DHS preps deportation of alleged MS-13 gang member wanted for pastor’s murder in El Salvador
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has started the deportation process for an alleged MS-13 gang member from El Salvador who had been released into the United States a decade ago and was considered a “non-criminal” alien despite being wanted for a pastor’s murder in his home country. Danny Granados-Garcia was arrested by the FBI last month, and Fox News Digital has learned that he is now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody facing imminent removal. “Thanks to ICE, this MS-13 gang member wanted for murdering a pastor in his home country is off Connecticut streets,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. “This is an example of an arrest the media counts as a ‘non-criminal’ because he lacks a rap sheet in the United States.” FEDERAL OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT ARRESTS OF MIGRANTS CONVICTED OF ARSON, OTHER CRIMES AS ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES “This is an insane categorization and just one example of the countless ‘non-criminals’ who are public safety threats that ICE is removing from our communities every single day,” Bis added. “70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens convicted or charged with a crime in the U.S.” DHS says Granados-Garcia was released by the Obama administration in 2016 near the Rio Grande Valley, Texas Border Patrol Sector. The Salvadorian national attempted to enter the U.S. claiming he was an unaccompanied minor, despite being over the age of qualification for such status. ICE officers apprehended Granados-Garcia as part of a focused enforcement operation with multiple agencies conducted in Waterbury, Connecticut, on March 10. “Danny Antonio Granados-Garcia, a Salvadoran national, was in the U.S. with an active El Salvadorian arrest warrant for aggravated homicide — wanted for the alleged murder of a pastor,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X following the arrest. DHS told Fox News Digital that the Salvadorian will remain in ICE custody until he is deported. AGENCY THAT NABBED EL CHAPO, DIDDY THREATENED AS DEMOCRATS’ DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON Despite setbacks from the partial government shutdown and shakeups at DHS which led to the appointment of Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the department has continued its commitment to President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to deport criminal illegal migrants. Earlier this week, Bis told Fox News Digital that DHS “will continue arresting public safety threats from our communities and will not allow the Democrats to slow us down from making America safe again.” The partial government shutdown continues, but a bipartisan deal appears close as both the House and Senate look to end what has been a near-50 day battle and the longest partial shutdown in U.S. history. DHS ARRESTS 5 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF VIOLENT CRIMES INCLUDING MANSLAUGHTER, CHILD ASSAULT The lack of funding for the department has impacted agencies that operate under DHS, including FEMA, TSA and the Coast Guard. This week, FEMA told Fox News Digital that disaster relief funds are “running dangerously low,” and until Trump’s executive order to pay TSA agents, airport security lines faced hourslong wait times with unpaid officers calling out of work. ICE and immigration agent operations, for the most part, were funded under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law by Trump last July. Debate over funding DHS is mainly centered around ICE operations, with congressional Democrats hesitant to agree to a spending bill without reforms for the agency, like federal agents having to show ID, obtain warrants and remove face coverings.
VP Vance to meet with Viktor Orbán in Hungary days ahead of foreign nation’s elections
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will visit Hungary next week, when he will meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán days ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections. The vice president and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, will visit Budapest from April 7 to 8, according to a release from his office. The release states that Vance “will also deliver remarks on the rich partnership between the United States and Hungary.” VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 221 CALIFORNIA HOSPICE AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO FAR “Vice President @JDVance will visit Hungary next Tuesday. Looking forward to welcoming you to Budapest!” Orbán declared in a post on X. U.S. President Donald Trump has enthusiastically endorsed the foreign leader. TRUMP ALLY ORBAN ISSUES SCATHING LETTER DEMANDING ZELENSKYY CHANGE UKRAINE’S ‘ANTI-HUNGARIAN POLICY’ “I was proud to ENDORSE Viktor for Re-Election in 2022, and am honored to do so again. Election Day is April 12, 2026. Hungary: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR VIKTOR ORBÁN. He is a true friend, fighter, and WINNER, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Hungary — VIKTOR ORBÁN WILL NEVER LET THE GREAT PEOPLE OF HUNGARY DOWN. I AM WITH HIM ALL THE WAY!” Trump declared in part of a Truth Social post last month. RUBIO SEALS CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH HUNGARY Trump had previously backed Orbán in February Truth Social posts as well.
