Nikki Haley slams Democrats who say Iranian regime ‘was no threat to America’: ‘Absurd’
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley slammed Democrats who claim that the Iranian regime was not a threat to the U.S., calling the notion “absurd.” “It’s absurd for Democrats to say the Iranian regime was no threat to America. For decades, they targeted American troops, made the spread of terrorism a priority, relentlessly pursued nuclear weapons, built missiles aimed at our bases, and plotted assassinations against President Trump and other U.S. leaders — myself included — on American soil,” Haley said on X. “When they chanted ‘Death to America,’ they meant all of us, at any cost,” she added. Haley told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that the U.S. and Israel’s joint military offensive, Operation Epic Fury, was a “history-defining moment.” She added that for President Donald Trump, her former boss-turned-political rival, it was a “legacy defining moment.” LONGTIME TRUMP CRITIC CREDITS HIM FOR RESTORING ‘CREDIBILITY OF US DETERRENCE’ AS IRAN STRIKES UNFOLD “They attempted to do diplomacy, and the Iranian Regime did what they always do. They lie, they cheat, they never tell the truth, and they always want to make sure in the back of their minds they want to harm people,” Haley told MacCallum. “And we saw this when we got out of the Iranian deal, you know, years ago, that they were cheating then. I think that they were trying to get away with cheating now, and I think the Trump administration saw through that.” The launch of Operation Epic Fury caused a sharp divide within the Democratic Party, with major players praising and criticizing the attacks. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., both of whom called the launch of Operation Epic Fury “illegal,” are among the most vocal critics. Additionally, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., claimed that the operation lacked “strategic clarity” and called for a vote on a war powers resolution. LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS RAGE OVER TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES AS EXILES CHEER AYATOLLAH’S FALL “Confronting Iran’s malign regional activities, nuclear ambitions, and harsh oppression of the Iranian people demands American strength, resolve, regional coordination, and strategic clarity. Unfortunately, President Trump’s fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy,” Schumer said in a statement. “The Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act,” Schumer added. On Feb. 28, when the strikes began, Kaine said that Trump “launched an unnecessary, idiotic, and illegal war against Iran that puts America’s servicemembers and embassy personnel at risk.” Kaine, as well as some other Democrats, called for Congress to return to Washington to vote on his war powers resolution. The resolution, which focused on Iran, was filed in January. Sanders also issued a statement on Saturday criticizing the operation in which he slammed both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Vermont senator said Trump and Netanyahu had started an “illegal, premeditated and unconstitutional war” against Iran. Sanders, like Kaine, called for a vote on a war powers resolution. “This attack against Iran is a clear violation of international law and will create increased instability in an already dangerous world. If the United States and Israel can launch an attack against a sovereign nation, so can any other country. Might does not make right. It creates international anarchy, death, destruction and human misery,” Sanders’ statement read. IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST CALLS OUT MAMDANI OVER RESPONSE TO US-ISRAEL STRIKES “We must not allow Trump to force us into another senseless war. No war with Iran,” he added. There are Democrats who have praised the operation, including Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who has said that he would be a “hard no” if Democrats forced a war powers resolution vote. “President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region. God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel,” Fetterman wrote on X as Operation Epic Fury began. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., also praised the operation, saying that “confronting the Iranian threat is essential to national security and to global stability.” He also called on the president to comply with the War Powers Act and said that he “requested an immediate classified briefing” on the operation. “Today, the United States, with our key democratic ally Israel, took decisive action to defend our national security, fight terror, protect our allies, and stand with the Iranian people who have been massacred in the streets for demanding freedom from the murderous Iranian regime,” Gottheimer said. “I applaud the extraordinary bravery and professionalism of our servicemembers and pray for their safety as Iran and its terrorist proxies retaliate against American bases and our partners in the region,” he added.
