for a slew of new tariffs that could reshape the global economy.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Well, if there's anything we've learned from Trump, it's that he is full of surprises. And that is certainly the case here. For weeks now, the president has floated a variety of ideas on tariffs, sometimes saying he would match the rates set by other countries, then floating the idea of a universal 20% rate, and then saying that he could be, quote, much more generous with our trading partners.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
So to put it simply, we are in the dark on what exactly this Liberation Day will look like. And that sort of plays into Trump's strategy on these things.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Well, by waiting until the last minute, he leaves the door open for more negotiating. On Friday, for example, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum met with Trump officials to discuss her plans to improve border security. clearly hoping to ease looming tariffs on her country. And in recent days, the president has fielded calls from the prime ministers of Canada and Great Britain.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Both men reportedly made their last-minute pitches seeking to dodge tariffs. And more broadly, in the last 72 hours, lawmakers in both parties have... been lighting up the White House phones, lobbying for exemptions for particular industries in their states.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
And of course, we've also seen a flood of business leaders making their case to the president, some vowing to bring manufacturing stateside and pour money into investments and jobs in exchange for lower tariffs. So Trump is seemingly content to let the pressure build and make final decisions once all offers are on the table.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
How do voters feel about the new economic order?
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
So amid the market swings and concerns over potential price increases from these tariffs, there is no doubt that more voters have soured on Trump's handling of the economy, the issue typically he's been the most popular on. Numerous polls this week show his approval rating on the economy lower now than at any point in his first or second term. The Associated Press, for example, had him at 40%.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Yahoo had him at just 39%. So if Liberation Day results in considerable price increases, there is a real risk those numbers could fall even further. Now, for their part, the White House has been adamant that consumers will not foot the bill and that even if there are temporary price hikes, our economy will be stronger in the long run. I spoke with heritage economist E.J. Antoni.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Antonio was also quick to add that these tariffs are not taking effect in a vacuum and will be coupled with tax cuts and deregulation, which he says will lessen their impact by lowering inflation and hopefully raising purchasing power.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
The White House has also been quick to argue that they are essentially cleaning up the mess left by the Biden administration, which in their view created massive trade disparities and sped up the hollowing out of America's manufacturing capabilities. Here's Antonio to that point.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
So a lot riding on these next few days. Liberation Day now upon us.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Here are the latest is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham. Hey, Megan. So for those who don't closely follow European politics like we do, give us the background on Le Pen and these charges against her.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
And Elon Musk uncovers millions of non-citizens on the Social Security rolls, including thousands who allegedly voted.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Yeah. So what will this do to the presidential race in France?
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Some heightened rhetoric there. What are other European leaders saying about this?
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Very interesting that so many of these same political shifts are happening in Western countries. Megan, thanks so much for reporting.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Elon Musk and venture capitalist Antonio Gracias are alleging widespread abuse of the social security system. The businessman said Sunday that millions of non-citizens have been given access to benefits and many have even been allowed to vote.
Morning Wire
Tariff Time & Marine Le Pen Convicted in France | 4.1.25
Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more news you need to know.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
The New York Court of Appeals has denied President-elect Donald Trump's motion to delay his January 10th sentencing. Trump was convicted of falsifying business records stemming from a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels. Trump's request to vacate the verdict citing presidential immunity was also denied. He remains set to be sentenced Friday morning unless the Supreme Court intervenes.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
The UK's Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, blocked a conservative motion to investigate child rape gangs in a vote earlier this week.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
Multiple wildfires continue to rage across Los Angeles County. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has the latest.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
— The inquiry aimed to address allegations of widespread abuse by gangs, predominantly of Pakistani descent, targeting young white girls. Conservatives called the scandal one of the worst in British history and criticized the Labour Party for sidestepping accountability.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
At the moment, Cal Fire says the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the two largest, are both 0% contained. The Eaton Fire has already claimed five lives. A death toll is expected to rise as recovery efforts expand. Meanwhile, authorities have taken control of the Sunset Fire, which flared up last night near Hollywood Hills.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
And pro-life Facebook users are calling on Meta to restore their accounts, citing CEO Mark Zuckerberg's recent pledge to uphold free speech. Daily Wire investigative reporter Mairead Elordi, who first reported the story, has more.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
According to LA Fire Chief Kristen Crowley, arson investigators are probing the cause of the Palisades Fire. During a press conference today, Crowley said the fire's origins remain under investigation and teams are actively working in the area.
Morning Wire
California Wildfires & Title IX Expansion Ruling | Afternoon Update | 1.9.25
Meanwhile, police say around 20 people have been arrested for looting amid the fires. Here's newly elected district attorney Nathan Hockman addressing the issue.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
Well, at the start of this week, the National Weather Service issued its highest fire alert for Los Angeles County, warning that conditions were ripe for a serious blaze. Humidity was low, vegetation was dry, and most importantly, extremely strong winds with gusts up to 100 miles per hour were coming in off the Pacific.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
And sadly, those warnings came to fruition Tuesday when what's now being called the Palisades Fire broke out in the morning between Santa Monica and Malibu. Hours later, a separate blaze, potentially caused by flying embers, started near Pasadena. And then again, yet another blaze set off in the San Fernando Valley, northwest of downtown LA.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
Within 24 hours, those fires had consumed well over 20,000 acres, destroying thousands of homes and other buildings, knocking out power for hundreds of thousands, and forcing tens of thousands more to evacuate.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
Yeah, it really has looked like something out of a disaster movie. Many residents were clearly caught off guard by how quickly the fire was spreading. In one video, you can hear two men attempting to fight the fire with a garden hose before fleeing down the street as trees and rooftops all around are set ablaze.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
But as more and more folks rushed to evacuate, roads out of town became snarled with traffic. Many chose to abandon their cars to flee on foot, which only worsened the gridlock and made it even harder for first responders to get to the scene. In a number of instances, fire departments brought in bulldozers to clear a path through street after street of abandoned luxury cars.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
In Pasadena, just harrowing footage shows nursing home employees and first responders frantically pushing elderly patients down gridlock streets with, again, flames and smoke all around them. You can get an idea of the chaos in this footage from the scene.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
Yeah, and it's worth noting, first responders, particularly the LA County Fire Department, have been completely overwhelmed, with Chief Anthony Marone saying there were, quote, no additional personnel to spare. 24 hours after the fires began, Marone said they were, quote, zero percent contained. He added that they were prepared for one or two major fires, but not four at once.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
The fact that there are all those fires burning simultaneously has, again, stretched resources thin. With fire hydrants across the city running out of water and firefighting planes and helicopters simultaneously grounded due to the intense winds. So it really is just a perfect storm right now. In response, fire departments from around California and even surrounding states poured into L.A.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
to offer help. And sadly, first responders are also having to contend with looters taking advantage of homes left empty. Listen to this firefighter, for example, requesting police help to stop break-ins.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
Now, as crews work to contain the blaze, officials say when all is said and done, it'll likely be the costliest wildfire in American history. With billions of dollars worth of property destroyed, that's in addition to the lives lost. We just don't know how many people have been killed right now.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
Keep in mind, many of the neighborhoods being destroyed are home to some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Places like Malibu, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades. And that's in addition to the dozens of working class neighborhoods that are leveled as well. But... We won't get a full accounting of the damage or the death toll until these fires are put out.
Morning Wire
Palisades Fire Rages & Wildfire Fallout | 1.9.25
And right now, that is far from accomplished.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
Yeah, as the dust settles, the polling data is clear. Viewers were widely supportive of President Trump's address, both in substance and tone. According to CNN, for example, 69% of viewers had a positive reaction to what they saw compared to just 31% negative. CBS had even more good news for the president.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
They found that 76% of viewers approved, 74% referred to the tone as presidential, and 62% said unifying. And more broadly, 63% of viewers said Trump spent, quote, a lot of time talking about the issues they care about.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
Right. CBS found that 77% supported Trump's plans for cutting wasteful government spending. The same number supported his plans for immigration. 73% supported his strategy on Ukraine and 65% his approach on tariffs. The list goes on. Now, it was worth noting those numbers are not reflective of the general population. These are polls of just those who watched the address.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
But regardless, the Trump camp is certainly thrilled with the public reaction to his big night.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
Yeah, for those who missed it, Democratic members turned their backs on Trump as he entered the chamber, held signs up calling him a liar, heckled him throughout the entire evening, and refrained from applauding anything he talked about, including the release of American hostages and the capture of terrorists.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
According to that CNN poll, 80% of viewers believed Democratic interruptions were inappropriate, especially Rep. Al Green, who was escorted out by the sergeant at arms after standing up and shouting for a minute straight during the address. On Wednesday, House Republicans put forward a motion to censure Greene for his actions. A vote there could take place as early as tomorrow.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
For a part, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt took to the podium yesterday with a word for Greene and other Democrats who attempted to disrupt the event.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
Now, it's worth noting the fact that Democratic members refused to clap for everything Trump said is obviously understandable. But historically, no matter who is in office, there are moments in virtually every address when both parties will stand together to applaud particularly patriotic or moving moments during a speech.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
Levitt had a strong message for the vast majority of Democrats who refused to do so.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
So Trump is continuing to up the pressure on Zelensky. Yesterday morning, the administration implemented a partial halt on intelligence sharing with Ukrainians. That comes after they halted weapons shipments on Monday. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told CBS the pause could be lifted. if Ukraine came back to the negotiating table with a more respectful deferential approach.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
So the Trump administration essentially trying to remind Zelensky how badly he needs American backing. And it appears to be working. On Wednesday, Zelensky's top aide said officials from the two countries had agreed to meet, quote, in the near future and had renewed conversations on a just and lasting peace.
Morning Wire
Trump Speech Fallout & Sanctuary Mayors Testify | 3.6.25
That, along with Zelensky's letter to Trump expressing regret for how that Oval Office meeting went down, does seem to indicate the Ukrainians are willing to make a deal soon.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Yeah, so far, Trump has gotten six nominees through, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. But now come a few nominees who are going to have a tougher time getting across the finish line.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Kash Patel, who's up for FBI director, Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, and the big one, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for secretary of health and human services.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Right. So Kennedy appeared before the Senate Finance Committee for step one of his confirmation. And it really marked the culmination of a remarkable turnaround for someone who two years ago was running for president as a Democrat. If confirmed, he would be the first HHS secretary in history to not share the party of the president who appointed them. But again, that is a big if.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Kennedy has arguably the toughest path to confirmation of any nominee for a few reasons. Democrats have turned on him for his vocal support of Trump, his skepticism on vaccines, and his criticism of party leadership over the last decade, among many other things.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
For example, Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse said Kennedy, quote, while Senator Bernie Sanders took issue with a series of baby onesies sold by an organization Kennedy used to work with.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
And to give you an idea of how heated things got, here's a brief exchange between Senator Elizabeth Warren and Kennedy on the topic of legal protections for vaccine manufacturers.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
That's exactly what you're doing. But Kennedy did have plenty of supporters in the room, including his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, and conservative host Megyn Kelly. It was a raucous crowd at times as the audience burst into applause following a number of his responses to Democrat questioning.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
For his part, Kennedy said much of the opposition coming from the left stems from Democrats' hatred of Donald Trump and anyone associated with him.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Now, despite his lifelong status as a Democrat, Kennedy has grown enormously popular with GOP voters. Polling shows he has some of the highest favorability ratings of any Trump cabinet nominee. And his crusade to, quote, make America healthy again has been gaining a lot of steam on the right. But there were still some who displayed some doubts about his standing, particularly on abortion.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Kennedy is personally pro-abortion, but... says he'll support the Trump administration's position if confirmed, and that he would study the effects of Mifepristone, the most widely used abortion pill.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
Well, they are almost certainly going to be just as contentious. Gabbard faces a very tough road to confirmation in order to even get to the Senate floor for a vote. He's got a first-win majority approval from the Intel Committee, and that is no sure thing. Republicans hold a 9-8 advantage on that committee. But one of those nine is Susan Collins, who has already voted no on Pete Hegsteth.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
So we'll be watching very closely to see how she reacts to Gabbard's testimony. For his part, FBI nominee Kash Patel does look to have a clearer path to confirmation, but we certainly expect to see some fireworks. Over the last few years, he's been one of the most vocal, staunchest critics of the FBI.