Celebrity chef lashes out at Trump for changing the ‘rules’ the same year as America 250
Activist and celebrity chef José Andrés joined protesters outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, when President Donald Trump became the first sitting president on record to attend oral arguments on a case at the High Court. Andrés, when speaking to Fox News Digital, slammed Trump for “changing the game’s rules,” rules the chef said “have been already done,” the same year as America’s 250th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence was signed. He suggested that what Trump is doing – attempting to ensure that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily do not become American citizens – is not what America “should be working towards.” The chef’s comments mirrored remarks by other protesters alongside him outside the Supreme Court, complaining that Trump’s efforts to tighten the screws around birthright citizenship violates the Constitution. Actor Robert De Niro, who did not join protesters but joined Trump and some of his closest advisors inside the courtroom, was also present at the High Court on Wednesday. JUSTICE JACKSON SPARKS ONLINE UPROAR AFTER LINKING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP TO STEALING A WALLET IN JAPAN “The argument is that this country, this year, is celebrating 250 years! It’s not the time to be changing the game’s rules. Those rules have been already done,” Andrés said. “Let’s keep working to make sure that the 15 million immigrants become part of America. This is what America should be working towards.” Andrés’ suggestion that “the game’s rules” have already been written and Trump’s efforts are trying to upend those pre-settled rules, effectively saying it goes against the Constitution and other policies the country was founded on, was echoed by other protesters Fox News Digital caught up with outside the Supreme Court Wednesday as well. “Well, I don’t know that there should be no limits, but there certainly shouldn’t be the limits that are proposed. And Justice Robert said it way better than I could. It’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution,” someone at the protest outside the Supreme Court, holding a small dog wearing a sign that read “NO KINGS. ONLY B—-ES,” told Fox News Digital. EXPERT FLAGS ‘DISAPPOINTING’ QUESTIONS FROM JUSTICES IN TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE “We are setting ourselves up for a two-tiered, or hierarchy of citizenship, you know. Why is it that some people who are born here get to be citizens and other people are not, based on who their parents’ ancestry is? To me that just violates the core concept of equality that our country is supposed to be founded on,” said another. “It will help regulations when it comes to certain laws. And it was kind of – the hearing itself – it was educational, a lot of things to take, and things to learn from the 14th Amendment,” added another. “We have a 14th Amendment for a reason,” another activist said. “We can’t rewrite the Constitution.” SAUER CITES ‘STRIKING’ FIGURES ON SECRETIVE BIRTH TOURISM IN HIGH-STAKES SCOTUS CASE When asked for his thoughts on Wednesday’s oral arguments after leaving the courthouse Wednesday, De Niro focused his criticism on Trump, telling Fox News Digital he didn’t know what to think immediately after leaving the hearing. “I’m waiting to get a, getting a – I’m not sure because I could hear, but not hear. It’s complicated. So, I can’t say,” De Niro responded when asked about the oral arguments he had just witnessed. De Niro described the Trump administration’s stance on the matter — that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens — as a way for Republicans to “get rid of people they don’t want.” When asked about claims he has “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” sometimes referred to by the acronym “TDS,” De Niro called it “nonsense.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “People don’t like him for a reason,” De Niro shot back. “All the terrible things he’s done. If he did nice things, then he could have, he had the chance — he became president — to do nice things, not hateful, retribution, not just, outright mean things. If he did nice things, people would love him. But he’s got a problem. He’s damaged.” Asked what specifically bothered him about Trump, De Niro said “everything.” “Everything that we all know now,” De Niro, who reportedly sat in seats reserved for the justices’ guests, added as he was leaving the courthouse. Reporting from Wednesday indicated the Supreme Court appeared ready to reject Trump’s argument on birthright citizenship. The arguments reportedly lasted over two hours, and, in addition to Trump, recently fired U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was present, as was Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, among other Trump allies.
