Pentagon threatens to cancel Anthropic contract by Friday if company doesn’t lift safeguards

Story by Julia Shapero

The Pentagon has threatened to cancel Anthropic’s contract by Friday if the company does not agree to the department’s terms for the use of its AI model, sources confirmed to The Hill on Tuesday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Tuesday at the Pentagon amid a dispute over the AI firm’s usage policy, which bars its model Claude from being used for mass surveillance or to develop weapons that can be used without human oversight.

If Anthropic doesn’t agree to the Pentagon’s terms, the department warned it would use the Defense Production Act against the company or designate it as a supply chain risk, a senior Pentagon official told The Hill. Axios first reported the Friday deadline.

“During the conversation, Dario expressed appreciation for the Department’s work and thanked the Secretary for his service,” an Anthropic spokesperson told The Hill in a statement on Tuesday.

“We continued good-faith conversations about our usage policy to ensure Anthropic can continue to support the government’s national security mission in line with what our models can reliably and responsibly do,” the spokesperson added.

The Pentagon official insisted that tactical operation cannot be led by exception and the legality of the missions are the department’s responsibility as the end user.

Trump makes rare intervention as secret Jared Kushner 'gossip' rips through America's spy agencies

Story by Phillip Nieto

Donald Trump is blocking the release of an unredacted secret whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard that had been held in a locked safe.

The Trump administration cited claims of executive privilege, a power reserved for the president to withhold confidential information, as its justification for refusing to provide unredacted intelligence to congressional lawmakers.

'Executive privilege is rarely used as a reason to not give information to the Gang of Eight,' said Glenn Gerstell, a former general counsel at the National Security Agency, to Wall Street Journal. The Gang of Eight refers to the lawmakers overseeing intelligence.

The redacted intelligence found in the complaint reportedly involves a conversation between two foreign national regarding Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Senior Trump officials claimed the allegations against Kushner were demonstrably false but refused to explain further, arguing that doing so would expose highly classified material. Another top US official also told the Daily Mail that the claims 'were nothing more than salacious gossip.'

The intelligence concerning Kushner included a brief conversation about Iran. The classified material was reportedly obtained through clandestine surveillance technology.

US defense secrets sold to Russians for millions in crypto

Story by Brendan Cole

A man working for an American defense contractor has been jailed in the United States for seven years for selling trade secrets to a buyer with ties to Russia.

Peter Williams, 39, an Australian citizen, admitted selling eight pieces of cybersecurity software and information to a Russian broker for $4 million in cryptocurrency, which he used to buy jewelry, watches, homes and luxury holidays, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the tools Williams had passed to the Russians would have enabled Moscow to access millions of digital devices, and that his crime was not just one of theft but also one of national security.

Williams was working as the general manager of Trenchant, an intelligence firm owned by U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Technologies, Australian media reported. The firm is said to specialize in tools that help intelligence agencies among U.S. allies to exploit vulnerabilities in computer networks and mobile devices.

Busted: Prominent MAGA influencer account revealed to be White House sock puppet

Story by Matthew Chapman

A high-profile MAGA influencer on X with hundreds of thousands of followers has been exposed as being secretly run by a White House staffer.

According to Wired, "To its audience, Johnny MAGA looked like an independent voice, another outraged supporter in the MAGA media ecosystem. The account regularly boosts Trump’s Truth Social posts and goes to bat for the administration, attacking Democrats like California governor Gavin Newsom."

The account also pushed images of flag-burning demonstrators in Minneapolis after the killing of Renee Good, saying, “They’re burning the American flag right now in Minneapolis, and they really expect you to believe that ICE shot an innocent civilian.”

The account was created in January 2021 and has often been at the front of pushing far-right, pro-Trump content. It was also active throughout the 2024 election, going after former Vice President Kamala Harris often in very personal ways.

Blind dad of 2 is found dead after being released by Border Patrol and left to find his way home 5 miles away

Story by Amy McCarthy

Nurul Amin Shah Alam was found dead in Buffalo, N.Y. after he was dropped off at a coffee shop by Border Patrol agents

NEED TO KNOW

A blind dad of two was found dead in Buffalo, N.Y., after he was dropped off at a Tim Horton's restaurant by Border Patrol officials

Buffalo Police Department officers responded to a "dead body call" on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and identified the victim as Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a refugee from Burma.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said that agents offered Shah Alam a "courtesy ride" to the Tim Horton's

A blind dad of two has died after he was taken into custody by Border Patrol officers and allegedly left miles away from his home, according to reports.

What the new Epstein files say about Trump: Updates

Story by Margaret Hartmann

For years, Donald Trump stoked conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein and his many powerful friends and associates, despite lingering questions about his own ties to the late sex offender. Trump and Epstein were friends for more than 15 years. The future president was photographed with Epstein many times, flew on his plane, and praised him as a “terrific guy” in the press.