Morning Wire
Airplane-Helicopter Collision & RFK Jr. High Stakes Hearing | 1.30.25
He's vowed to slash thousands of positions that he says are unnecessary, much to the chagrin of Democrats. So buckle up.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
Yeah, world leaders, investors, the business community, everyone has been holding their breath ahead of what Trump described as Liberation Day. And it did not disappoint. Speaking from the Rose Garden before an audience of lawmakers, small business owners, farmers and auto factory workers, the president kicked things off with a simple message.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
So first, the U.S. will establish a minimum baseline tariff of 10% on all countries, regardless of what they charge now. From there, the president announced that rates will be reciprocal, aka will decide what to charge based on what other countries charge us. But according to Trump, the U.S. will be gracious. In his words, quote, kind reciprocal, not full reciprocal.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
In a truly just remarkable scene, the president held up a giant poster board displaying dozens of countries along with the exact rate that they'll now pay. Trump says that number was decided by adding up each country's tariffs, value-added taxes, and currency manipulation. That number was then divided by two, and the final rate was decided.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
For example, according to Trump, China's overall rate on U.S. imports is 67%, so they'll get 34%. The EU will face 20% rates. Japan, 24%. Australia, 10%. India, 26%. The list goes on. If you look at Switzerland, 61% to 31%. Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia. Oh, look at Cambodia, 97%.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
And it was interesting. The president noted that while he views existing tariff discrepancies between the U.S. and trading partners as unfair, he did not blame those other countries for those policies.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
Now, Trump devoted much of his address to the auto industry, saying foreign tariffs have driven American companies to outsource production, leaving our manufacturing base decimated. In an effort to bring back that auto production to the U.S., he announced additional 25% tariffs on all auto imports across the board. Following that move, he called Brian Panbacker, a United Auto worker, to the podium.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
Yeah, it's interesting. This plan marks not just a transformation of global trade, but also a political transformation. That was on full display yesterday. For decades, Republicans, at least the Reagan-style free market types, have loudly opposed tariffs. While it was Democrats who were the ones generally in favor. But Donald Trump has flipped things entirely.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
As you can imagine, the left came out hard before and after yesterday's announcement. They argue tariffs are a tax on consumers and will only drive inflation higher. Minority leader Chuck Schumer, for example, said Trump was, quote, taking a sledgehammer to the U.S. economy. And he vowed to fight those tariffs tooth and nail. We'll have to see what exactly that fight from Democrats looks like.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
In the meantime, the White House has flooded the airwaves making their case to the American people. They argue tariffs go beyond the economy and have national security implications. In the past, for example, the president has argued that tariffs have even stopped wars.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
The White House also says that tariffs may not be preferred in a free market, but that the global economy is, in their view, no longer a true free market. They argue that other countries are manipulating markets and currencies and that we cannot continue playing by what they call an outdated set of rules. Obviously, now the big question becomes how those other countries will respond.
Morning Wire
Trump Tariffs Unveiled & FBI Censored Biden Laptop | 4.3.25
We'll have to wait and see.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
Yeah, it's been a turbulent three years, John. So last year, as Trump campaigned on a promise to cut back funding for Ukraine and end the war quickly, Vladimir Zelensky threw out the idea of a minerals deal where the U.S. would get a piece of Ukraine's natural resources and in exchange for continued military support and security guarantees after the war ended.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
Now, once Trump won, he took him up on the idea, saying America deserved to be paid back to the tune of $500 billion in the form of oil, gas, and rare earth mineral contracts. Zelensky initially balked at those figures, saying he would not, quote, sell his country. But the two kept negotiating, as Trump loves to do, and ultimately reached a deal.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
Trump says that he will meet with Zelensky on Friday to sign the final terms. Here he is at the White House Wednesday.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
So the big question, what exactly is in this deal? Well, both sides have been tight-lipped on these specific numbers, but according to Ukraine's prime minister, it would establish a, quote, reconstruction investment fund that would be jointly managed by the two countries. Moving forward, 50% of revenues from new oil, gas, and mineral projects would go into that fund.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
The deal is also expected to grant American companies more direct access to the country's mineral reserves. which is crucial. Remember, Ukraine has some of the world's largest deposits of graphite, lithium, uranium, and titanium, all of which are critical for producing high-tech batteries, electronics, and weapons.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
Now, at the moment, China is responsible for around 90% of rare earth mineral production. So this deal could make the U.S. far less reliable on Beijing. Yeah, another key priority of the Trump administration. And what did the Ukrainians get from this? Trump says they've already gotten their part of the deal in the form of $100 billion-plus in military and financial aid. But it does appear the U.S.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
will also agree to some form of security guarantee. According to the New York Times, the agreement says that in exchange for mineral rights, the U.S. would, quote, "...support Ukraine's effort to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace."
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
That could mean Trump working out an agreement with European allies where they would supply boots on the ground after the war to prevent Russia from invading again. But it's worth noting Trump has been hesitant to offer too much in the way of a security guarantee. He's argued that the economic deal is all the assurance that Zelensky should need, that the U.S.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
is incentivized to keep Ukraine secure from Russia. Here's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to that point on Fox.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
So the White House says they're still hammering out the details for a sit down with Trump and Putin. President says he's confident they'll finalize a deal that will be favorable for all parties. And that deal could also include some economic partnerships regarding oil and rare earth minerals. Trump said they've been, quote, trying to do some economic development deals with Moscow.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
Russia has been largely shut out from the global economy since their invasion of Ukraine. And it's clear Trump wants to use that economic leverage to bring Putin to the table. That negotiating, though, has drawn criticism from many on the left who say Trump is playing into Russia's hand. Trump's cabinet convened for the first time yesterday. We'll hear more on that later.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
And VP Vance had some strong words in response.
Morning Wire
Ukraine Mineral Deal & Trump’s Gold Card Program | 2.27.25
So we'll be watching for that reported meeting between Trump and Zelensky on Friday. A lot going on between these two countries.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Yeah, this week alone, we saw a Tesla facility attacked with Molotov cocktails and firearms in Las Vegas. In that incident, the perpetrator spray painted the word resist across walls and doors. The day before, we saw a similar case in a dealership in Kansas City with multiple cars being set ablaze.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
There were separate attacks at dealerships and charging stations across Massachusetts, South Carolina, Washington. The list goes on and on. And it's not just Tesla dealerships being hit. Dozens, if not hundreds, of individual owners have also been targeted.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Social media has been flooded in recent days with security footage of Tesla owners finding their cars keyed, spray-painted, or with busted-out windows. And Musk himself has received numerous credible death threats as well in recent weeks. In one case, an Indiana man was arrested after threatening to kill him. Police found multiple guns and ballistic vests in his house.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Here's Musk talking with Sean Hannity about those attacks earlier this week.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a statement saying the DOJ is treating attacks on Tesla dealerships and owners as domestic terrorism because of their political nature. Bondi says perpetrators will be hit with five-year mandatory minimum sentences, and there will be severe consequences for, quote, those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Here she is on Fox Tuesday.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Yeah, since Musk took on a more prominent role in the Trump administration, Tesla has been just hammered on Wall Street with nine straight weeks of losses. They're now down 53% from their all-time high back in December. Many on the left have celebrated that news, saying not only should folks stop driving Teslas, but they should sell their stock in the company as well.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
At that point, here's former VP candidate Tim Walz yesterday.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt had this to say about Walz celebrating Tesla's stock fall.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
And it's worth noting, Fox reported that at latest count, Minnesota, where Walz is governor, held more than 1.6 million shares of Tesla stock in its state retirement fund.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Definitely a wild story here. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were originally supposed to spend just eight days aboard the ISS, but they spent nine months trapped in space after their Boeing Starliner ship malfunctioned. Musk says that he immediately offered to rescue them with one of his SpaceX craft, but was rebuffed by the Biden administration.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
However, he says Trump gave him the green light to bring them home and NASA partnered with SpaceX to go get them.
Morning Wire
Tesla Attacks Investigated & Trump Battles Legal Injunctions | 3.20.25
Now, beyond the joy in bringing those two home safely, the saga marked a major victory for Musk as, again, it reaffirmed SpaceX's dominance in the field.
Morning Wire
Kash Patel Confirmed & Vance Opens CPAC | Afternoon Update | 2.20.25
Vice President J.D. Vance kicked off the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, today just outside D.C. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips reports.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Well, it's no secret Donald Trump is not the biggest fan of Zelensky. Throughout the campaign, he accused the Ukrainian president of corruption and taking advantage of American generosity. But things really escalated when the White House excluded Ukraine from those initial peace talks with Moscow this week.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
And while Trump said that they would be brought in once negotiations got more serious, Zelensky expressed outrage, saying he would not accept any deal unless he had a seat at the table. Now, Trump responded by saying they've had a seat at the table for the last three years and that they could have ended the war a long time ago. And that brings us to yesterday. when things heated up even more.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Speaking to reporters Wednesday morning, Zelensky accused Donald Trump of spreading Russian propaganda and, quote, living in a disinformation space.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Yes, it did. Trump lit into Zelensky hours later with a long post on Truth Social that reads in part, quote, Zelensky talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn't be won, that never had to start. but a war that he, without the U.S. and Trump, will never be able to settle. Zelensky admits that half of the money we sent him is missing.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
He went on to call Zelensky a, quote, dictator without elections.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Right. Zelensky's presidential term technically expired last year. But because the country is under martial law, they have not held an election to replace him, allowing him to stay in power indefinitely. Now, Zelensky and his supporters say an election is not feasible given the conflict and that Ukrainians overwhelmingly support him. So an election is not necessary in the first place.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Here he is Wednesday speaking through a translator.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
VP Vance offered his own advice for Zelensky, telling the Daily Mail, quote, the idea that Zelensky is going to change the president's mind by badmouthing him in public media. Everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration. For their part, Democrats on the Hill slammed Trump's comments, echoing Zelensky's claims of Russian disinformation.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Here's former Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Senate floor.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
And there were some Republican lawmakers who did push back on Trump's claims as well. South Dakota's Mike Rounds defended Zelensky, calling him, quote, a key component in the fact that they've been able to withstand the Russian attacks. More broadly, though, the GOP certainly is backing Trump's rhetoric on this issue.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Right. So last year, Zelensky laid out a so-called victory plan aimed at convincing Western allies to continue supporting the war effort. As part of that plan, he floated allowing the U.S. to develop Ukrainian natural resources after the war, including vast reserves of rare earth minerals.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
And now Trump is proposing his own version of that idea, saying he wants access to Ukrainian ports, oil and gas reserves and minerals after the war. According to The Telegraph, Trump sent a memo to Ukraine calling for 50 percent of recurring revenues on those resources, as well as 50 percent of the value from, quote, all new licenses issued to third parties.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Zelensky has publicly bristled at that plan, though, saying, quote, I cannot sell our country. But it's very clear Trump is expecting some form of payback for all the U.S. tax dollars that have gone to Ukraine.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Yeah, that's exactly right, Sean. Yesterday was the big day for Lori Chavez de Riemer. And while the former Oregon congresswoman hasn't gotten as much attention as some of Trump's other cabinet nominees, she's been pretty controversial in her own right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Now, Republicans largely oppose the bill, which they say would give unions too much power.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Among other things, they say the PRO Act would have overturned state laws allowing workers to not be forced to join a union or pay union dues to be employed. That was a major sticking point for Rand Paul, who said he would not vote to confirm Chavez-Durimer. Here's Paul pushing her on that point.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
In response, Chavez de Reimer assured Paul that her past support of the PRO Act would not inform her actions as labor secretary.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
That seems to have been good enough for Paul, who said he had no further questions and told reporters he would reconsider his no vote.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Yeah, the other main concern came from Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, who grilled her on abortion, noting that she once worked at Planned Parenthood. Chavez-Durimer stressed that she had a, quote, 100 percent pro-life voting record in Congress and would continue to support the America First agenda, which we know includes life.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Well, they mostly asked her about their big topic these days, Doge, which has really become the Democrats' boogeyman. Chris Murphy asked her to pledge that she would deny Elon Musk and his team access to the Labor Department, and Tammy Baldwin asked if she would stop Doge from pulling down the Labor Department's publicly available wage information.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Chavez de Riemer demurred on all the Doge questions, saying she wasn't familiar with what that team was doing, and saying that she would ask for a briefing on their activities if she were confirmed. All right.