‘You should be ashamed!’: Protester dragged from Kristi Noem’s Senate hearing
A protester was escorted out of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing after she interrupted Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s opening remarks on Tuesday, shouting “Abolish ICE” and “Kristi Noem, you should be ashamed of yourself!” before being forcibly removed from the room. “I’m a former FEMA employee,” the heckler said as Noem was slated to begin addressing the panel, adding: “You have disgraced our agency.” “FEMA employees… should be responding to disasters, not ICE agents,” she said. The heckler appeared to trip or fall to the ground as she was being escorted from the hearing, as could be seen in video footage of the exchange. DHS FUNDING STALEMATE THAWS AS WHITE HOUSE SENDS DEMOCRATS ‘SERIOUS’ COUNTER OFFER The exchange occurred during a Senate Judiciary Committee DHS oversight hearing — a long-awaited hearing that comes after the fatal January shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration officials. Congress has for weeks remained deadlocked over how to proceed with fully funding DHS, after Democrats outlined a series of steps the agency would need to take before it would agree to fully fund the agency. Republicans and Noem have warned the shutdown has knockdown effects on myriad federal departments and agencies housed under DHS’s sprawling umbrella — among them, the Secret Service, Transportation Security Administration, FEMA and U.S. Coast Guard. After the heckler was removed, Noem continued with her opening remarks, unfazed, though she did comment on the general behavior of protesters later on after several groups and individuals were escorted from the room. DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM ADDRESSES CALLS FOR HER FIRING, NEW ALEX PRETTI VIDEO “This is what happens when people can’t handle the truth about the border,” Noem said. “We will not be intimidated.” DHS’ handling of the Minnesota unrest has placed Noem and DHS’ immigration officers under fresh scrutiny in recent months, prompting some Democrats — and two Senate Republicans, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — to call for her resignation. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, previously stressed that lawmakers from across the aisle intend to use Tuesday’s hearing to focus on the violence. DEMOCRATS DEMANDING ICE REFORMS LOSE AIRPORT ESCORTS IN SHUTDOWN THEY TRIGGERED “Let me be clear, one death is too many,” he told Fox News. “But officers should never be threatened or harmed while enforcing our laws, and there is a clear difference between the conduct protected by the First Amendment and unlawful obstruction,” he added. “From my perspective, I believe immigration enforcement and dignity aren’t mutually exclusive.” DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for confirmation on the identity of the heckler in question.
Sharp partisan divide emerges over Iran strike, Trump’s strategy: polls
The findings of two new national polls conducted in the hours after President Donald Trump launched strikes on Iran are clear — only a minority of Americans approve of the operation and Democrats and Republicans don’t see eye to eye over the attacks. Twenty-seven percent of those questioned in a Reuters/Ipsos national survey conducted Saturday and Sunday after the start of “Operation Epic Fury” by American and Israeli forces on Iran that resulted in the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said they approved of the strikes. A plurality, 43%, said they disapproved, with nearly three in 10 not sure. There were similar findings in a CNN poll conducted by SSRS that was also in the field this past weekend. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS LIVE UPDATES ON THE ATTACK ON IRAN Fifty-nine percent of Americans surveyed in the poll said they disapproved of the initial decision to strike Iran, with 41% giving a thumbs up. As expected, there’s a wide divide between Democrats and Republicans. Republicans questioned in the Reuters/Ipsos poll, by a 55%-32% margin, were supportive of the military action. The vast majority of Democrats, 73%, disapproved of the strikes, with only 7% saying they approved. A plurality of independents, 44%, disapproved of the military attack, with 19% supportive and nearly four in 10 unsure. WHAT VICE PRESIDENT VANCE TOLD FOX NEWS ABOUT TRUMP’S DECISION TO LAUNCH ATTACKS ON IRAN The partisan gap was even wider in the CNN poll. More than three-quarters of Republican respondents, 77%, approved, compared to 32% of independents and 18% of Democrats. According to the CNN poll, 83% of Republicans said Trump has a clear plan for handling the attacks on Iran, while 70% of independents and 88% of Democrats disagreed. Overall, six in 10 said they don’t think the president has a clear plan for dealing with the situation, and 62% said Trump should get congressional approval before any further military action. TRUMP DECLARES ‘I GOT HIM BEFORE HE GOT ME’ AFTER IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN STRIKE Both polls were conducted before the U.S. military announced on Sunday the first U.S. casualties in the operation — six service members killed. The joint U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran is now in its fourth day as of Tuesday, with Trump saying the plan is ahead of schedule thanks to the early elimination of Iran’s top leaders. Trump has said Iran is seeking talks with the U.S. as the military operations continue, but the president indicated he believes the opportunity for negotiations has passed. The U.S. has urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East as Iran’s counterattacks intensify. The U.S. State Department has also closed embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council warned Iran it will take “all necessary measures,” including possible military action, in response to Tehran’s missile and drone attacks.