Now, due in large part to Team Trump’s ineptitude, the Epstein files have become the biggest ongoing scandal of his second term. Trump DoJ and FBI officials promised to release the Epstein files then backtracked, prompting Congress to pass a bipartisan law ordering their release by December 19, 2025. The DoJ missed the deadline and is still sporadically dropping sloppily redacted batches of files into its “Epstein Library” on Justice.gov by the millions.

Airstrike horror as '85 schoolgirls are killed in Iran' and Trump's base turns on 'evil' war

Story by Ross Ibbetson and Phillip Nieto and Elina Shirazi

At least 85 people have been killed in an airstrike on an elementary school in southern Iran, according to the judiciary in Tehran.

The majority of the dead are schoolgirls aged between seven and 12 years old, according to the regime-controlled news outlets Tasnim and Fars.

Missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in the the city of Minab, in Hormozgan province, on Saturday morning as the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

Sources inside Iran told the Daily Mail that reports from the regime should be viewed with skepticism as a propaganda offensive is being waged under the fog of war.

A teacher at the school told the London-based outlet Middle East Eye that she saw bodies on classroom benches.

She had left the school to take care of something when she heard the blast. When she arrived back she saw carnage.

'I felt like I had gone mute. I couldn't speak,' she said. 'You could hear the sound of children crying and screaming.'

There were 170 girls at the school at the time of the attack as Saturday is the first day of the working week in Iran.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer goes live after Trump's attack on Iran and instantly makes ominous prediction

Story by Hilary Hanson

Longtime CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer went on air Saturday morning following the U.S. and Israel launching a major attack on Iran, and the first words out of his mouth were ominous.

“Looks like this is gonna escalate big time in the coming hours, and days, for that matter,” Blitzer said moments after joining “First of All with Victor Blackwell” at around 8 a.m. Saturday.

Trump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology. Anthropic says it will fight back

Story by bmetzger@insider.com (Bryan Metzger, Lloyd Lee, Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert)

Trump ordered agencies to stop using Anthropic amid a dispute between the AI giant and the DoD.

Shortly after Trump's announcement, the DoD moved to label Anthropic a supply-chain risk.

Anthropic said no "intimidation" would shift its stance against mass domestic surveillance.

The Department of Defense is moving to designate Anthropic a supply chain risk, a significant escalation by the government that could threaten how the AI startup does business with other US-based companies.

Anthropic said in a statement on Friday night that it will fight back.

"We will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court," Anthropic's statement read, adding that the company had not received "direct communication from the Department of War or the White House on the status of our negotiations."

The company said in its statement that "no amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons."

Iran’s Khamenei killed in major victory for Trump, Netanyahu

Story by Peter Aitken

Iran‘s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in the U.S.- Israeli strikes on Iran, according to multiple reports.

The death of the Islamic Republic leader marks a major achievement for President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who both called for regime change and urged Iranians to rise up against the clerical government in the wake of the strikes.

Israeli officials initially said they saw “signs” that Khamenei was dead, but later said they had confirmed his death, saying his body had been found, Reuters reported.

Why It Matters

Khamenei, 86, had ruled the Islamic Republic for 36 years after becoming its second leader in 1989, a decade after rising to prominence in the theocratic revolution which toppled Iran’s monarchy.

The U.S.-Israeli military operation code-named “Epic Fury” targeted several high-level Iranian officials including Khamenei and the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose whereabouts are also unknown.

In a video address shortly after the first strikes, Trump told Iranian protesters the U.S. action would provide “probably your only chance for generations” to force regime change, saying: “Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

US air base in Saudi Arabia under attack: Report

Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports that the U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia is under attack amid retaliation after air strikes on Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and IRGC commander said to have been killed in morning attack

Story by Roman Petrenko

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Mohammad Pakpour, Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were likely killed in morning strikes on Iran on 28 February, Israeli media outlets have reported, citing sources.

Details: Channel 12 said there are "growing indications" that Khamenei was killed in the strikes. Earlier reports suggested he had been "hurt at the very least", with the assessment coming from anonymous sources rather than satellite images of his destroyed presidential residence.

Khamenei is anticipated to make a statement soon, which Channel 12 says could have been pre-recorded.

GOP lawmakers join Dems in urgent effort to rein in Trump and halt 'illegal war'

Story by Alexander Willis

Multiple Republican lawmakers have joined their Democratic colleagues in working to rein in President Donald Trump after his administration launched a major military operation in Iran early Saturday morning.

Leading the charge are Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), who’ve introduced what’s known as a War Powers Resolution, a legislative tool to check the president’s power over declaring war and require congressional authorization before U.S. forces can engage in sustained military action.

“Donald Trump has launched a war on Iran – the Congress must reconvene on Monday to vote on Thomas Massie and my War Powers Resolution to stop this war!” Khanna said in a statement Saturday. “Every member of Congress must go on record today on how they will vote on Thomas Massie and my War Powers Resolution!”

Before strikes, CIA assessed Khamenei would be replaced by hardline IRGC elements if killed

Story by REUTERS

In the run-up to the US and Israeli attacks on Saturday, the US Central Intelligence Agency assessed that even if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the operation, he would likely be replaced by hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), two sources briefed on the intelligence said.