What B-52 bombers bring to Iran fight — and what it means for the war now
The U.S. is now flying B-52 bombers over Iran — an operational shift that signals American forces have achieved air superiority inside parts of the country after weeks of strikes degraded Tehran’s defenses. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said in a briefing Tuesday the missions began “given the increase in air superiority,” as U.S. forces expand operations inside Iranian territory. President Donald Trump said during an address to the public Thursday night that Iran’s air defenses had been “annihilated,” calling U.S. forces “unstoppable.” “We are in this military operation … for 32 days,” he said. “And the country has been eviscerated and essentially is really no longer a threat.” TRUMP SAYS IRAN ‘NO LONGER A THREAT’ AFTER 32 DAYS — OUTLINES NEXT PHASE OF US WAR The bomber, first used during the Cold War and flown for about 70 years, allows the U.S. to expand the pace and flexibility of its strikes. Unlike earlier stand-off attacks focused on fixed targets, B-52s can remain over the battlefield and hit multiple targets in a single mission, including mobile systems and hardened sites, Mark Gunzinger, a retired Air Force colonel and former B-52 command pilot, told Fox News Digital. The development signals the U.S. has moved beyond the initial phase of degrading Iran’s air defenses and is now able to operate more freely inside the country’s airspace, allowing for sustained, higher-volume strikes as the campaign enters a potentially more intense phase. The aircraft can carry up to 70,000 pounds of ordnance. It is capable of launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory, including gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions. But the bomber is slower than modern aircraft and lacks stealth, making it more vulnerable to radar and air defenses — conditions that would typically keep it out of contested airspace. “The fact that these B-52s are now flying over Iran is clear evidence that we have air superiority — and even air dominance over parts of Iran,” Gunzinger said. Gunzinger said that level of control allows U.S. forces to operate more freely over Iran, including remaining over the battlefield and striking targets as they emerge rather than relying solely on pre-planned, long-range attacks. While U.S. officials have emphasized growing control of the skies, air superiority does not eliminate all threats. Iran still retains missile and drone capabilities, and has relied on asymmetric tactics throughout the conflict to continue attacks despite losses to its air defenses. Early in the campaign, B-52s fired long-range cruise missiles from outside Iranian airspace. More recently, bombers operating from U.S.-operated UK base Royal Air Force Fairford have been seen carrying precision-guided bombs — a shift that reflects growing U.S. control of the skies and the move toward closer-range strikes. “B-52s flying in Iran’s airspace shows America’s complete air dominance — and guaranteed, there are also F-22s and F-35s at high altitude on overwatch,” Rebecca Grant, a military analyst, told Fox News Digital. “They bring the big bomb payload for direct attacks on Iran’s drone and missile factories, plus underground targets.” The Pentagon could not immediately be reached for comment. During the June 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, stealth B-2 bombers led the assault, dropping massive bunker-buster bombs on hardened sites like Fordow and Natanz. B-52s, meanwhile, were deployed to the region as part of the broader U.S. buildup — positioned to support sustained operations if needed. MORE THAN 90% OF IRANIAN MISSILES INTERCEPTED, BUT A DANGEROUS IMBALANCE IS EMERGING The latest development signals the U.S. has moved beyond the initial phase of degrading Iran’s air defenses and is now able to operate more freely inside the country’s airspace, allowing for sustained, higher-volume strikes as the campaign enters a potentially more intense phase. The expanded freedom of action could become more important as the campaign enters what Trump has described as its final phase, with U.S. officials signaling that strikes could intensify in the coming weeks. “If you really want to devastate Iran’s ability to continue to launch missiles and drones, you would want to use bombers to do that,” Gunzinger said. Gunzinger added that the U.S. is using a significant portion of its combat-ready bomber fleet to sustain operations, underscoring the scale of the campaign as it enters what could be its most intense phase. “Our bomber force now totals 140 aircraft,” he said, referring to B-2s, B-52s and B-1Bs. “If you scale that down to how many are ready to go to combat today, you’re probably at less than 50.” “That is a dramatic change since the end of the Cold War era, where we had over 400 bombers, so we’re using a good percentage — I’d say a majority — of our combat capable bombers for this fight, to sustain this fight.” Built in the early 1960s for nuclear war against the Soviet Union, the B-52 Stratofortress was never designed to operate inside modern, heavily defended airspace — making its current use over Iran a reflection of how much those defenses have been degraded. While U.S. officials have emphasized growing control of the skies, air superiority does not eliminate all threats. Iran still retains missile and drone capabilities, and has relied on asymmetric tactics throughout the conflict to continue attacks despite losses to its air defenses.