Morning Wire
Trump-Zelensky Feud & MAHA’s Industry Impact | 2.20.25
Well, yesterday, the Senate confirmed former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration. And they're expected to vote on Kash Patel, Trump's pick to lead the FBI sometime today. So another crucial piece of the president's revamped Justice Department could soon fall into place.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
Well, according to the Labor Department's monthly inflation report, the consumer price index, which tracks the general cost of everyday goods, rose 2.8% from the same month last year and just 0.2% from the month before. Both of those numbers were better than expectations and marked the first time in four months that we saw an annual decrease in the consumer price index or inflation.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
At the same time, core prices saw a 3.1% increase from last year. That is the best number we've seen in nearly four years. Here's White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt addressing those numbers Wednesday.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
Looking through the data, inflation rates on housing saw the most notable cooling. They were up 4.2% from the same month last year, which doesn't sound great, but is actually the smallest yearly increase since 2021. So all that to say inflation is still present. Prices are still going up, just at a significantly slower pace than we saw in recent years.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
Right, these numbers do reflect February data that came in before President Trump ratcheted up his trade war with Canada, Mexico, Europe, and China, among others. On Wednesday, 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum products went into effect. Canada immediately responded with 25% tariffs of their own on more than $20 billion worth of American imports.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
For their part, the European Union also slapped retaliatory tariffs on nearly $30 billion worth of goods, including home appliances, textiles, and agricultural products. And it's worth noting that list of goods is not random. EU officials told reporters they wanted to target products that primarily came from Republican-led states.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
They're hitting soybeans in Mike Johnson's Louisiana, beef in Kansas, Nebraska and Texas, and produce in Alabama and Georgia. So they're clearly hoping to exert political pressure on Trump from within his own party.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
The White House has conceded that these tariffs could cause prices to go up in the short term, but they will, in theory, increase demand for American-made products in the long run, incentivizing companies to up their domestic production, bringing hopefully lower costs. Here's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick making that point on Fox Wednesday morning.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
Now, others on the right say Democrats are fear-mongering over the looming impacts of tariffs. They point to President Trump's policies from his first term as proof you can implement them without broad price increases. To that point, here's heritage economists E.J. and Tony.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
But look, there is certainly a very real political risk here attached to President Trump's strategy.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
So during his first term, President Trump consistently saw a higher approval rating on his handling of the economy than any other issue. It arguably is what got him back in the White House. But in recent weeks, Americans do appear to be souring on his handling of the economy. A CNN poll found him at 44% on that front and his 12 points underwater and his lowest rating on the economy on record.
Morning Wire
Inflation Cools Down & Education Department Downsizes | 3.13.25
Now, the White House is confident those numbers will turn around as inflation continues to slow and tariffs drive American manufacturing. But that does not happen. There is a risk the president could lose support on the issue where he's typically been the most popular.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Well, he remains in a Pennsylvania state prison. The 26-year-old from a wealthy and influential family in Maryland is currently fighting extradition to New York. Leading his defense will be Thomas Dickey, a Pennsylvania attorney who's handled a number of murder trials and insists that his client will plead not guilty.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
But Mangione's legal team will have their work cut out for them as evidence continues to tie him to last week's heinous crime. Police announced yesterday that shell casings found at the crime scene matched the firearm Mangione was carrying when he was caught. They also say fingerprints found at the scene belong to Mangione as well.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Yeah, it's hard to overstate just how much of a cult figure Mangione has become for a significant chunk of Americans. Many have compared him to Robin Hood, others to a new Che Guevara, while thousands more have offered to pay for his legal defense, saying he should be released whether he committed the crime or not. Mangione's lawyer addressed those offers on CNN.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Right. A number of prominent folks in the entertainment industry, academia, and late-night comedy have come out in support of the alleged killer. British actress Jamila Jamil, for example, posted a shirtless photo of Mangione to her nearly 4 million Instagram followers with the caption, "'A star is born.'"
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Former Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz said she felt, quote, joy when she heard the news. She also shared a picture of a smiling star emoji with the caption, CEO down. Elsewhere, Julia Alexieva, a professor at UPenn, which Mangione attended, posted a TikTok video dancing happily with the caption, have never been prouder to be a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
And then there's late night host Jimmy Kimmel, who gleefully shared messages from his producers talking about their love for Mangione.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Elsewhere, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren offered a seemingly sympathetic view on the crime, saying she understood why people were taking a side.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Speaking to the Huffington Post, she said, "...the visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practice of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the healthcare system." She added, "...violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far."
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Her Democratic colleague Bernie Sanders echoed those sentiments, calling the murder unacceptable, but saying, quote, Now, for obvious reasons, this hero treatment has sparked major concerns over copycat killers. At that point, the NYPD released a statement saying there is, quote, an elevated threat facing executives in the near term.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Sure. So the Obama administration originally launched the GEC as part of a counterterrorism initiative. But then after Trump took office in 2017, its purview expanded into combating ostensible disinformation. That was part of that now debunked Russia collusion narrative.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Well, the argument was that this was necessary to prevent foreign governments from targeting Americans with propaganda campaigns. But critics say the federal government essentially started using the GEC to engage in censorship against voices that might threaten the power of the entrenched political establishment.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Mike Benz, a former State Department official, discussed last week with Joe Rogan the government push for widespread censorship in the name of so-called misinformation.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
So critics say that the GEC is yet another arm of this censorship apparatus.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Well, the GEC became involved in policing social media content from American citizens. To give you just one example, before Elon Musk bought the platform, it gave Twitter a list of 5,500 users it had pinpointed for suppression because it said they were suspected Chinese accounts engaged in state-backed coordinated manipulation.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
But it actually turned out that most of those accounts belonged to ordinary Americans. In fact, a few were CNN journalists. The GEC also funded initiatives that asked Twitter and other platforms to consider suspending tens of thousands of accounts suspected of spreading foreign disinformation. But again, it turned out that many were just ordinary citizens sharing ordinary domestic policy views.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
And then some of its activities sought to suppress conservative media specifically. For example, the GEC directed funds to third-party watchdog groups that created advertising blacklists of mostly conservative news organizations. And that included The Federalist, The New York Post, and The Daily Wire, which, of course, produces this program.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
And it's for that that the Daily Wire, the Federalist, and the state of Texas are suing the GEC for violating freedom of speech and of the press.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Yes, though right now there is a bipartisan effort to save it. So the GEC was not included in the latest draft of the defense authorization bill. That means right now it is set to expire in less than two weeks.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
And then on top of that, on Monday, as part of that Daily Wire lawsuit, the State Department notified a federal court that the center is substantially likely to be terminated on December 23rd and its employees reassigned. But Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas have been actually pushing to extend the GEC's authorization.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
Though I will say that Cornyn certainly seems to be in the minority of his party in backing the agency. And by the way, he hasn't publicly commented on why he wants to keep it.
Morning Wire
Suspected Killer’s Infamy & GEC’s Likely Demise | 12.12.24
In contrast, the House Committee on Small Business called the GEC's potential shuttering a win for free speech and Main Street America and said its termination means that there is, quote, one less way for unelected bureaucrats to violate Americans' First Amendment rights.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Budget Plan Passes & Hegseth Pens Panama Deal | Afternoon Update | 4.10.25
His reversal brought some relief Wednesday with record gains, but the EU says its response is only delayed, not completely scrapped. Trump paused nearly all of his tariffs while upping levies on Chinese goods to 125%. Earlier this week, von der Leyen said the EU was ready to negotiate with the U.S.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Budget Plan Passes & Hegseth Pens Panama Deal | Afternoon Update | 4.10.25
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today the bloc will hold off for 90 days on countermeasures that would have targeted over $23 billion worth of American goods, ranging from motorcycles to agricultural products. Trump's tariff rollback came after markets tumbled globally, triggering the sharpest volatility since the early days of COVID.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
Yeah, one week ago, President Trump enacted the largest tariffs in a century. And then yesterday, with a single social media post, he put nearly all of them on pause. Trump announced in a Truth Social post that, effective immediately, there would be a 90-day pause on nearly all tariffs. In the meantime, a flat 10% rate will go into effect.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
If you walked outside yesterday afternoon and felt a strong breeze, that was actually the collective sigh of relief from world leaders making its way across the globe.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
Well, the president said Wednesday morning that it was a, quote, great time to buy. And he was not kidding. Within five minutes of his announcement, trillions of dollars in value have been added to the markets. By the time markets closed, the Dow was up more than 2,900 points, nearly 8%. The S&P skyrocketed nearly 10%, the largest one-day gain since 2008.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
And the Nasdaq saw its biggest daily gain in nearly a quarter century, surging 12%. All told, the broad market index on Wall Street saw its third largest gain since World War II. Hopefully some of our listeners bought the dip because the market appears to be roaring back.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
Yeah, quite the opposite. Remember, while the vast majority of our trading partners held off on retaliatory tariffs and sought a deal, Beijing raised their rates to 34 percent and then 84 percent. That clearly outraged the president, who said, quote, based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the world's markets,
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
I'm hereby raising the tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125% effective immediately. We're talking hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tariffs now on the table. The White House says the Chinese have shown the world their hand and proven once and for all that they cannot be trusted to operate fairly.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
As Treasury Secretary Scott Besson put it, Beijing fell into President Trump's trap.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
And according to the White House, China will be forced to blink first and make a favorable deal with the U.S. That's because they say their economy is so reliant on shipping cheap goods to other countries, mainly America. In Trump's words, China may be projecting strength, but they are desperate for relief.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
Well, the White House made clear they're going to take the next 90 days to hammer out as many trade deals as possible. And they've made clear what they're looking for. Lower tariffs, lower value added taxes and the removal of import bans on certain American products. If those demands are not met, the tariffs will be back on three months from now.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
And the secretary went on to specifically note that Vietnam, India, South Korea and Japan were all at the front of the line for negotiations. Now, that's important because those are all of China's biggest competitors in Asia. The White House clearly sending a message to Beijing, make a deal now where the U.S. and the rest of the world will send their business elsewhere.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
Here's White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt.
Morning Wire
Stocks Soar as Trump Pauses Tariffs | 4.10.25
And for his part, Secretary Besant went on to offer a warning to countries considering cozying up to China. Quote, you'll be cutting your own throat. So the Trump administration using these tariffs not just to negotiate trade deals, but also as an attempt to push the world away from China.
Morning Wire
Election Earthquake: How Donald Trump Dominated 2024 | 12.29.24
I love Joe Biden. I want to make that clear. Thank goodness he won. But that's not what the numbers are saying now. There is an exhausted majority in America that wants neither of these candidates. Over 50 percent of Democrats want a different nominee. And yet I'm the only one out of about 260 some members of Congress, the only one out of 260 that is saying the same thing.
Morning Wire
Election Earthquake: How Donald Trump Dominated 2024 | 12.29.24
To me, the values of diversity, equality, inclusion are literally, and that's not kidding, the core strengths of America. That's why I'm proud to have the most diverse administration in history that taps into the full talents of our country and starts at the top with the vice president.
Morning Wire
Wall Street’s Rollercoaster Ride & Trump’s Title IX Task Force | Afternoon Update | 4.7.25
The Dow fell another 1,300 points when the markets opened today, only to rebound amid rumors of a tariff pause and then fall again once those rumors turned out to be just rumors. Ultimately, by midday, the Dow was down nearly 1,000 points, while the S&P fell near bear market territory and made ongoing threats of retaliatory measures from China and others.
Morning Wire
Wall Street’s Rollercoaster Ride & Trump’s Title IX Task Force | Afternoon Update | 4.7.25
The EU did, however, extend an olive branch of sorts, offering a zero-for-zero trade deal with the U.S. after President Trump imposed steep tariffs on European imports. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen did however caution that they were ready to strike back.
Morning Wire
Wall Street’s Rollercoaster Ride & Trump’s Title IX Task Force | Afternoon Update | 4.7.25
Meanwhile, in an effort to bring Beijing to the bargaining table, Trump is threatening additional 50% tariff hikes on China if they do not back down on their 34% rate against US goods.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Well, it's more bad news on that front. In the 48 hours following Trump's Rose Garden announcement, more than $6 trillion was wiped off the stock market. The Dow Jones saw its worst 48-hour period since COVID lockdowns in 2020, plunging more than 3,900 points, while the S&P 500 fell another 6% Friday. when 486 of its 500 stocks lost value. Zooming out, the S&P is down 17% since February.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
The Dow is down 14%. JP Morgan now says there is a 60% chance of a global recession by year's end due to what they call, quote, disruptive U.S. policies. But for his part, President Trump took a rosier outlook, saying Friday, quote, this is a great time to get rich. Yeah, how has the president and his administration responded to all this turmoil?