The assessments, which were produced over the past two weeks, looked broadly at what could occur in Iran following a US intervention and the extent to which a military operation could trigger regime change in the Islamic Republic - now a pronounced objective for Washington.

The intelligence agency reports did not conclude any scenario with certainty, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

Not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be: America First skeptics blast Iran strikes

Opinion by Anthony Iafrate

Avowed advocates of the right-wing America First movement had harsh words for President Donald Trump after he announced the U.S. military struck Iran on Saturday morning, with one alleging the president betrayed his MAGA base.

Trump announced at 2:30 EST a.m. Saturday the U.S. military had launched a “massive and ongoing” attack against the Islamic theocracy, vowing in a video posted to social media to “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.” Hours later, former Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — previously a staunch Trump ally and MAGA standard-bearer — posted a nearly-700-word reaction to X in which she said the president’s Operation Epic Fury “feels like the worst betrayal.”

“We said ‘No More Foreign Wars, No More Regime Change!’ We said it on rally stage after rally stage, speech after speech. Trump, [Vice President JD] Vance, basically the entire admin campaigned on it and promised to put America FIRST and Make America Great Again,” Greene began in her post.

The former lawmaker’s post includes a screenshot of a 2024 post by the Republican Party’s X account advertising Trump and Vance as “the pro-peace ticket.”

'Problematic' efforts by Trump loyalist helped bury admin's latest scandal: experts

Story by Robert Davis

One of President Donald Trump's fiercest loyalists appeared to play a key part in burying the administration's latest scandal, according to two experts.

Last week, it was reported that Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer's husband, Shawn DeRemer, had been barred from the agency's office in Washington, D.C., after he was accused of sexually assaulting a female employee. That step is extraordinary in and of itself, but even moreso considering that DeRemer has not been charged with a crime.

SNL digs up damning clip of Trump making a fool of himself on Iran

Story by Michael Boyle

“Weekend Update” co-anchor Colin Jost used President Trump’s own words to dunk on his Saturday morning invasion of Iran.

“This attack might be a bad idea,” said the Saturday Night Live star. “I don’t know. I’m not really an expert on Iran. So let’s hear from someone who can explain why we might have done it...”

Jost played a clip of Trump in 2011 angrily speculating over then-President Barack Obama’s foreign policy regarding Iran.

“Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate,” Trump said. “He’s weak and he’s ineffective.”

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and IRGC commander said to have been killed in morning attack
Story by Roman Petrenko

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Mohammad Pakpour, Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were likely killed in morning strikes on Iran on 28 February, Israeli media outlets have reported, citing sources.

Details: Channel 12 said there are "growing indications" that Khamenei was killed in the strikes. Earlier reports suggested he had been "hurt at the very least", with the assessment coming from anonymous sources rather than satellite images of his destroyed presidential residence.

Khamenei is anticipated to make a statement soon, which Channel 12 says could have been pre-recorded.

Saudi confirms Iran attacked Riyadh, Foreign Ministry says
Story by Reuters

Feb 28 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia confirmed on Saturday that Iran attacked Riyadh and the eastern region, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

US and Israel clash with Iran at emergency Security Council meeting. UN chief condemns attacks
Story by EDITH M. LEDERER and FARNOUSH AMIRI

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and Israel clashed with Iran at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday where the U.N. chief and many countries urged a halt to their attacks and a return to negotiations to prevent the conflict from spreading further into the region and beyond.

Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent an escalation. “The alternative,” he warned, “is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.”

Guterres said the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes violated international law, including the U.N. Charter. He also condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Iran has been firing missiles into at least half a dozen countries. Here's how the fight has been playing out.
Story by sbaker@insider.com (Sinéad Baker)

Iran is launching counter strikes after US and Israeli attacks on the country.
At least six countries have reported attacks, many of which have US bases, which Iran said it is targeting.
Details are still emerging, but some countries reported damage and death from debris.

Iran launched missile strikes into at least six countries in retaliation for the Saturday morning attack by the US and Israel.

Multiple countries across the Middle East reported Iranian bombardments, with the IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, saying that it had launched attacks on US bases.

Iran said it targeted at least four bases hosting US forces in the Middle East. Details about the scale and the impact of the strikes are still emerging, but multiple nations reported being able to intercept the attacks. Some have reported damage and at least one death from debris. At least one US base appears to have been hit.

Bahrain's state news agency said that the US Navy's 5th Fleet service center was the subject to a missile attack, without offering details or reporting any casualties. Iran also said it targeted the base. The agency also reported Bahrain's defense forces saying that its air-defense systems successfully intercepted multiple missiles from Iran.

Qatar's defense ministry said successfully intercepted three waves of attacks that had targeted multiple areas of the country, and that all missiles were intercepted before they reached the country's territory, the state-run Qatar News Agency reported.