US court orders resentencing for Colorado clerk involved in election scheme
Former clerk Tina Peters has become a cause celebre for the election denial movement and President Donald Trump. By The Associated Press Published On 2 Apr 20262 Apr 2026 An appeals court in the state of Colorado has ordered the resentencing of Tina Peters, a former county clerk convicted of involvement in an election meddling scheme in the United States. The court overturned Peters’s nine-year prison sentence on Thursday, but not her conviction for helping to tamper with voting machines after the 2020 presidential race. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Her case has become a cause celebre for President Donald Trump and the election denial movement, after it emerged that she was seeking evidence to support Trump’s false claim that his 2020 loss was due to massive fraud. In Thursday’s decision, the three-judge appeals panel ruled that a lower court had considered Peters’s personal beliefs when deciding upon a punishment, thereby rendering the sentence improper. “The trial court’s comments about Peters’s belief in the existence of 2020 election fraud went beyond relevant considerations for her sentencing,” the appeals court wrote. The panel cited comments from Judge Matthew Barrett, who blasted Peters as a “charlatan” promoting “snake oil” claims. “Her offence was not her belief, however misguided the trial court deemed it to be, in the existence of such election fraud,” the appeals court said. “It was her deceitful actions in her attempt to gather evidence of such fraud.” Peters was convicted in August 2024 for helping someone from outside the government gain access to the Mesa County election system and make copies. That person was affiliated with efforts to overturn Trump’s 2020 loss, and the copies they obtained were then shared on social media. False claims that the 2020 election was marred by massive fraud have been a persistent fixation for Trump and his allies, even after his successful re-election in 2024. Advertisement Trump’s efforts to remain in office after his 2020 defeat were the subject of a 2023 criminal indictment brought by former special counsel Jack Smith. He alleged that Trump led a criminal conspiracy to undermine the election process and rally supporters to overturn the results. Those charges, however, were ultimately dropped when Trump took office again in 2025, as the US Justice Department has a policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Since his inauguration, Trump has continued to push the claims he won the 2020 race. He has also used his allegations of fraud to demand greater control over the country’s election infrastructure in advance of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. In December, the president pardoned Peters, even though she was not in federal custody, and the presidential power of pardon does not extend to state crimes. The appeals court panel confirmed on Thursday that Trump’s pardon had no impact on state offences. “We have found no instance where the presidential pardon power has been stretched in such a way as to invade an individual state’s sovereignty,” the panel said. State Governor Jared Polis suggested last month that he could consider clemency for Peters. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump unveils 100 percent tariff on drugs to push for pharmaceutical deals
US president has said that he will use tariffs to bring down costly pharmaceutical drugs, but the impact remains uncertain. By The Associated Press Published On 2 Apr 20262 Apr 2026 United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could slap long-threatened tariffs of up to 100 percent on some patented drugs if pharmaceutical companies don’t reach deals with his administration in the coming months. Under Thursday’s executive order, companies that have signed a “most favoured nation” pricing deal and are actively building facilities in the US will have a zero-percent tariff. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list For those that don’t have a pricing deal but are building such projects in the US, a 20 percent tariff will apply, but it will increase to 100 percent in four years. A senior administration official told reporters on a press call that companies still have months to negotiate before the 100 percent tariffs kick in. Bigger companies will have 120 days, and 180 days are offered for everyone else. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview the executive order before it was issued, did not identify any companies or drugs that were in jeopardy of getting hit with the increased tariffs. But the source noted the administration had already reached 17 pricing deals with major drugmakers, 13 of which have signed. In Thursday’s executive order, Trump wrote that he deemed the tariffs necessary “to address the threatened impairment of the national security posed by imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients”. The order arrived on the first anniversary of Trump’s so-called Liberation Day, when the president unveiled sweeping new import taxes on nearly every country in the world, sending the stock market reeling. Those “Liberation Day” tariffs were among the duties the Supreme Court overturned in February. Critics, pharmaceutical leaders and medical groups warned of the consequences the new tariffs could bring. Advertisement Stephen J Ubl, the CEO of the pharmaceutical company trade group PhRMA, said taxes “on cutting-edge medicines will increase costs and could jeopardize billions in US investments”. He pointed to America’s already large footprint in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and noted medicines sourced from other countries “overwhelmingly come from reliable US allies”. Trump has launched a barrage of new import taxes on US trading partners since the start of his second term and repeatedly pledged sky-high levies on foreign-made drugs. But the administration has also used the threat of new levies to strike deals with major companies — like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb — over the last year, with promises of lower prices for new drugs. Beyond company-specific rates, a handful of countries have reached trade frameworks with the US to further cap tariffs on drugs sent to the US. The European Union, Japan, Korea and Switzerland will see a 15 percent US tariff on patented pharmaceuticals, matching previously agreed rates for most goods. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom will get 10 percent, which Thursday’s order noted would “then reduce to zero” under future trade agreements. The UK previously said it secured a zero-percent tariff rate for all British medicines exported to the US for at least three years. Adblock test (Why?)
Iran vows retaliation after deadly US strike on bridge in Karaj
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Iranian officials say the country’s largest bridge will be “built back stronger,” but America’s standing won’t recover.
Karoline Leavitt reveals ‘anti-climatic’ way Trump told her she’d be press secretary: ‘Oh, by the way’
There was no formal meeting and no big announcement, just a brief phone call. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump informed her she had the job in a simple post-election call, telling her: “Oh, by the way, you know, you’re going to be the White House press secretary, right?” Speaking at a Turning Point USA event at George Washington University on Thursday evening, Leavitt described the moment as “the most anti-climatic thing ever” and said the job offer came without any formal process. “About a week after the election, we were on the phone about something, the president and me, just chit chatting,” Leavitt said. KAROLINE LEAVITT STOPS BY ‘RUTHLESS’ TO TOUT TRUMP’S ‘INCREDIBLE’ FIRST SIX MONTHS OF SECOND TERM “And it was the most anti-climatic thing ever. He goes, ‘Oh, by the way, you know, you’re going to be the White House press secretary, right?’” Leavitt said, to which she responded, “Oh, okay.” “And he said, ‘So about that other thing, what do you think about that? What should we do? What should we say?’” WHITE HOUSE HAS SUGGESTION FOR JASMINE CROCKETT AFTER DEM CALLS TRUMP SUPPORTERS ‘SICK’ “That was it. That’s how I got the job,” she said. Leavitt added there was “no pomp and circumstance,” describing the moment as “true Donald Trump fashion.” Leavitt said she had worked on Trump’s 2024 campaign after losing her congressional race in New Hampshire and was serving as a spokesperson before being tapped for the role following the election. “There really wasn’t a process,” Leavitt said. “I thought, I hope I’ll get a job. I don’t know if I will.” Leavitt, who gave birth to her son in July 2024, is currently nine months pregnant with a girl.