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
So it's worth noting they've been saying all along that there would be some disruptions from the start. Remember, President Trump said prices would temporarily go up after Liberation Day. He compared the tariffs to a surgical procedure that took some recovery time. In a Truth Social post over the weekend, he said, quote, this is an economic revolution and we will win. Hang tough.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
It won't be easy, but the end result will be historic. Now, more broadly, the White House argues the stock market is not indicative of overall economic health and that the vast majority of Americans care more about high-paying jobs and affordable goods than a booming stock portfolio.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Here's Treasury Secretary Scott Besson on Tucker Carlson making the case that middle and lower class Americans benefit far less from the market.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Now, look, it's impossible to deny that is a very different message from Trump world than we heard during his first term, when the president routinely lauded the record stock market growth we saw from 2016 to 2020. The fact that he's willing to risk a market disruption, a serious one, shows how much he's prioritizing their efforts to revolutionize the economy, in his view, from the bottom up.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
It's a risk, but one the White House is confident will pay off. Besant went on to say President Trump inherited an economy that might have had the appearance of health, but was rotting from the inside out.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Others in Trump's cabinet reiterated that we must endure short-term pain in order to bring back American manufacturing, not just to protect our economy, but also to improve national security. Here's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on CBS.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Now, President Trump is hoping the Federal Reserve will extend a bit of a jolt to the economy by cutting interest rates. He posted on Truth Social Friday, quote, this would be the perfect time for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates. He is always late, but he could now change his image and quickly cut interest rates, Jerome, and stop playing politics.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Powell refused to respond to Trump's comments, saying the Fed was, quote, well-positioned to wait for greater clarity on the economy. But he did say the tariffs were, quote, significantly larger than expected. Ultimately, rate cuts will likely rest on how much inflation spikes as a result of the trade war, and perhaps more importantly, how long these tariffs stay in place.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Yeah, it's important to note the White House says if our trading partners want those rates knocked down, they'll have to make concessions beyond just lowering tariffs. They want them to address, quote, non-tariff cheating, mainly value added taxes and outright bans on certain products. For example, much of Europe does not allow any American meat to be imported.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
We've seen other examples with similar products around the world. Some countries dug in for a protracted trade war. China slapped 34% tariffs on all American imports, while the EU said they would pursue, quote, countermeasures, likely more tariffs. But many countries have come to the negotiating table.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
Taiwan, for example, said they would not implement any retaliatory tariffs and would instead pursue a, quote, zero tariff deal with the U.S., Vietnam, one of our largest trading partners in Asia, sent a letter to Trump Saturday offering to remove all tariffs on U.S. imports if Trump would agree to pause our own tariffs for 45 days.
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
All told, the White House says privately our trade partners have been blowing up the president's phone looking for a deal. In the meantime, the big question still remains. Will this past week be a short blip on the radar and the dawn of an economic renaissance or the start of a recession? And the question on everyone's mind at this point. Kevin, thanks for reporting. Anytime.
Morning Wire
Trudeau’s Resignation & New Orleans Lawsuit | Afternoon Update | 1.6.25
Today, Congress met in a joint session to certify Donald Trump's presidential victory. There to oversee the certification was the Democrat Donald Trump defeated in the election, Kamala Harris, who had to preside over the process as sitting vice president.
Morning Wire
Trudeau’s Resignation & New Orleans Lawsuit | Afternoon Update | 1.6.25
The National Weather Service is urging residents in hard-hit areas like the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest to avoid non-essential travel, with untreated roads already impassable in many regions. The storm, which started on the West Coast, has caused flight cancellations, accidents, and even thrown Washington, D.C. for a loop.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
Yeah, we have another significant executive order coming down this weekend. It strips collective bargaining rights from a wide swath of federal employees, essentially abolishing their right to unionize. Now, the order will not apply to all federal workers, just those whose work has links to national security.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
That includes the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs. For context, a number of large federal unions have made clear that they're going to do everything possible to slow Donald Trump's agenda. They've launched dozens of lawsuits to block his efforts to cut spending through Doge.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
And other unions negotiated deals with the Biden administration that are still in effect, but Trump says run contrary to his administration's policy. He added that while he does, quote, support constructive partnerships with unions who work with him, he will not tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his ability to manage agencies with vital national security missions.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
Well, it'll likely give the administration more legal footing to dissolve previous collective bargaining agreements between unions and the federal government. To that point, hours after the order was signed, eight federal agencies filed a lawsuit in Texas calling for a judge to void their existing contracts with those unions.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
They'll remain in place while the case is heard, but we could see action quickly. More broadly, the biggest federal workers union, the American Federation of Government Employees, said over the weekend that hundreds of thousands of their 800,000 members could soon be stripped of their memberships. They vowed in response to file countersuits of their own.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
If the courts rule in Trump's favor, though, it'll give him considerable power to cut the federal workforce and really follow through on his promise to slash spending in Washington.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
Yeah, on Wednesday, a slew of new tariffs will go into effect on everything from auto imports to appliances, agricultural products. The list goes on. Trump is calling it, quote, Liberation Day. Writing on Truth Social, quote, For decades, we've been ripped off and abused by every nation in the world, both friend and foe.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
Now, we are still waiting on the full list of products that'll be impacted, but we know Canada and Mexico will be among the hardest hit. They're facing 25% tariffs on all imports. From there will come those worldwide reciprocal tariffs. Those will match existing rates on countries we trade with. The White House says if a trading partner wants a lower tariff,
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
All they have to do is reduce the rates imposed on our exports. The president will also slap an additional 25% rate on oil and gas from Venezuela in response to the, quote, criminals who he says they've sent here to the U.S. illegally. That tariff, it's worth noting, will apply as well to those countries who continue buying oil and gas from the Venezuelans.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
Exactly. And the White House has been adamant from the start that they view tariffs not just as an economic tool, though they do say they're confident they'll help secure more favorable trade deals. They also view them as a means of combating illegal immigration, and they think they will incentivize military cooperation abroad and, importantly, spur domestic manufacturing at home.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
Trump points to the trillions of dollars worth of investments foreign companies have made since he took office as proof the tariffs will push companies to onshore and bring their supply chains to America. And now he's going even further to encourage folks to buy American-made goods, specifically cars.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
On Friday, he proposed a revolutionary tax deduction that would allow Americans to write off interest payments on auto loans for cars made in America. Here he is detailing that plan from the White House.
Morning Wire
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ & ‘Tesla Takedown’ Protests | 3.31.25
And House Speaker Mike Johnson is reportedly drafting legislation that would codify that proposal. If passed, it could have a major impact on consumer habits in the auto industry. It could really impact the car buying landscape, for sure. Kevin, thanks so much for reporting. Anytime.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
Yeah, another big campaign pledge that Trump is following through on. The president has long argued that Mexico and Canada were not doing enough to prevent illegal immigrants and Chinese fentanyl from coming across their borders into the U.S. He believes that unless they face economic consequences in the form of tariffs, the problem will persist. And on Saturday, he made it official.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
Starting Tuesday, all goods coming from Canada and Mexico will be subject to a 25% tariff with no exceptions, while China will face an additional 10% tariff on top of those already in place. Trump is also eliminating a loophole that had allowed duty-free shipments for products worth less than $800. The White House says that loophole was being used to smuggle in drugs and other illicit material.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
Here's VP Vance on Fox talking about the announcement.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
For context, China, Mexico and Canada account for about 40% of all imports to the U.S. So the ramifications here will be widespread. White House says the tariffs will remain in place until meaningful progress has been made to curb the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants. They also included a retaliation clause that will increase tariffs if those countries respond with tariffs of their own.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
And it looks like that might come into play here very shortly. Right. So within hours of Trump's announcement, leaders from Canada, Mexico, and China slammed the move, vowing to retaliate with their own tariffs. It was Canada who struck first. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Saturday evening that he would be responding with 25% tariffs on on $100 billion worth of U.S.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
imports like vegetables, furniture, and household appliances.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
Mexico vowed a looming response of their own that would include tariffs and other measures. Far left President Claudia Scheinbaum went a step further, accusing Trump of slander for saying her government was beholden to criminal organizations like cartels.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
For their part, China said, quote, fentanyl is America's problem and promised to file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization and implement what they called, quote, necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests. But we'll have to wait and see if that means tariffs of their own.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
Well, critics of Trump argue that tariffs are essentially a tax on consumers because businesses will be forced to raise prices on imports rather than eating the costs themselves. And it's worth noting President Trump himself is seemingly preparing the American people for higher prices in the short term.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
Trump argues, though, that short-term price increases might occur, but ultimately will be worth it in the long run because they'll force other countries to comply with demands on fentanyl and immigration and improve American manufacturing. For example, the White House sent out a memo Sunday saying the move would incentivize U.S.
Morning Wire
Trade War Escalation & DNC's New Leadership | 2.3.25
consumers to buy American-made products, which in turn would incentivize businesses to produce their goods here with American workers.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
So historically, there's often a sort of buyer's remorse with voters, but that has not happened this year. Trump's approval ratings have held steady around 48%. That's well above where he stood during his first term. And Democratic popularity has only plummeted since Election Day. Last week, CNN found that just 29% of Americans view the party favorably. That's a 20-point drop from 2021.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
And over the weekend, things got even worse. A new Quinnipiac poll showed that just 21% of Americans approve of Democrats' job performance in Congress. That is the lowest mark in the history of the poll. And even more concerning for the left, only 40% of Democrats approve of the job their leaders are doing in Congress.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
Exactly. The best example came last week during the Democrat debate over whether to shut down the government. Rank and file members in Congress wanted to kill the Republican spending bill and, you know, stick it to Trump, forcing a shutdown. But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, arguably the most powerful Democrat in the country, opted to support the deal and keep the lights on.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
That resulted in a wave of backlash from prominent Democrat lawmakers like AOC and Nancy Pelosi, and importantly, from voters. To give you an idea of their anger, Schumer had to cancel his upcoming book tour, quote, due to security concerns. And now that anger has been evident at town halls across the country.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
For example, here's the message from one voter at a rowdy town hall for Arizona Democrats Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
Here's another raucous event for Democrat House member Sean Kasten, which had to be shut down by police after angry protesters attempted to rush the stage.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
Well, there seem to be two main strategies emerging. First, there are those who say the party needs to listen to its far left base and double down on their opposition to Trump doing just everything possible to prevent his agenda from being implemented.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
In that camp are Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who kicked off their, quote, fighting oligarchy tour last week, hitting Tempe, Las Vegas and Denver in recent days and drawing crowds in the tens of thousands.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
But the problem for Democrats in that camp is that the far left vision for America they're describing just doesn't seem all that popular with Americans right now. Remember, polling shows that Americans are still widely supportive of Trump's policies on legal immigration, foreign policy, transgenderism and DEI. Right.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
So on the other side are Democrats who feel November's results were a clear rebuke of progressive ideologies and governance. They say the party has to shake that woke label and moderate on social issues while embracing a more old school blue dog Democrat approach. Leading the charge on that front is, ironically, California's Gavin Newsom, one of the nation's most far left governors.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
He launched a new podcast where he's been having very friendly chats with hardline conservatives like Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk. He's openly criticized his party as being elitist and out of touch, while conceding that he understands why folks supported Trump in November.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
He even went as far as saying he opposes trans-identifying males in women's sports and called on Democrats to stop using gender-neutral language like Latinx, though he himself has used that term many times in the past. And it's worth noting, polling continues to show a real split on which strategy voters want.
Morning Wire
Democratic Infighting Grows & Wisconsin’s Judicial Showdown | 3.24.25
The latest numbers from Gallup have 45% of Democrats wanting the party to become more moderate, 29% say more liberal, and 22% say hold the current course. So Democratic voters are just as divided as their leaders on how to approach these next four years. And in the meantime, the infighting continues.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
Yeah, Trump believes that his first term was held back by government bureaucrats who weren't fully bought into his mission or were openly hostile to his worldview. He clearly feels institutional change can only take place if the people running those institutions are all in. As part of that effort, the president this weekend removed three key figures at the Pentagon.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti. She was the Navy's top officer. Vice Chief of Staff, General Jim Slife. He was number two at the Air Force. And the big one, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown. All right, so several members of the top brass, most notably Brown. Exactly.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
So for context, the chairman serves as a top advisor to the president and SecDef General. They serve as sort of a middleman, relaying information and concerns from the heads of each service branch.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
In a statement announcing the firing, Trump was surprisingly cordial, thanking General Brown for his 40 years of service, saying, quote, he is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family. He'll be replaced by Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Cain, who served most recently as the associate director for military affairs at the CIA.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
Now, under law, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs technically must have served as either the vice chairman, a service chief, or a combatant commander. Positions Cain has not held. But Trump can waive that requirement if he, quote, determines such action as necessary in the national interest. And clearly he feels it is.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
Trump said Kaine was integral in the destruction of ISIS during his first term and will, quote, restore peace through strength, put America first and rebuild our military. So what was the president's rationale for replacing Brown in particular? Well, he's long drawn the ire of Republicans who say he's been overly focused on DEI initiatives during his time as chairman.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
In the past, for example, he touted the fact that he, quote, purposely built his office with diversity as a core priority. He supported racial quotas for Air Force hiring, and he was a vocal supporter of Black Lives Matter throughout 2020. Here he is, for example, in a video posted following the death of George Floyd.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
Pete Hegseth had strong words for Brown last year, saying, quote, he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards. Now, for their part, Democrats across Washington said the move was supposedly fueled by racism. Congressman Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said of Trump, quote, for his administration, if you are black, qualifications don't matter.