Iran breaches Israel’s 'Iron Dome' killing one
Story by Lily Shanagher, Akhtar Makoii, Connor Stringer, Cameron Henderson, Benedict Smith, Emily Blumenthal

Iranian missiles breached Israel’s Iron Dome, landing in Tel Aviv and killing one woman.

Several impacts were reported across the country as Tehran seemingly tried to overwhelm the Israeli air defence system, following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran earlier on Saturday.

A woman in her forties was critically wounded and died in the strike, which took place around 10.30pm local time (8.30pm GMT).

Three others were hospitalised, including a man of around 40, who suffered serious injuries from shrapnel, and a woman in her nineties. In total, 20 were wounded, according to Israel’s ambulance service.

The Israeli Defence Forces sent troops to multiple crash sites across the country to search for survivors.

Three tankers damaged in Gulf as US-Iran conflict escalates
By Yousef Saba, Jaidaa Taha and Jonathan Saul

DUBAI/LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered Iranian retaliation that put merchant ships at risk of collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.

Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.

Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway.

"The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran dramatically increases the security risk to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters," said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at shipping association BIMCO.

'SHIPS MAY BE TARGETED DELIBERATELY OR IN ERROR'

"Ships with business connections to U.S. or Israeli interests are more likely to be targeted, but other ships may also be targeted deliberately or in error."

Donald Trump's old tweet resurfaced after the US-Israel strikes, and here's what people are saying

BuzzFeed

When President Donald Trump revealed that the United States Department of War and Israel had launched an attack on Iran, the reactions from politicians, political commentators, and X users started pouring in from everywhere.

In an address to the nation after the attack, Trump posted a video to Truth Social, declaring, "To the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside; bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations."

Trump's remarks surrounding the US-Israel strike on Iran have drawn criticism, especially from this 2013 tweet where he said, "Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled!"

Three tankers damaged in Gulf as US-Iran conflict escalates

Story by Yousef Saba, Jaidaa Taha and Jonathan Saul

DUBAI/LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered Iranian retaliation that put merchant ships at risk of collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.

Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.

Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway.

"The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran dramatically increases the security risk to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters," said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at shipping association BIMCO.

'SHIPS MAY BE TARGETED DELIBERATELY OR IN ERROR'

"Ships with business connections to U.S. or Israeli interests are more likely to be targeted, but other ships may also be targeted deliberately or in error."

US intel did not suggest a preemptive strike from Iran before US-Israeli attacks, AP sources say

Story by MICHELLE L. PRICE, MARY CLARE JALONICK, BEN FINLEY, JOSEF FEDERMAN and DAVID KLEPPER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump administration officials told congressional staff in private briefings Sunday that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S., three people familiar with the briefings said.

The administration officials instead acknowledged there was a more general threat in the region from Iran’s missiles and proxy forces, two of the people said. The third person, however, said the administration emphasized that Iran’s missiles and proxy forces posed an imminent threat to U.S. personnel and allies in the region.

The officials did not provide any clarity about what would happen next in Iran after the joint U.S.-Israeli operation, the two people said. All three people insisted on anonymity to discuss details that have not been made public.

The information conveyed to the congressional staff contrasts with the message from President Donald Trump. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. A vicious group of very hard, terrible people," he said in a video message after launching strikes on Iran.

Several killed in Israel after Iran launches retaliatory strikes; Trump gives update on war

At least 11 people have been killed in Israel as Iran launches retaliatory strikes against countries across the Persian Gulf. CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman reports from Tel Aviv and CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes has the latest on what President Trump is saying about the war.

Trump's Iran war rebuked by Blackwater founder Erik Prince: 'Chaos'

Story by Joshua Rhett Miller

The founder of Blackwater has criticized the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran, saying the conflict isn’t in “America’s interests” and will lead to more death and destruction across the Middle East.

Erik Prince—a former Navy SEAL who founded Blackwater, the private military contractor later rebranded as Constellis—provided a blunt assessment to conservative influencer Steve Bannon on Sunday, a day after the killing of Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and more than 40 top Iranian security and regime officials.

“Look, Steve, I’m not happy about the whole thing,” Prince said on Bannon’s War Room podcast. “I don’t think this was in America’s interests. It’s going to uncork a significant can of worms and chaos and destruction in Iran now.”

Prince said Khamenei’s assassination on Saturday would likely lead to tens of thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vying to replace the former leader.

Voices: As terror rains down on Israel, Netanyahu and Trump are already split

Story by Donald Macintyre

The sirens were blaring in the morning as we approached the site of Iran’s deadliest attack on Israel so far. They must have done the same less than 24 hours earlier, minutes before the ballistic missile razed a synagogue and the neighbouring housing, killing 11 and wounding dozens. This time, the residents were able to emerge from the shelters soon afterwards, three audible, but relatively distant booms, indicating that the incoming fire had been blocked by missile defences.

Yesterday had been a very different story. Looking across the tottering slabs of dislocated concrete and mangled masonry that had once been the heart of this close community in the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, you could see the large, shallow depression in the ground that marked what had been the public shelter under the synagogue.