Trump slaps up to 100% tariff on some brand-name drug imports in major America First push
President Donald Trump on Thursday proclaimed that certain imported patented pharmaceuticals and related ingredients could face tariffs of up to 100%, framing the move as a national security measure and intensifying his push to bring drug manufacturing back to the United States. The proclamation creates a tiered system for drugmakers: companies with Commerce Department-approved plans to onshore production could face a 20% tariff instead, while some firms that strike pricing and manufacturing agreements with the administration could receive zero-tariff treatment for a period. A senior administration official said the policy amounts to a “100% tax” on drugs produced abroad. Trump’s proclamation states that imported pharmaceuticals and key ingredients “are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.” TRUMP’S NEW TARIFF PLAN BARRELS BACK TO COURT FOLLOWING MULTISTATE LAWSUIT The move sets up a major clash over the cost and supply of brand-name medicines, as Trump argues the U.S. is overly dependent on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing while offering lower tariffs to companies that build in America. According to the proclamation, about 53% of patented pharmaceutical products distributed in the U.S. are produced abroad, while only 15% of patented active pharmaceutical ingredients by volume are made domestically. VOTERS REACT AS TRUMP TOUTS SIGNATURE TARIFF PLAN AT STATE OF THE UNION Under the framework, imports of patented pharmaceuticals listed in Annex I will face a 100% tariff, unless they qualify for lower rates. Companies with approved onshoring plans can instead receive a 20% tariff, though that rate rises to 100% in 2030, according to the proclamation. The administration is using that structure to push companies to shift production to the United States, officials said. TRUMP RAISES GLOBAL TARIFF TO 15% The proclamation also sets lower tariff rates for certain allies: 15% for products from Japan, the European Union (EU), South Korea, and Switzerland, and 10% for the United Kingdom (UK), which could fall to zero under a future agreement. It also creates a zero-tariff lane for companies that both onshore production and enter “Most-Favored-Nation” pricing agreements with the administration. Not all drugs are affected. The proclamation says generic pharmaceuticals will not be subject to tariffs “at this time,” and U.S.-origin drugs are also excluded. The broader push ties into the administration’s TrumpRx initiative, including the recently launched TrumpRx.gov platform, which the White House says gives Americans access to lower prices on some high-cost brand-name drugs through “Most-Favored-Nation” pricing agreements with pharmaceutical companies. The tariffs will take effect July 31, 2026, for some companies and Sept. 29, 2026, for others, according to the proclamation. Trump issued the order under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows the president to restrict imports deemed a national security threat.
Pete Hegseth signs memo opening door for troops to carry personal firearms on bases
War Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday ordering a major shift in base security policy, allowing service members to request permission to carry personal firearms for self-defense amid growing concerns about threats on U.S. installations. In an announcement on social media, Hegseth said all American citizens have a God-given right under the Second Amendment to carry weapons for protection. However, he said that right has not been extended to uniformed service members, who are “trained at the highest and unwavering standards.” “These war fighters, entrusted with the safety of our nation, are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American,” Hegseth said. “Our war fighters defend the right of others to carry. They should be able to carry themselves.” HEGSETH INSTATES ‘HIGHEST MALE STANDARD ONLY’ FOR COMBAT, OTHER CHANGES, DECLARING DEPT. OF DEFENSE ‘IS OVER’ Citing recent tragedies at Fort Stewart, Holloman Air Force Base and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Hegseth said the incidents have “made clear” that “some threats are closer to home than we would like.” “In these instances, minutes are a lifetime, and our service members have the courage and training to make those precious short minutes count,” he said. “Before today, it was virtually impossible … for War Department personnel to get permission to carry and store their own personal weapons aligned with the state laws where we operate our installations.” While service members can already own personal firearms, concealing and carrying a weapon was previously not permitted on federal sites — including military installations. HEGSETH APPEALS RULING BLOCKING PUNISHMENT OF DEM SENATOR OVER ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ VIDEO Those who owned personal weapons had to register their guns with base authorities and storage was often controlled by the installation. Carrying on post was often restricted to military police, security and personnel on official duty. “Effectively, our bases across the country were gun-free zones,” Hegseth said. “Unless you’re training, or unless you are a military policeman, you couldn’t carry. You couldn’t bring your own firearm for your own personal protection onto post. Well, that’s no longer.” PENTAGON CITES ‘MERITOCRACY’ AS OFFICER REMOVALS DRAW DEMOCRATIC CRITICISM The memo signed Thursday directs installation commanders to allow requests to carry a privately owned firearm, with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection. If a request is denied, Hegseth said the reason for that denial will be put in writing and will explain, in detail, the basis for that direction. “Again, the presumption is service members will be able to have their Second Amendment right on post,” he said. “Not all enemies are foreign, nor are they all outside our borders. Some are domestic. Confirming your God-given right to self-protection is what I’m signing into action today, and I’m proud to do so.” Hegseth did not specify if training or certification will be required, or if storage and transport of weapons will be regulated. It is also unclear if there will be uniform rules across all military branches.