Morning Wire
Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25
They only see people of color as DEI hires. Others on the left said Trump's Pentagon sweep reeked of authoritarianism. But Defense Secretary Hegseth was quick to point out the historical precedent for moves like this. Here he is on Fox Sunday.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
Yeah, you said the word celebratory, and that certainly is the overarching mood here in Washington, where hundreds of thousands of Trump supporters have descended. In many ways, that victory rally, which we were front and center for, was far more than just a Trump rally, and much more like his return to the stage at the Republican National Convention after he'd just been shot.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
It was raucous, it was optimistic, it was star-studded, and it was triumphant, as you might expect. Taking the stage, Trump kicked things off with this simple message.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
Now, one thing that really stuck out was how often Trump returned credit for that victory to his supporters. And at times, at this, his final rally before becoming president, he sounded almost sentimental.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
Again, as you can imagine, Trump focused much of his speech on immigration, the issue that arguably played a bigger factor than any other in his victory, and the issue that also drew the loudest applause throughout the evening.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
And it's certainly worth noting those plans are growing more popular by the day with all Americans. For example, a New York Times poll this week found that 87% of Americans support deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records, 63% support deporting all illegal immigrants who've come here in the last four years, and 55% support deporting all illegal immigrants, period.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
In modern history, we've never seen such strong support for mass deportations. And more broadly, a CBS poll found that 60% of Americans say they're optimistic about the next four years under Trump. That includes 67% of 18 to 29-year-olds and even 30% of Democrats. So there certainly seems to be much more support for Trump coming into the second term than we saw back in 2016.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
Right, so Joe Biden's presidency officially ends at noon Eastern on January 20th, as specified by the 20th Amendment. The inaugural ceremonies for Trump and VP Vance will begin at 1130 a.m. and be overseen by the chair of the inaugural committee, Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar. They also feature an invocation from Franklin Graham and a performance by Carrie Underwood.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
It'll all start with the procession to the Capitol, followed by Vice President Vance's swearing-in ceremony, and then President Trump's swearing-in. Trump will then give his second inaugural address. Now, these addresses traditionally are not very long. Trump's was just 16 minutes back in 2017.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
As we've reported, the big shift this year because of the frigid weather here is that Trump will be inside the rotunda of the Capitol rather than outside on the west front of the Capitol facing the National Mall. While that is unusual, it has happened before with Ronald Reagan's second inauguration.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
After that, we have the honorary departure and what there's been a huge degree of anticipation about, as I know Megan will be discussing next, the signing ceremony. This is where Trump will sign his key nominations and memos and, crucially, those first executive orders. The signing ceremony is followed by the inaugural luncheon and finally the ceremonial pass and review.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Triumphant Return | 1.20.25
That's where President Trump and VP Vance go to the east front steps of the Capitol to review the military troops, then lead a procession down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. All the key elements of the ceremony are expected to take just about an hour.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Yeah, the lights are still on in Washington as the shutdown was avoided, but not without plenty of drama and infighting. So you'll remember that on Friday, Republicans were trying to push their seven-month funding stopgap through the Senate. They had until midnight, but could only win passage if eight Democrats got on board. Pennsylvania's John Fetterman was the first.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
And then Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had been slamming that deal all month, reversed course and called on his members to vote yes. And ultimately, seven other Democrats did join him, including New York's Kristen Gillibrand, Dick Durbin from Illinois, and Michigan's Gary Peters. A very dramatic reversal for Schumer and others. What changed their mind? Well, there was a lot at play.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
First, if the measure had failed, Democrats would have gotten the lion's share of the blame for the shutdown, something even their party leaders acknowledged behind closed doors. Schumer and the others who voted yes argued that during a potential shutdown, President Trump would be given even more authority to slash federal spending and potentially federal workers.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Here's Schumer making that case from the Senate floor.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
But the bottom line is this was a substantial victory for Republicans and President Trump. It showed the GOP is almost totally aligned in pushing through Trump's agenda. And perhaps more importantly, it highlighted some of the major fractures within the Democratic Party, specifically with regard to how they're going to respond to the next four years under Trump.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Let's just say Chuck Schumer is not a very popular man on the left right now. He's had an iron grip on the chamber for years. And in the past, if Democrats were mad at him, they mostly kept it to themselves, fearing recriminations. But this weekend was very different. Democrats in both chambers publicly slammed him and the other Democrats who got on board with him.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for example, said Schumer's effort, quote, only makes matters worse. And in perhaps the most remarkable example, Schumer's counterpart in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, all but threw Schumer under the bus, issuing a statement saying, quote, House Democrats will not be complicit. We remain strongly opposed to the partisan spending bill.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
And most telling, Jeffries went on to refuse comment multiple times when asked if he was confident in Schumer's ability to lead.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Next question. And for her part, Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Schumer's move a, quote, tremendous mistake and almost unthinkable.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Now, according to numerous reports, there are now a number of Democrats on the Hill pushing behind the scenes for Schumer to be primaried. And some Democrats have reportedly been urging Ocasio-Cortez to make a run for Schumer's seat in 2028. One anonymous senator told CNN their colleagues are, quote, so mad they're ready to write checks for AOC. So AOC benefiting from this blowout.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
Right. A new poll from CNN this weekend found that just 29% of Americans have a favorable view of the Democratic Party. That is the lowest number since the poll's inception back in 1992. Wow. And a separate finding from NBC showed things were even worse with just 27% approving. And look, there seem to be two main dilemmas facing the party right now.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
First, there isn't a clear heir apparent or standard bearer for the left. CNN asked who voters view as the leader of the party, and not a single Democrat garnered more than 10% of the vote. And more broadly, there isn't a clear strategy for dealing with Trump.
Morning Wire
Democratic Party Divides & Trump Targets Houthis | 3.17.25
As evidenced by this weekend's dustup, the party's liberal base clearly wants their lawmakers to fight Trump at all costs, even if it means shutting down the government. But that strategy is far less popular with moderates and independents. So there's just no clear fix for the Democratic Party, which is still searching for a message and a messenger.
Morning Wire
DOGE Authority Suit & Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions | Afternoon Update | 2.17.25
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will lead the U.S. delegation for what will be the first direct talks between the countries about ending the nearly three-year war. Notably absent is Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who has insisted no peace deal should be made without Kyiv at the table.
Morning Wire
DOGE Authority Suit & Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions | Afternoon Update | 2.17.25
For their part, the White House says Ukraine will be included at future formal negotiations. Russia, meanwhile, is expected to demand security guarantees. Trump has signaled skepticism over Ukraine's NATO ambitions, raising questions about what concessions he will seek from Russia. Rubio said yesterday on Face the Nation that negotiations are still in the early stages.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
Well, Donald Trump continues to ride high. Just weeks after the final criminal cases against him were brought to an end, and days after being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year, he enjoyed another legal victory, this time regarding a lawsuit he had filed against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
On Saturday, the two sides reached a settlement with the network agreeing to pay $15 million to Trump's presidential library and another million to cover his legal fees. It all started back in March when Stephanopoulos, ABC's top anchor, falsely claimed during an interview with rep Nancy Mace that a jury had found Trump, quote, raped columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
During that interview, Stephanopoulos repeated that false claim 10 times. But again, it was not true. In the case he was referencing, the jury specifically stated that Carol had not proven Trump raped her in a department store in the 90s. Remember, Carol also was not able to provide even the exact month or year when that supposed assault took place.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
Trump was ordered by a judge in that case to pay Carroll more than $80 million in damages for battery and defamation. But he was importantly never found guilty of the rape allegation. In response to those false claims from Stephanopoulos, Trump filed that defamation suit against him in ABC. And this weekend, as part of that settlement, the network agreed to admit fault.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
That is quite the reversal from Stephanopoulos, who initially struck a defiant tone, claiming he did nothing wrong and would not be intimidated by the lawsuit. Here he is on CBS Late Night with Stephen Colbert, for example.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
But ultimately, again, he did admit fault. In addition to the $15 million payout to the President-elect's library, Stephanopoulos and ABC also agreed to publish an apology on their website that reads, quote, made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC's This Week on March 10th, 2024.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
Right. He attended the annual Army-Navy football game in D.C., joined by his VP J.D. Vance, Elon Musk, Pete Hegseth, and their guest of honor, Daniel Penny, who was acquitted this month in that New York City subway trial. Ahead of the game, Vance issued a statement saying, quote, Daniel's a good guy and New York's mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
I'm grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he's able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage. Ahead of kickoff, Trump and Vance received a raucous welcome from the sellout crowd, which erupted in chants of USA as they waved from their box.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
Yeah, Trump now wading into one of the most hotly contested policy debates of our time, daylight savings. In a social media post Saturday, he said, quote, the Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't. Daylight saving time is inconvenient and very costly to our nation.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
Now, in the past few decades, lawmakers here and there have floated the idea, citing medical research, that the current system is detrimental to public health. throwing off sleep cycles. But efforts have always stalled. Trump hopes to break that trend and end the practice once and for all. We'll have to wait and see what exactly that proposed legislation looks like.
Morning Wire
Trump Keeps Winning & Drone Defense Debate | 12.16.24
But maybe this will be the last year, John, we have to fiddle with our clocks.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
Well, three of the six main fires continue to rage. They've now destroyed more than 40,000 acres and 12,000 structures. as the death toll continues to rise. At latest count, that number stands at 24, but the LAPD says they've received dozens of missing person reports, so the obvious fear is that the final count will be far higher.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
At the moment, though, most resources are being devoted to actually stopping the fire, so recovery efforts, as you can imagine, are taking a bit more of a backseat. By Sunday, the largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, continued to burn in It was just 11% contained. In the Eden fire, the second largest was just 27% contained.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
Meteorologists warn that strong Santa Ana winds are likely to return Tuesday. They're expecting gusts up to 60 miles per hour, which obviously could exacerbate the problem even further.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
Yeah, the LAPD continues to make dozens of arrests related to looting. A number of residents have posted just shocking videos showing what they say are organized gangs of burglars posing as residents, ransacking abandoned homes in a number of luxury neighborhoods. Police even arrested two men who were... Get this, dressed as firefighters, but burglarizing properties.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
And in perhaps the most infuriating case, a group of apparent looters broke into an Army Reserve warehouse in Santa Ana, stealing three Humvees machine gun mounts and other gear like bayonets and binoculars. Meanwhile, investigators continue to probe the location where the fires first broke out, looking for signs of arson.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
Democratic Mayor Karen Bass did direct $17 million in cuts for the fire department's overall budget. That was the second largest cut for any department in the city, while simultaneously reallocating tens of millions of dollars towards programs for LA's growing homeless population.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
In response, last month, LA Fire Chief Kristen Crowley sent a memo to the city warning that those budget cuts were already impacting her department's ability to respond to emergencies and also their preparedness for wildfires. In Crowley's words, the budget cuts had, quote, severely limited the department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
For example, she said a $7 million reduction in overtime pay had reduced the amount of hours spent on brush clearance and residential inspections over the last few months. For her part, though, Mayor Bass this weekend strongly denied that the budget cuts had any impact on the fire response.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
But LA's fire chief herself came out Saturday in an interview with Fox 11 and reiterated that budget cuts did indeed impact her department's preparedness and response to these latest fires.
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
For his part, President Trump issued a statement on Truth Social saying, quote, the fires are still raging in LA. The incompetent polls have no idea how to put them out. Thousands of magnificent houses are gone and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place. They just can't put out the fires. What is wrong with them?