The missile somehow evaded Israel’s formidable air defences. For all their precision, they cannot stop everything.

Among the dead – including three teenage siblings as well as a mother and son – there were several who had sought safety there. The sheer force of Iran’s half-ton ballistic missile meant they did so in vain.

European ally turns back on US for China over Iran war

Story by Ireland Owens

As the conflict in Iran intensifies, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke on the phone Monday with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about working towards “de-escalation” together.

The phone call came days after the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against the Islamic regime early Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a statement released Tuesday, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said both ministers agreed to “work towards de-escalation, in conjunction with the Gulf countries” and to “find a path to a political resolution guaranteeing collective security interests and provision for the Iranian people’s aspirations.”

Barrot also stated “the Iranian regime’s responsibility in the ongoing escalation, after it unjustifiably struck several countries in the region,” according to the statement.

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to its statement from Tuesday when reached for comment.

Barrot noted that the ongoing U.S.-Israel military operations in Iran were begun “without France participating or being informed,” per the statement. He also emphasized that each of the aforementioned countries were responsible for prioritizing “international institutions to resolve disagreement” and to use force “if necessary.”

“Who takes over?” Prince asked on the podcast. He added: “I don’t see how this is in keeping with the president’s MAGA commitment. I’m disappointed.”

Prince then questioned the preparation of U.S.-Israeli forces following Khamenei’s death and suggested ground troops would eventually need to partake in Operation Epic Fury.

Kimmel uses Trump’s own words to reveal reason for his ‘desperate’ war

Story by Meera Navlakha

President Donald Trump has inadvertently revealed why he launched his war against Iran, Jimmy Kimmel pointed out Monday night.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host had harsh words for the president’s “desperate” strikes in the Middle East, calling the new offensive a ploy for re-election.

Kimmel recalled Trump’s 2012 tweets, which have resurfaced in the wake of the weekend’s first strikes against Iran, in which he repeatedly accused then-President Barack Obama of wanting to start a war with the Islamic Republic “in order to get re-elected” and because he is “desperate.”

US commanders tell troops Trump 'anointed by Jesus' to start Iran war sparking hundreds of complaints

Story by Falyn Stempler

A damning new report found that evangelical Christian fundamentalism is underpinning U.S. military action in Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the U.S. and Israel launched a joint operation and struck Iran overnight, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, among dozens of others across the region. The attack was launched amid Iranian nuclear negotiations and weeks of civil unrest in Iran due to economic turmoil. After the initial attack, Trump said "heavy and pinpoint bombing" would continue "uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!" while calling for regime change in the Islamic Republic.

The operation comes less than a year after Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025 during the 12-Day war between Iran and Israel, during which the president claimed to have obliterated Iran's nuclear capabilities. It comes after a chilling map emerged revealing the 12 safest places to find refuge if WW3 erupts.

Minnesota launches investigation that could bring charges against US immigration officers

US county attorney is ‘confident’ her office will be able to pursue charges in cases which led to criticisms of use-of-force policies

Associated Press

A Minnesota state prosecutor announced an investigation on Monday that may lead to charges against federal officers, including Greg Bovino, for misconduct during an immigration enforcement crackdown.

The Hennepin county attorney, Mary Moriarty, said in a news conference that her office is already looking into 17 cases, including one in which Bovino, a border patrol official, threw a smoke canister at protesters on 21 January.

Her office is also investigating federal agents’ shooting deaths of 37-year-old US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti on 7 and 24 January, respectively. And she is “confident” they will be able to pursue charges in the cases which led to nationwide demonstrations and criticisms of federal immigration enforcement use-of-force policies.

Another case on 7 January involved federal officers making an arrest outside a high school and deploying chemical irritants while students and staff were in the area.

“Make no mistake – we are not afraid of the legal fight, and we are committed to doing this correctly,” Moriarty said. The immigration enforcement operation known as “Metro Surge caused immeasurable harm to our community”.

Minnesota Sues Federal Government Over Withheld Medicaid Funds

The Trump administration cited widespread fraud in state social service programs. Minnesota officials said they were victims of “political punishment.”

By Mitch Smith

Minnesota officials sued the Trump administration on Monday over a decision to withhold more than $200 million in Medicaid funds from the state, which has seen widespread fraud in social service programs.

The lawsuit was the latest front in a wide-ranging legal clash between the state and the federal government, which have been at odds over immigration enforcement, election issues and how to respond to the fraud scandal. A recent deployment of thousands of immigration agents to Minnesota led to three shootings, thousands of arrests, and frequent clashes between agents and residents, all while state and federal officials accused their counterparts of illegal behavior.

In the new lawsuit, Minnesota officials asked a judge to restore most of the $259 million in funding that the Trump administration cut off last week. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office, said that the federal government had “weaponized Medicaid against Minnesota as political punishment.” Vice President JD Vance said last week that he felt “quite confident that we have the authority to do this,” adding that the Trump administration had to “turn the screws on them a little bit so they take this fraud seriously.”