Morning Wire
CA Wildfires Fuel Tensions & DHS Blocks Deportations | 1.13.25
California officials, including Governor Newsom, have invited Trump to visit the city and tour the damage for himself.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Yeah, this was actually a return to tradition as Joe Biden had declined interviews the last two years. Trump sat down with Fox's Brett Baier and explained why he chose to attend the game in person. He was actually the first sitting president to ever attend a Super Bowl.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Trump was also grilled by Bayer on his backing of Elon Musk, who really has come under fire in recent weeks for his plans to slash government spending as part of his Department of Government efficiency.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Yeah, it was quite a day for the president, who started the morning off with a round of golf with Tiger Woods before heading over to the Superdome for the game. Trump walked around the field during warm-ups and was greeted warmly by a number of players, including the family of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
And while the game broadcast only showed him briefly on screen, the arena burst into applause when he was shown on the Jumbotron during the national anthem. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Now, as for the game itself, the Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas City Chiefs their shot at a three-peat, crushing the two-time defending champs 40-22. It was hard for this Cowboys fan to watch the Eagles celebrate, but it was their night.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Yeah, on Sunday, CBS released their first national poll since Trump took office, and it showed President Trump with a 53% approval rating. That is his highest mark in any CBS poll over the last eight years. We saw similar results from Rasmussen and Emerson polls, which had him with net favorability ratings of six and eight points, respectively.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Those numbers become even more stunning when you take into account just how polarizing and unpopular Trump was when he last held office. Remember, in January of 2021, just 38% of Americans approved of his performance, while 58% disapproved. He was 20 points underwater. Simply put, he is disproving the notion that after eight years on the national stage, Americans have their minds made up on it.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
Well, first, it's how popular Trump's policies continue to be with the general public. CBS found that 59% of Americans support deporting all illegal immigrants. 64% support deploying troops to the southern border, and 54% approve of his handling of the war in Israel. And more broadly, folks are pleased with how active he's been.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
70% said whether they like him or not, he's doing what he promised he would do on the campaign trail. Also of note is how popular Trump is right now with young voters. This poll found that 55% of Americans under the age of 30 approve of the job he's doing. Again, those numbers would have been unthinkable four years ago when he was around 30% with young folks.
Morning Wire
Trump Super Bowl Buzz & New Media Rises | 2.10.25
I personally interviewed hundreds of young voters over the last year, and I heard the same message over and over. My life was better and more affordable when Trump was in office. We'll see if those numbers and that sentiment holds up. But it is very real, as evidenced in November and in poll after poll since.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
Yeah, President Trump campaigned on a promise to dismantle the DOE, but there were plenty of folks who questioned how serious he actually was. Republican presidents, dating back to Ronald Reagan, have vowed to do away with the department, saying education should be controlled at the local level. But it's still there, nearly 50 years after President Carter created it.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
That soon could be changing, though. According to numerous reports, President Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that would direct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to, quote, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department. The White House has been quick to remind folks that the DOE doesn't actually do any educating.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
Their primary focus is to set education policies, enforce laws related to education, and most importantly, it allocates billions in federal funding to school districts and universities around the country. Trump has vowed to cut off federal funding for districts and colleges that promote, quote, critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
This move could make that process easier.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
Well, the White House's main point is that the federal government is simply inefficient at allocating funds and that state and local governments have a better idea of how to run their schools than bureaucrats in Washington. They say the education system was doing just fine before 1980 when states were largely running things themselves.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
As the draft of this order puts it, "...the experiment of controlling American education through federal programs and dollars and the unaccountable bureaucrats these programs and dollars support has failed our children, our teachers, and our families."
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
From what we're hearing, key functions of the DOE, like their student loan programs and civil rights office, would likely be taken up by the Treasury and Justice Departments. For more, we spoke with Dr. Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, the only college in the U.S. that does not take federal funding. Here's what he had to say.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
Yeah, ultimately, Trump will need congressional approval to officially abolish the department. But in the meantime, he can hand off most of their duties to other departments. For their part, Democrats and teachers unions have vowed to oppose the effort in court. They argue it will overwhelm local school districts and create confusion around the country.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
So those tariffs on Canada and Mexico were supposed to go into effect last month. But Trump again paused tariffs on the vast majority of imports from the two countries, saying they have until April 2nd. That's when reciprocal tariffs on all the countries go into effect.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
According to a statement from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, quote, hopefully Mexico and Canada will have done a good enough job on fentanyl that this part of the conversation will be off the table and we will move just to reciprocal tariff conversation. Here's Trump to that point, speaking yesterday about a conversation he had with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
Now, Democrats say Trump reversed course here because he was panicking over the stock market, which has taken a beating this week on tariff concerns. For their part, the White House has long argued that Trump views tariffs as a means not only of increasing revenue, but also of forcing other countries to the negotiating table.
Morning Wire
Education Overhaul & RFK Jr.’s Bold Moves | 3.7.25
It appears he is now giving Canada and Mexico a little more time to secure their borders and cut the flow of fentanyl or else.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
well he's at a risk of burning a hole in the resolute desk with how fast he's signing these new orders trump officials told me throughout the transition phase that they had the orders ready to go and would hit the ground running and they were not lying since january 20th donald trump has signed executive orders at a faster pace than any president in modern american history
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
For context, in the last century, only two presidents, Joe Biden and Harry Truman, had signed more than 40 orders during their first 100 days. Trump hit that number in his first two weeks.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
Yes, they are. For example, Ipsos polling this week found that 64% of Americans support his plan to investigate FEMA for political bias. 62% favor his order overriding California law to bring in more water to the state. 73% support his declassifying of the RFK, JFK, and MLK records. And 59% support reinstating service members discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
But most popular has been his order to ban biological men from women's sports, which he signed Wednesday. According to a New York Times poll, 79% of Americans support that plan, including even 67% of Democrats. And on Thursday, Trump announced his newest order, this one on religious freedom.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast, he said he'd be assigning the Department of Justice to form a task force to quote eradicate anti-Christian bias around the country, specifically targeting any discrimination of Christians by the federal government.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
Newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi will be tasked with overseeing that force, and she's also rolling out a number of DOJ reforms in her first week. In a memo to staffers, Bondi threatened to fire anyone who, quote, undermines the constitutional order and deprives the president of the benefit of his lawyers, a.k.a. anyone subverting orders from the White House.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
The AG will also be establishing a new weaponization working group that will investigate cases of politicized justice within the DOJ over the last four years. That group will reportedly prioritize investigations of those who prosecuted Donald Trump, including special counsel Jack Smith, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, and New York AG Letitia James.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
From there, they'll be looking into the January 6 trials, the DOJ's targeting of parents protesting school board meetings, and those within the FBI who targeted Catholic churches and charities. So they want answers from the last four years. Trump has long said the DOJ engaged in lawfare against political opponents. And now the head of the DOJ will be searching for that evidence.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
yeah so that'll take more than an executive order as tax policy requires an act of congress so on thursday the white house sat down with house gop leaders to lay out the reforms they want passed into law among those are the elimination of taxes on social security benefits and overtime pay and the big one and end to taxes on tips that idea gained a lot of steam on the campaign trail really becoming a rallying cry for supporters the white house is also pushing for the renewal of trump's 2017 tax cuts
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
the elimination of the carried interest loophole, and new tax breaks for Made in America products. Here's Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
Now, House Republicans expressed support for most of those policies during the campaign, but passing them into law will be a challenge, especially given their slim majority and the unlikelihood of any Democratic support. GOP lawmakers don't get on board, though. We can certainly expect to see the president using his bully pulpit to exert some pressure.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
Yeah, it's hard to overstate just how historic this move was. There's no other word for it. For decades, presidents in both parties have almost universally embraced free trade policies and kept tariffs at a minimum. Trump's Liberation Day marked a fundamental shift in economic policy, the likes of which we have very rarely seen in modern history. Virtually every product entering the U.S.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
will now be slapped with at least a 10% tax. Many will face rates in excess of 30% or even 40%. Those numbers are some of the highest rates we've implemented in nearly a century. Markets took a tumble Thursday morning following the news, but President Trump woke up optimistic, conceding that the short-term impact could be painful, but the long-term benefits will be worth it.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
But there's no doubt this move is fraught with risk.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
Well, if you're a fan of buying the dip, you are in luck because Wall Street took a beating yesterday with trillions of dollars in market cap wiped out. Within hours of markets opening, the Dow plummeted 1,400 points. The S&P fell 4%. The Nasdaq fell 5%. Elsewhere, major U.S. brands with supply chains outside the U.S., like Nike, Ralph Lauren, and HP, saw double-digit declines.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
But it was midsize U.S. companies that were the hardest hit. The Russell 2000 index, which includes smaller stocks, opened down nearly 7%, and the U.S. dollar slipped to its lowest point of the year, sinking more than 2% compared to the euro, Japanese yen, and Swiss franc. Put simply, it was arguably the worst day on Wall Street since COVID wrecked the global economy.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
For their part, the White House urged patience, calling on Americans to trust Donald Trump's plan. Here's Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt making that case on CNN.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
And look, there is no doubt this is a high-risk, high-reward plan. Some U.S. banks like Goldman Sachs raised the possibility of a recession to 35%. But in a best-case scenario, businesses bring manufacturing stateside, our trade partners lower their tariffs, and the U.S. brings in massive new revenues. Here's Vice President Vance defending the move on Fox.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
Amid the turmoil Thursday, the Trump administration got some welcome news from one domestic manufacturer looking to capitalize on Liberation Day. Ford announced a new From America for America policy. American shoppers will now have access to employee pricing on new cars from now until June.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
Well, it's been a mixed bag. Some dug their heels in, vowing to raise rates even higher. Beijing, for example, promised, quote, resolute countermeasures, while EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen is already finalizing countermeasures, saying, quote, if you take on one of us, you take on all of us. But other leaders expressed more cautious optimism and a willingness to cut a deal.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
Britain's Keir Starmer reiterated that his, quote, intentions remain to secure a deal. We saw a similar willingness to work on a deal from leaders in Brazil, Singapore, Switzerland, and Vietnam. The White House is betting that we are in a better spot than our competitors to withstand a trade war, and that eventually even our foes will be forced to come to the table.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
Here's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick with a message to our trade partners on CNN.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Tariff Fallout & Military Standards Equalization | 4.4.25
And the White House says they are already in talks with a number of countries. We'll be keeping a very close eye on those negotiations this weekend. In the meantime, though, a new age of American trade policy is upon us.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Yeah, from what we're hearing out of Washington, Patel has the best shot of the three to win confirmation, mainly because he's more of a known commodity on the right, having served previously as chief of staff for the DOD under the previous Trump administration. He was also a DOJ prosecutor before that.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Despite some furious questioning from Senate Democrats who expressed major concerns over his supposed support of January 6th rioters, things went pretty smoothly, all things considered. Patel kicked things off by vowing to address the public's erosion of trust in the FBI.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Democrats went on to question Patel on past statements he'd made about the FBI more broadly, specifically comments from last year in which he called for the Bureau's headquarters to be shut down and turned into a, quote, museum of the deep state. Here's Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar hitting him on that.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Well, the Trump administration is expressing confidence publicly that she'll get the necessary votes. But behind closed doors, there are real concerns that she might not even make it to the floor for a vote. First, she's got to make it out of the Intel Committee, where Republicans do hold a slim 9-8 majority.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
But that vote could be held behind closed doors, meaning Republicans on the fence about Gabbard would have, you know, a lot more freedom to vote no. For Gabbard's part, though, she came out swinging with a fiery opening statement, taking on that criticism of her head on.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate, was also asked a lot of questions about her past comments supporting former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Early on in the hearing, she was asked numerous times to call him a traitor, something she refused to do. Here's an exchange she had on that topic with Senator Michael Bennett.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Apparently you don't. Gabbard was also pressed about a 2017 meeting she had with Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad. For what it's worth, she claims that she pressed Assad during that meeting about his human rights record.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
Well, once again, there was a heavy vaccine focus from Democrats, while Republicans were still looking for confirmation that RFK will implement Trump's policies on issues that pertain to life, despite his personal views on abortion. Contributions from pharmaceutical companies to lawmakers was also a big topic of discussion. Here's RFK and Senator Bernie Sanders going at it on that front.
Morning Wire
Plane Crash Recovery & Cabinet Hearings Clashes | 1.31.25
So now, again, we wait to see whether these three make it out of committee. At that point, they'll head to the Senate floor for another round of debate and then a final vote.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
Well, we just saw one of the largest cuts to the federal workforce since Donald Trump took office. This time it was the Department of Health and Human Services on the chopping block. Secretary Kennedy announced Thursday morning that they'd be cutting 10,000 jobs from across the department. When all is said and done, that'll be 20% of the entire HHS workforce.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
Among others, the FDA will let go 3,500 employees, though Kennedy did stress that the cuts would not impact inspectors looking at drugs, medical devices, and food. The NIH will lose 1,200 workers, the CMS 300, and the CDC 2,400. The list goes on. The overhaul will also eliminate 13 of the department's 28 existing divisions and create a new administration for a healthy America.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
According to Kennedy, the cuts will save taxpayer money and force health agencies to become more efficient.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
The Daily Wire's Michael Knowles spoke with Kennedy at the White House yesterday. Here he is with an example of just some of the wasteful spending he says he's encountered within the agency.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
We should have won. And it's worth noting, according to Kennedy, a lack of funding is not the problem with American public health. He noted how America ranks last in health among 40 developed nations, but actually spends two to three times more per capita on each patient.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
He went on to describe how certain agencies were selling patients medical data for profit, colluding with the very drug companies they were supposed to be regulating, and even withholding information from the secretary himself in an effort to slow his efforts at reform.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
He also noted that HHS funding increased by nearly 40% under the Biden administration as staffing went up nearly 20% during that time. So he's arguing that this week's cuts will simply reduce the workforce to where it was pre-pandemic.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
Right. Far from it. A day earlier, Kennedy moved to pull nearly $12 billion in COVID funding that had been allocated to state health departments, NGOs, and a variety of international groups. Those funds were being used for COVID testing, COVID vaccines, etc.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
According to a DHS spokesman, quote, the COVID-19 pandemic is over and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago. Instead, they say, quote, HHS is prioritizing funding projects that will deliver on President Trump's mandate to address our chronic disease epidemic. And epidemic is the key word there.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
Remember, according to the CDC, six in 10 Americans suffer from a chronic disease. Four in 10 suffer from at least two. Kennedy says the HHS must focus not just on treating existing illnesses, but addressing the actual root causes of those illnesses and hopefully preventing them before they happen.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
Yeah, Elon Musk appeared on Fox with seven members of Doge to talk about their process for eliminating federal waste. He says the agency has already saved taxpayers more than $100 billion, and that his team routinely uncovers wasteful expenditures exceeding $1 billion. According to Musk, his agency is focused heavily on eliminating fraud within Social Security.