The rationale for striking Iran was already a mess. Trump just made it worse.

Story by Analysis by Aaron Blake, CNN

The Trump administration’s stated justifications for going to war with Iran were already a jumbled and self-contradictory mess.

But on Tuesday, Trump made it even worse — laying waste to the administration’s confusing explanation from Monday.

Just a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that Iran posed an imminent threat — because it would respond to imminent attacks from Israel by striking US forces — Trump went with an entirely different explanation: that Iran was going to launch preemptive strikes against the US on its own.

“It was my opinion that they were going to attack first,” the president said.

And with that, the botched rollout of the Trump administration’s case for war enters yet another chapter.

Rubio had already turned plenty of heads with his claims on Monday.

“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action,” Rubio said. “We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.”

This was problematic for a couple of reasons.

For one, it was different from the explanations for why Iran posed an imminent threat that had been offered in the days before the war began. Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, who was leading negotiations with Tehran, initially claimed Iran was “probably a week away” from having nuclear bomb-making material. Then Trump in his State of the Union address last week claimed Iran would “soon” have the ability to strike the United States with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Father of Georgia school shooter found guilty of murder and manslaughter

By Eric Levenson, Maxime Tamsett

Colin Gray, the father of Georgia school shooter Colt Gray, was found guilty of murder and manslaughter charges Tuesday in a case testing the limits of who is responsible for a mass shooting.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting him on all 27 charges: Two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, 18 counts of cruelty to children and five counts of reckless conduct.

At the defense table, Colin Gray did not visibly react to the verdict. He was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs. He faces 10 to 30 years in prison on each murder charge and 1 to 10 years on each manslaughter charge.

Prosecutors accused Gray of buying his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas present and allowing him access to that weapon and ammunition despite warnings that his son was a danger to others. Colt Gray, then 14, used that rifle to carry out a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, killing two teachers and two students and wounding nine others.

DOJ renews fight against law firms that stood up to Trump in abrupt reversal

Story by Richard Luscombe

The US justice department abruptly reversed course on Tuesday and decided it would defend executive orders made by Donald Trump to try to penalize law firms that represented clients or causes the president did not like.

On Monday, the department announced in a court filing that it was dropping its appeal against a ruling by a district court judge that blocked Trump’s retaliatory executive actions against four companies that refused to make a deal with him.

Trump’s “capitulation” was celebrated by at least two of the the companies that welcomed the DoJ’s voluntary withdrawal from the legal proceedings.

On Tuesday, however, the government filed a new, single-paragraph request to the US court of appeals for the Columbia circuit, announcing it had changed its mind, and wished “to pursue this appeal”.

It gave no reason for its sudden about-face, and quoted attorneys for the four companies who unanimously opposed “the government’s unexplained request to withdraw yesterday’s voluntary dismissal, to which all parties had agreed”.

In a statement, Susman Godfrey, one of the four law firms that initially stood up to Trump, said: “Yesterday evening, the administration told the court that it gave up and wouldn’t even try to defend its unconstitutional executive orders. Today, it reversed course. Regardless, Susman Godfrey will defend itself and the rule of law – without equivocation.”

Video of Trump mocking elderly veteran sparks online outrage

Trump is drawing backlash online over a video where he appears to be teasing an elderly veteran during a ceremony. Users have accused him of belittling the military service.

Social media erupts after Melania Trump chairs UN Security Council meeting: 'Beyond parody'

Story by Pedro Camacho

First Lady Melania Trump's decision to chair a United Nations Security Council meeting quickly ignited a wave of reaction on social media, with users across the political spectrum debating the optics of the moment.

Within hours, clips of the first lady wielding the gavel circulated widely on X, prompting commentary that ranged from praise to disbelief.

Trump became the first spouse of a world leader to preside over the Security Council, taking the seat marked "President" and "United States" during the U.S. rotating presidency of the body, as BBC explains. The session, titled "Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict," had been scheduled before the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran over the weekend. Her office said the meeting would "emphasize education's role in advancing tolerance and world peace."

The timing became a focal point online. The Tennessee Holler wrote, "What is happening." Political commentator Adam Schwarz posted, "Melania Trump is chairing a UN Security Council meeting. I'm not joking." Other users questioned the symbolism of convening a meeting on protecting children amid ongoing military operations, with one widely shared reaction from @ReallyAmerican 1 calling the moment "Beyond parody:"

DOJ admits to removing nearly 48,000 Epstein files from database, including Trump allegations

Story by Jelinda Montes

The Department of Justice removed 47,635 files from the publicly available database of Jeffrey Epstein case files, including various claims against President Donald Trump.

Links to the offline files now return a “page not found” error on the department’s website. DOJ spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre told CBS News that they have “not deleted any files from the library” and that the files will be available after “redactions are made.”

“Our team is working around the clock to address victim concerns, redact personally identifiable information and any images of a sexual nature,” she said in a statement.

The removed files related to Trump were first discovered in a Feb. 24 investigation by NPR. The outlet found several documents that were withheld centered on an FBI investigation into claims that Trump sexually abused a minor in the 1980s.

Leaked email reveals hiring priorities for Trump's Labor Department

Story by Travis Gettys

An internal email sent from Liberty University Law School to its first- and second-year students reveals the Trump administration's prioritization of loyalty over qualifications.

The evangelical university's law school emailed students Friday afternoon publicizing “exciting opportunity to intern with the Department of Labor in DC" that promised "incredible connections that will payoff [sic] later" and the possibility of full-time job offers after graduation, reported journalist Judd Legum in his Popular Info newsletter.

"The two most important requirements are you MUST be aligned politically with President Trump and his administration and you must be willing to work hard," read the email sent by Derek Green, an associate director at the law school. "Don't be scared off by the transcript requirement. GPA is not a strong factor. If you meet those two requirements, you have a shot."

Trump said 'climate change is the greatest con ever' and experts responded

Trump made bold claims about climate change, from calling it the greatest con ever to praising clean beautiful coal. This video breaks down each statement with actual data and measurable outcomes. Some claims fall apart instantly while others contain a tiny grain of truth. The result is a much clearer picture of what is real and what is rhetoric.

US tanker 'on fire and spilling oil into the sea' as Iran issues chilling 5-word warning

Story by Charlie Jones

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to hit a U.S. oil tanker in the northern part of the Gulf as the war brings global oil supplies through the all-important Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC had warned that any vessels, military or commercial, linked to the U.S., Israel or supporting European countries will not be allowed to pass through the Strait, the narrow body of water between Iran and Oman.

"If they are observed, they will certainly be hit," the IRGC said in its statement. It comes as a haunting new map reveals the 4 safest US states to live in during a nuclear war.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the U.S. tanker was anchored off the coast of Kuwait when it was hit on Wednesday morning. Oil is gushing into the water and an environmental impact is feared. Witnesses say they heard a large explosion and saw a small craft leave the area. There are no reports of fire and the crew are all safe.

"We had previously said that, based on international laws and resolutions, in times of war, the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the right to control the passage through the Strait of Hormuz," IRGC said, Iran's Tasnim News reports.

What is 'Shield of the Americas'? Kristi Noem takes new role after DHS ousting

Story by Kate Perez, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from her role on March 5, announcing on social media that she would be replaced and become special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, the president's initiative for security against narcotics trafficking in the Western Hemisphere.

Noem will be succeeded by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, effective March 31. The former secretary's job shift comes ahead of the "Shield of the Americas" Summit scheduled for March 7, a meeting between U.S. federal officials including Trump, as well as a dozen Latin American leaders in Florida.

Here's what we know so far about the Shield of the Americas.

What is the Shield of the Americas?

Information is limited on the Shield of the Americas and the role Noem might play in her new position, though Trump described it as a "security initiative" in his post announcing the job switch.

"The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida," Trump wrote on social media. "I thank Kristi for her service at 'Homeland.'"

Huge loss for US Army: $500m missile defense radar obliterated in Iranian strike
Story by Kathrine Frich

Military bases and strategic installations increasingly coming under attack.

Iranian forces have launched waves of missiles and drones targeting American assets across the region.

One of those strikes appears to have hit a critical piece of US military infrastructure.

Radar system destroyed
Iranian forces reportedly destroyed a US early-warning radar system stationed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

According to reports cited by CNN, the system — valued at roughly $500 million — was hit during the first days of Iranian retaliation following US-Israeli airstrikes.

Russia is providing Iran intelligence to target US forces, officials say
Story by Noah Robertson, Ellen Nakashima, Warren Strobel

Russia is providing Iran with targeting information to attack American forces in the Middle East, the first indication that another major U.S. adversary is participating — even indirectly — in the war, according to three officials familiar with the intelligence.

The assistance, which has not been previously reported, signals that the rapidly expanding conflict now features one of America’s chief nuclear-armed competitors with exquisite intelligence capabilities.

Since the war began Saturday, Russia has passed Iran the locations of U.S. military assets, including warships and aircraft, said the three officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.

“It does seem like it’s a pretty comprehensive effort,” one of the people said.

Reached by The Washington Post on Friday, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, declined to comment on the intelligence findings. Moscow has called for an end to the war, which it labeled an “unprovoked act of armed aggression.”

The extent of Russia’s targeting assistance to Iran was not entirely clear. The Iranian military’s own ability to locate U.S. forces has been degraded less than a week into the fighting, the officials said.

DOJ releases Epstein files records with allegations against Trump

Story by Zac Anderson, USA TODAY

The Department of Justice released FBI interviews with a woman who said she was introduced to Donald Trump by Jeffrey Epstein and that Trump sexually and physically abused her when she was a minor, accusations the White House called “completely baseless.”

The release came after multiple news reports about documents related to the accusations against Trump being withheld. The Department of Justice said it had withheld records that had been “incorrectly coded as duplicative.”