Morning Wire
DOGE’s HHS Overhaul & Maine Sports Standoff | 3.28.25
One Doge engineer, for example, said 40% of calls to the agency are fraudulent.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
Well, the heart of things focused on Ukraine. Speaking ahead of their Thursday meeting, Starmer said, quote, my concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give Putin the opportunity to wait and to come again. For his part, Trump says that this new minerals deal with Zelensky will serve as a de facto security guarantee. Here he is during Thursday's meeting.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
More broadly, Trump argues that if Europe is worried about Ukrainian security, then they need to step up their own defense spending. He's called for NATO members to raise defense spending to 5% of their GDP. Stormer responded this week by announcing they'd be increasing their spending to 2.5% of their GDP by 2027 and then 3% by 2025.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
And while Starmer has made clear in the past he's not a big fan of Trump, he turned on the charm Thursday, saying Trump was the only reason peace in Ukraine was possible and offering him an invitation from King Charles. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
The two also reportedly discussed tariffs. Starmer, like the rest of the world, is looking to avoid Trump's threat of tariffs. But the president said he's not going to budge unless the UK and others lower their own tariffs. He said Thursday that reciprocal tariffs will officially go into effect on April 2nd.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
Remember, that policy will create customized tariffs for each country we trade with based on the rate they charge us.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
Yeah, at the start of the month, Trump announced those plans for 25% tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican goods. Within days, though, he paused those tariffs after each country vowed to lock down their borders. But evidently, they did not do enough since then.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said, quote, drugs are still pouring into our country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA. And therefore, until it stops or is seriously limited, the proposed tariffs scheduled to go into effect on March 4th will indeed go into effect as scheduled.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
Well, a strange saga playing out. So earlier this week, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that a large batch of Epstein files would be released Thursday afternoon. But ultimately, all that really was released were heavily redacted documents containing information that was already overwhelmingly available to the public. And now, Bondi's saying the reason they're not releasing more
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
It's because the FBI is withholding thousands of pages worth of documents.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
She wrote a really remarkable letter to FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday saying that a whistleblower in the FBI had alerted her that federal investigators in New York had not handed over everything they had on Epstein and were intentionally hiding, quote, thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein. Bondi demanded that, quote, by 8 a.m.
Morning Wire
Trump Hosts Starmer & Hollywood’s Woke Reversal | 2.28.25
tomorrow, the FBI would deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings and materials, long list related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained. And also the plot thickens and the anticipation builds.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
What did we hear from Trump there? Yeah, the president was not able to be in Davos for this year's summit, but offered a virtual address, his first to world leaders since taking office for a second time. The president had a simple message for the gathered dignitaries and elites. America is open for business, but if you don't make your product here, you will face tariffs.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
Trump went on to demand world leaders begin dropping interest rates and lowering oil prices, warning them that tariffs would be increased on those who resisted. And he also had a specific message for allies in NATO, demanding that they begin paying their fair share in defense spending.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
And it is worth noting here, NATO Secretary General Mark Root, who in the past has clashed with Trump, struck a much friendlier tone after yesterday's address, saying Trump is right.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
Yeah, Trump has already deployed 1,500 active duty service members to secure the southern border. And that is just the start. In the coming weeks, the White House says Trump is planning to send an additional 10,000 troops, along with helicopters and intelligence crews trained in detecting border crossers.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
They're also reportedly planning on using DoD bases in the area as a holding center for illegal aliens from around the country.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
who are awaiting deportation the trump administration has already arrested more than 1500 illegal immigrants in cities across the country most of whom have been charged in the past with violent crimes one of those arrested was a haitian gang member with 17 prior convictions as he was being loaded into a police car he had this message i'm not going back to haiti you feel me yo biden forever bro thank obama for everything that he did for me bro
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
Border Czar Tom Homan says they'll focus on locating illegal immigrants with criminal records and then move on to the 1.4 million who have already been given final deportation orders but remain in the country. To help carry out those plans, Trump is also granting immigration enforcement authorities to agents with the DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
That will allow them to take part in those looming deportation efforts. Now, for their part, Mexico is bracing for an influx of deported migrants coming back across the border. Officials there have begun building enormous tents capable of holding thousands in nine different cities. They're also organizing buses to transport migrants back to their hometowns. Mexican lawmakers have...
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
expressed outrage with Trump and concern over how they'll handle the sudden surge. As you can imagine, though, Trump allies have little sympathy for those logistical concerns, essentially saying you wouldn't have had this problem if you'd done more to stop the millions of folks who entered America legally to begin with.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
Well, on Thursday, Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olihan learned exclusively that Trump was planning to pardon 23 pro-life activists imprisoned by the Biden Justice Department. That news came just ahead of the 52nd annual March for Life, where Trump will appear via video and VP J.D. Vance will appear in person. That last bit is another scoop from Mary Margaret. Hmm.
Morning Wire
Trump’s WEF Warning & CNN’s Newsroom Shakeup | 1.24.25
But perhaps most notably, on Thursday afternoon, Trump signed an executive order declassifying files related to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, and the big one, John F. Kennedy. In his words, quote, A lot of folks, myself included, eager to see the contents of those files. Yeah, that's for sure. Kevin, thanks so much for reporting. Anytime.
Morning Wire
Heathrow Fire & Nvidia Investment | Afternoon Update | 3.21.25
Big money is pouring into the Wisconsin race with Musk funding the Republican side and George Soros and others on the Democrat side. Recent polling shows Democrat Susan Crawford leading Republican Brad Schimel 48 to 43. Musk is urging Schimel to embrace pro-Trump policies and motivate voters on the right to turn out and close the five-point gap.
Morning Wire
Heathrow Fire & Nvidia Investment | Afternoon Update | 3.21.25
If Crawford wins, the left will have a court majority until 2028. Wisconsin is a critical swing state, and the court would likely weigh in on cases regarding abortion, redistricting, and election law. The April 1st election is the first major political race since Donald Trump was reelected. With both sides pouring in big money, it could see a record $100 million spent by Election Day.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Yeah, at a ceremony yesterday at the White House, President Trump did what numerous Republican presidents have called for, but never done, eliminate the Department of Education. Speaking before a room of governors, educators, and students from around the country, President Trump struck a celebratory tone. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Now, Republicans were quick to remind folks this week that the Education Department does not actually do any educating. They instead set education guidelines and policies, enforce education-related laws, and distribute billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to schools around the country.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Republicans argue that education should be controlled at the state level and that teachers and local school boards have a better idea of their students' needs than bureaucrats in Washington. We spoke with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee yesterday. Here he is making that case.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Now, for their part, the White House argues that since the Department of Education was created, education spending has gone through the roof, but outcomes and test scores have fallen. Here's White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt to that point yesterday.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
On that note, the White House sent out a memo ahead of the signing saying, quote, per pupil spending has increased by more than 245% since 1979, but there has been virtually no measurable improvement in student achievement.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
They cited studies showing the math and reading scores for eighth graders right now are at their lowest level in decades, while 70% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Well, Secretary of Education Lyndon McMahon will be heading up the effort to dismantle the department she just took over this month. McMahon told her staff in a memo that she was prepared to usher in a, quote, new era of accountability in education.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Quote, our job is to respect the will of the American people and the president they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education. A momentous final mission, quickly and responsibly. We got the chance to talk with Secretary McMahon yesterday after the signing. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
And it's worth noting it will take an official act of Congress to fully abolish the department. At the moment, that seems unlikely given the 60 vote threshold in the Senate. But Trump can still use executive authority to strip the department of nearly all of its responsibilities and funding. The department's most important functions, though, will remain in place.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
Trump says they'll be shifted to other departments. For example, it looks like the DOE's student loan programs will go to the Treasury Department and their civil rights office will be moved under the Justice Department. Here's Trump.
Morning Wire
Education Department Dismantled & Tesla Terrorism Continues | 3.21.25
So again, a major shakeup in Washington that could have a generational impact on education. Absolutely.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
Yeah, it's hard to overstate the pace at which he has reshaped the federal government. It's just been unmatched by any of its predecessors in modern history. And no one on either side is really disputing that.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
In his first 30 days, Trump reversed Biden-era immigration policy, reset foreign relationships with adversaries and allies, and signed more executive orders than any president in the last century signed in their first 100 days. And he also saw his cabinet confirmed at a near record pace. Yesterday, Kash Patel was confirmed as head of the FBI.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
That gives Trump 19 cabinet confirmations in just 31 days. That's the fastest pace since W's first term in 01. Several top Trump surrogates touted the administration's achievements at a press briefing Thursday. Here's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz praising his Ukraine negotiations.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
And here's White House advisor Stephen Miller's defense of Trump's approach to government. It got a lot of play yesterday. Have a listen.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
And Americans seem optimistic about Trump's early moves. Rasmussen polling found that 47% of the country feels America is on the right track. Now, that might not sound great, but that is a 19% increase from September and the highest number for that question in the last 20 years.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
Well, it's still undoubtedly immigration. According to the latest numbers, the number of illegal immigrants detained at ports of entry declined by 93 percent during Trump's first 10 days in office, while the number of detentions along the southwest border as a whole fell by 85 percent. Zooming out, just 29,000 migrants were detained at the border.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
That is the lowest mark for a month since May of 2020. And keep in mind, Trump was only in office for a third of January, so February's decline is likely to be even more drastic.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
Yeah, this week Trump signed a measure that will restrict any federal dollars from going towards benefits for those living in the country illegally. Under the order, all federal agencies and departments will undergo an internal investigation to ensure, quote, "...taxpayer resources are used to protect the interests of American citizens, not illegal aliens."
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
Now, under federal law, illegal immigrants are technically already banned from receiving, quote, public resources to meet their needs. But the White House says in their order that previous presidents, most notably Joe Biden, blatantly violated those laws. Trump added that taxpayer benefits should only be extended to taxpayers, specifically American citizens.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
And the existing structure served as a, quote, magnet for illegal aliens. Here's VP Vance speaking about the order at CPAC on Thursday.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
Right. On Thursday, Trump officially ordered the State Department to designate eight Latin American gangs and cartels as terror organizations. That list includes Trend de Aragua in Venezuela, MS-13 in El Salvador, and the infamous Sinaloa cartel in Mexico.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, quote, there is sufficient factual basis to prove these criminal organizations qualify as terror groups under U.S. law. Remember, these groups have played an integral role in smuggling fentanyl and people across the border over the last decade. That new designation will allow the U.S. to impose sanctions on anyone connected with the groups.