The woman, whose name has been redacted, said in a 2019 interview with the FBI that she traveled to New York or New Jersey with Epstein when she was between 13 and 15 years old and met Trump “in a very tall building with huge rooms,” according to a summary of one of the interviews. She stated multiple people were present and that Trump asked everyone to leave the room and then sexually assaulted her.

Corey Lewandowski out at DHS after Kristi Noem fired by Trump: report

Story by Katie Hawkinson

Corey Lewandowski, a top adviser to Kristi Noem, is out at the Department of Homeland Security, according to MS NOW.

Noem's scandal-ridden leadership of the agency came to an end Thursday, when President Donald Trump announced he was tapping Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her, effective March 31.

While Noem has recently faced increased scrutiny about her actions as DHS secretary — which culminated in two chaotic congressional hearings this week — questions about her relationship with Lewandowski have also followed her throughout her brief tenure.

MS NOW reportedly confirmed Lewandowski’s departure Friday morning, following reports that he was expected to leave the agency alongside Noem.

It has long been rumored that Noem and Lewandowski, who are both married to other people, have engaged in an affair. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the pair had done little to hide their relationship inside the agency.

Leaked spy report warns Trump's Iran war faces disaster

Story by Sophie Gable

A leaked classified report by the National Intelligence Council has shed an unfavorable light on Donald Trump's decision to strike Iran, warning that military involvement could be disastrous.

In just one week, tensions have dramatically risen in the region, starting with a joint military operation conducted by the US and Israel against Iran.

The strikes took out Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Iran retaliated by targeting US military bases in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Trump has stood firm on the military attack, but a report completed by the NIC just a week before raised doubts about the US's ability to overthrow the regime.

Three people familiar with the findings told the Washington Post that Iran would likely respond to Khamenei's death by following protocols to preserve the regime. Sources said it was 'unlikely' that Iran's opposition would seize control.

Khamenei's successor has yet to be named. Iran's Assembly of Experts and high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been tasked with naming his replacement.

The ayatollah's son, Mojitaba Khamenei, is rumored to be assuming the role, but Trump has previously called him 'incompetent' and a 'lightweight.'

The Trump administration initially said the strikes were intended to take out Iran's nuclear capabilities, but in recent days has demanded 'unconditional surrender.'

Trump buried for showing 'total disrespect' at service for fallen soldiers

Story by David McAfee

Donald Trump came under fire on Saturday for his behavior during a solemn moment in which six fallen soldiers killed in the president's onslaught against Iran were honored.

The president was seen during the event standing upright while others bowed their heads. He was also wearing a white baseball cap during the typically solemn event, which was broadcast in complete silence on CNN.

Trump White House reportedly blocking intelligence report warning of homeland security threats in midst of Iran war

Story by Jennifer Bowers Bahney

The Trump White House is allegedly blocking U.S. intelligence agencies from warning Americans about rising terrorist threats at home, according to a report by The Daily Mail.

The report caught the eye of CNN media reporter Brian Stelter who wrote on X, “‘White House blocks intelligence report warning of rising US homeland terror threat linked to Iran war.’ The Daily Mail quotes from the intel report; says ‘top Trump officials’ are blocking its release; and says the White House didn’t deny it.”

Jan 6 Plaque Honoring Police Who Defended The Capitol Finally Installed Under Cover of Night

Jennifer Bowers Bahney

A plaque honoring police who defended the U.S. Capitol from January 6 rioters has finally been installed just steps from where the armed crowd broken into the building seeking to overturn Donald Trump’s election loss by force.

The memorial plaque, that was approved by Congress and required by law to be installed by March 2023, was finally bolted to the wall of the Capitol by an overnight work crew early Saturday morning.

Video of ICE shooting of Texas man raises questions about government claim

Story by Robert Klemko, Samuel Oakford

Video released by investigators in the fatal shooting last March of a U.S. citizen by a federal immigration agent calls into question a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson’s claim that the victim “intentionally ran over” a different agent before being shot.

The investigative material released Friday by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows that Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was given conflicting instructions as he encountered law enforcement officers from multiple agencies near the scene of a previous vehicle accident in South Padre Island, Texas, in the early-morning hours of March 15.

His car moved forward very slowly in the moments before Homeland Security Investigations Agent Jack C. Stevens fired three shots into Martinez’s blue Ford sedan. The footage does not show Martinez speeding up rapidly or appearing to target a second Homeland Security Investigations agent, Hector Sosa.

Martinez was under the influence of alcohol and had marijuana in his system, according to autopsy records, as different officers allowed him to keep going and shouted at him to stop.

Sosa told investigators that Martinez’s car struck his legs, causing him to fall over the hood before Stevens opened fire. It is not clear from the nighttime footage whether the slow-moving car actually hit Sosa. Footage from a nearby business shows the hood of the Ford. But the video is grainy and skips through some portions and does not definitively show whether there is a figure on top of the hood.