Morning Wire
Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25
That includes banks, businesses, and politicians. It'll also open the door for the U.S. military to target these groups directly, though it's unclear if Trump has plans to do so.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Yeah, so starting in 2020, we began to see a mass exodus of residents leaving deep blue states and resettling in red states across the Sunbelt. Now, initially, there was a case to be made that the trend was the result of remote work, offering folks the option to live anywhere. So they sought out warmer, cheaper places to call home. But now, four years removed from COVID, that trend has continued.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
According to new data from the Census Bureau, last year alone, California, New York, and Illinois suffered a net loss of 540,000 residents, while Texas, Florida, and North Carolina saw a net gain of 366,000. And get this, of the seven states that saw the largest increase in net migration, all seven were red states.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Blue states are failing. Blue states have high crime, tent cities, high taxes.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
And if you zoom out and look at the numbers since 2020, of the 10 states that saw the highest population gains... You guessed it, all 10 went red in November. So a clear trend emerging. Americans are continuing to move to Republican-led states.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Well, it's important to remember electoral votes and congressional seats are allocated based on population. That means if this trend continues until 2030, when the next census takes place, red states will reap immense political rewards. For example, at the current pace, states that voted for Kamala Harris in November will lose 12 congressional seats and 12 electoral college votes.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
California will lose four, New York three, Illinois two, and Oregon, Minnesota, and Rhode Island one. And the lion's share of those electoral votes and congressional seats will go to solidly red states like Texas and Florida.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Now, that would not only give future Republican candidates an easier shot at the White House, just improving their number of guaranteed electoral votes, it would also make it harder for Democrats to control the House. It is just hard to overstate how important this trend will be in the coming years.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Beyond the obvious economic ramifications, Democrat-led states now have a massive political incentive to stop the bleeding and convince folks to start moving back.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Right. This is a really big story. So it went under the radar, but two years ago, the Census Bureau quietly released a stunning report admitting serious errors in their population count from 2020. Specifically, the Bureau massively undercounted the number of residents in red states and And overcounted the population of blue states.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
Of the six states where they undercounted residents, five were red. And of the eight where they overcounted, seven were blue. For example, deep red Arkansas was undercounted by 5%. Tennessee, 4.7%. And Florida, 3.5%. That adds up to a million plus residents. While deep blue Delaware was overcounted by 5.5%. New York, 3.4%. Rhode Island by 5%. You get the idea.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
They're massively important. As a result of those errors, Florida was denied two congressional seats they were entitled to, while Texas was denied another. And blue states like Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Colorado were all allowed to hold on to seats that they should have lost. So if the last census had been accurate, Republicans would likely be looking at a 10 to 12 seat majority majority.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
instead of the six-seat majority that they currently hold. Now, in light of those errors, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee recently launched a probe of the Census Bureau demanding internal documents and communications related to their most recent census.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Georgia Case Win & Colony Ridge Smuggling Arrest | 12.20.24
According to Chairman James Comer, the census, quote, appears to have tended to noticeably skew in favor of one political party over another. Now, they want answers about why that happened.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Yeah, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have until midnight tonight to come to an agreement on a spending bill that will keep the government running. Otherwise, there will be a shutdown. For context, on Tuesday, Republicans in the House passed a continuing resolution, or CR, that will keep the lights on until September 30th, with spending levels staying put.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Now it has to make it through the Senate, which is a tall order. That's because 60 votes are required for legislation to make it to the floor for a final vote. And as we know, there are only 53 Republican members. 52 of whom are on board. Kentucky's Rand Paul is out. That means they'll need at least eight Democrats to get on board, or we could be heading for a shutdown.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Well, from what we're hearing out of Washington, no one really knows what to expect. It's going to be a crazy morning, but things shifted in the CR's favor yesterday evening. As of Thursday afternoon, Pennsylvania's John Fetterman had been the only Democrat to cross the aisle and give support to the resolution, saying a no vote would be, quote, chaos and I will never vote for chaos.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
He went on to refer to the Democrat strategy of blocking the CR as, quote, total theater that is neither honest with constituents nor a winning argument. Now, one reason more Democrats weren't getting on board is because minority leader Chuck Schumer was urging them to stand firm, voting no.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Schumer spent the week saying Democrats were unified against the Republican bill and would only vote to support a 30 day stopgap measure that will keep funding levels steady and then allow for more time to negotiate a larger, longer agreement. Here he is making that point Wednesday.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
But in a stunning about-face Thursday night, Schumer reversed course and announced that he would support the Republican resolution, saying it was the only way to avoid the chaos of a government shutdown.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Schumer faced immediate backlash from Democrats over that flip. Some called him the capitulator-in-chief, while others vowed to fund primary challenges against him. Now, publicly, Schumer is saying that he will not be pressuring other Democrats to join him. But it's all but certain that he is working behind the scenes to get other Dems on board. It'll take at least six more yes votes.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
And some folks say that he would not have come out in support if he did not think he had those votes.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
So first, they're outraged that the resolution would give Republicans and the Trump administration the ability to slash billions of dollars in federal spending. Democrats are essentially arguing that Congress should have the final say on how much money is allocated and where those cuts come from.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
To that point, they're calling for explicit language in the bill that will bar Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency from slashing certain federal agencies or workforces. And look, Democrats admit they're in a tough spot here.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
They can either approve the bill and risk angering their base, who does not want them doing anything to help advance Trump's agenda, or they can vote no and take the blame for shutting the government down, pleasing their base, but angering a lot of other people, including the majority of Americans who voted for Trump and his promise to cut spending.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Democrats in the hardest position are those from swing states like Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. all places that voted for Trump and gave a clear mandate that they want his agenda enacted. As Maine's Angus King put it, quote, it is a choice between two terrible alternatives.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
On Thursday, President Trump said he believes Democrats will ultimately get on board because they know they'll be blamed for a shutdown if not.
Morning Wire
Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25
Republican Majority Leader John Thune has said the vote to advance the measure will take place today. If it gets to 60 votes, a final vote will be held hours later and a shutdown will be avoided. If they cannot get over that 60 vote threshold by midnight, a shutdown will begin.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Yeah, the president posted early yesterday on Truth Social, quote, three great weeks, perhaps the best ever, but today is the big one, reciprocal tariffs. And he was not kidding. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump announced that the U.S.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
would be revolutionizing our trade policy, implementing customized tariffs for each country we trade with that'll be based on the rate they charge us, thus the word reciprocal. And if other countries don't want to lower their tariffs on American goods, Trump says they can bring manufacturing here to the U.S. to avoid them. Here he is elaborating on that decision.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Our tariffs on imported cars are 2.5%, but the European Union charges us 10%. The list goes on. The Trump administration says that on two-thirds of all goods, the United States faces higher tariffs than we charge others. And it's worth noting these tariffs will not go into effect immediately. And that's intentional.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Trump is essentially trying to give other countries time to lower their own tariffs and negotiate with the U.S., similar to what we saw with Canada and Mexico last week.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Well, there are a few reasons. First, he says the tariffs will increase tax revenue and help offset the federal deficit cutting into the national debt. It's important to remember the U.S. has relatively low tariff rates on imports coming into the country. Right now, it's around 2% for industrial goods. That's basically everything except food.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
And if you zoom out, about half of all imports face no tariffs. Now, for decades, Republicans embraced a free trade approach and said that was a good thing because it kept prices low for consumers and encouraged other countries to take part in our economy.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
But President Trump says those low tariffs have encouraged companies to move their manufacturing elsewhere in search of cheaper labor while allowing the U.S. to be taken advantage of. This move is in many ways the culmination of a shift in Republican orthodoxy away from a free trade at all costs mindset. Yeah, major shift in philosophy that's certainly been gaining momentum quickly under Trump.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Yeah, the Trump administration views India as a vital partner in countering the rise of China. But the relationship could be strained with these new tariffs. In the past, Trump has referred to them as the, quote, tariff king and a, quote, very big abuser on trade. On average, goods entering India face a 14% tariff. That's one of the highest in the world and more than six times the U.S. rate.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
And because the value of Indian exports to the U.S. is twice the amount they import, India could be hit harder than almost any other country by these tariffs. But Trump and Modi appeared to have a productive and friendly conversation. The two shared a giant bear hug in the White House before holding a public press conference where Modi praised Trump saying, quote, we missed you a lot.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Trump called him a, quote, great leader. The president reportedly urged Modi to lower tariffs on American imports and increase the amount of American products purchased by India. He specifically brought up energy and weapons in particular. Here's Trump after their meeting.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Tell us about that vote. Right. RFK was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary with 52 yes votes in the Senate. The vote was basically along party lines, except Republican Mitch McConnell voted no for Kennedy. In a statement, McConnell cited RFK's position on vaccinations, and he noted that he's a survivor of polio.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
McConnell has voted against Trump cabinet picks more than any other Republican, a total of three times so far. Now, this confirmation of RFK is really significant, especially given the fact that not a single Democrat voted yes. In August, Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race and really laid into the Democrat Party in a speech announcing his endorsement of President Trump.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Kennedy said that the Democrat Party disenfranchised voters and they used Democrat-aligned judges to throw him off ballots and to try to throw Trump, another political opponent, in jail. He said that the party was unrecognizable and he called Democrats the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big ag, and big money. As we followed here, Democrats flipped in that moment.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
And instead of using lawfare to keep RFK off presidential ballots, they worked to keep him on ballots in an effort to hurt Trump.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Right. So out of all of Trump's nominees, aside from Matt Gaetz, who dropped out very early, Gabbard was seen to have perhaps the toughest road to confirmation.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Gabbard was a former Democrat congresswoman and presidential candidate, and she faced a lot of scrutiny over her past comments supporting former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in a 2017 meeting she took with Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad. Like RFK, Gabbard picked up 52 yes votes in the Senate along party lines. She picked up all Republican senators except McConnell and zero Democrats.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
Now, what nominees are still outstanding at this point? So Linda McMahon, who served in Trump's first administration, she's the president's nominee to lead the Department of Education. She appeared before the Senate Education Committee on Thursday, just one day after Trump publicly called for the Department of Education to be closed, calling it a, quote, complete con job.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
McMahon, who was repeatedly interrupted by protesters, she addressed those comments from Trump during the hearing.
Morning Wire
Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs & RFK Sworn In | 2.14.25
If the committee approves McMahon, she'll proceed to a full Senate vote. And right now she is expected to be confirmed. There's also Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Yesterday, he won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a 12 to 10 party line vote, the panel approved Patel's nomination. Next, Patel is headed to the Senate for consideration, and he too is expected to be confirmed.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
Yeah, strange indeed, John. And these are not your run-of-the-mill drones that you can buy on Amazon. Authorities say many are SUV-sized and emit no radio signals, making them difficult to track. They often operate in groups with blinking lights. and display sophisticated technology. Officials say they go dark and elude radar detection when pursued by police helicopters.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
According to the Coast Guard, which has also been tracking the activity, the drones have been observed flying for six to eight hours over New Jersey before making a beeline out into the Atlantic, where presumably they're landing somewhere and recharging.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
Perhaps most concerning, the drones have invaded the airspace surrounding military installations and infrastructure like railways, power stations, and police departments. They've also surrounded Coast Guard ships. And in some cases, FBI agents investigating the case say they've appeared above their own homes.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
Yeah. At first, the story was sort of laughed off by mainstream media outlets as some sort of UFO mass hysteria. But as the activity continued night after night, lawmakers and law enforcement began taking it very seriously. The FBI launched an investigation in late November. The DHS and New Jersey State Police are also investigating. And now Congress is getting involved.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
They held a hearing on the matter Wednesday. But no one seems to have any clue who is actually behind the activity. And that is frustrating lawmakers. For example, here's Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez questioning FBI official Robert Wheeler.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
Members of the New Jersey State Legislature have also expressed similar frustration after a Homeland Security briefing. Here's Rep. Brian Bergen.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
And on Wednesday, another frustrated lawmaker, New Jersey's Jeff Van Drew, sparked a firestorm after claiming the drones originated with Iran and had been launched from a mothership that was deployed off the coast of our eastern seaboard.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
But hours later, a Pentagon spokesperson denied that claim, saying there's no evidence the drones are coming from a foreign entity.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
That sentiment was echoed by White House spokesman John Kirby, who said the drones do not pose a security risk. But it's worth noting, neither he nor Homeland Security have said they've identified the source of the activity. So the Pentagon knows who's behind the drones. They're not saying so publicly.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
Some have speculated their insistence that they don't belong to an adversary and aren't a threat is evidence the craft belonged to our military, but the Pentagon doesn't want to confirm it on the record. But lawmakers say if that were the case, the FBI would have been alerted and would not have launched a widespread federal investigation into their origins.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
For more on all this, I spoke with Senior Research Fellow for Advanced Technology at the Heritage Foundation, Brent Sadler.
Morning Wire
Border Wall Fire Sale & New Jersey’s Drone Mystery | 12.13.24
So as these sightings continue, lawmakers, law enforcement, and most importantly, the people of New Jersey want answers.
Morning Wire
Trump Sentenced & Wildfire Suspect | Afternoon Update | 1.10.25
Estimated damages from the wildfires could reach $57 billion, potentially making them the most expensive in U.S. history.
Morning Wire
Trump Sentenced & Wildfire Suspect | Afternoon Update | 1.10.25
The LAPD announced Thursday night they detained a suspect in the Kenneth Fire, which is burning in West Hills and remains 0% contained. Meanwhile, firefighters are still battling multiple blazes across Los Angeles, including the devastating Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire. In the latest report, at least 10 people have been killed. Tens of thousands of structures have been destroyed.