Fraud-plagued Minnesota sues Trump admin for withholding $243M in Medicaid payments
Minnesota filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration, accusing federal health officials of illegally withholding $243 million in Medicaid payments from the state. Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Department of Human Services sued the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), arguing the funding freeze violates federal law. The state is seeking a temporary restraining order to immediately block the action. The dispute stems from a January notice in which the Trump administration said it would withhold more than $2 billion annually from Minnesota’s Medicaid program over what it described as “noncompliance” with federal regulations, specifically, alleged failures to “adequately identify, prevent, and address fraud in its Medicaid program.” USDA IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDS ALL FEDERAL FUNDING TO MINNESOTA AMID FRAUD INVESTIGATION State officials say they have not been told specifically how Minnesota is out of compliance or what changes the administration wants to see. The lawsuit follows a Feb. 25 announcement from CMS that it was deferring roughly $260 million in quarterly federal Medicaid funding to Minnesota, including about $243 million tied to “unsupported or potentially fraudulent” claims. CMS said the deferral is part of a broader fraud crackdown and cited unusually high spending and rapid growth in personal care services, home- and community-based services, and other practitioner services. HEAVILY-REDACTED AUDIT FINDS MINNESOTA MEDICAID HAD WIDESPREAD VULNERABILITIES “For decades, Medicare fraud has drained billions from American taxpayers — that ends now,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “We are replacing the old ‘pay and chase’ model with a real-time ‘detect and deploy’ strategy, using advanced AI tools to identify fraud instantly and stop improper payments before they go out the door.” Minnesota officials contend the move improperly uses a funding “deferral” mechanism and amounts to denying the state due process before any formal finding of noncompliance. WALZ SLAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR TEMPORARILY HALTING MEDICAID FUNDING TO MINNESOTA: ‘CAMPAIGN OF RETRIBUTION’ The threatened cuts represent about 7% of Minnesota’s quarterly Medicaid funding and could force reductions in healthcare services for low-income residents, according to Ellison’s office. “Trump’s M.O. is to cut first, no matter what the law says or who gets hurt, and ask questions later, if at all,” the attorney general said. “These cuts are the latest in a long series of efforts to go around the law to punish Minnesotans — but just as we fought back and won when they illegally tried to cut funding for childcare, hungry families and our schools, we are suing them again today to make them follow the law.”
Crenshaw says political enemies came out ‘with their knives’ as Texas GOP primary looms
Rep. Dan Crenshaw is heading into Tuesday’s Texas GOP primary warning that some of the biggest names in conservative politics are trying to take him down. “You know, my enemies have all come out with their knives — Tucker Carlson or Ted Cruz — for no good reason,” Crenshaw told Fox News Digital. Despite lacking endorsements from key political figures in the Lone Star State, Crenshaw said he likes his odds against Republican challenger Steve Toth, a state representative. “I’m literally at a polling location at the moment, and in areas where my opponent should be more popular because he represents this area as a state rep,” Crenshaw said. TED CRUZ ENDORSES TEXAS STATE REP. STEVE TOTH IN GOP PRIMARY CHALLENGE TO DAN CRENSHAW “You know, this is a guy who got zero bills passed in the last legislative session. I got more bills passed in Congress. That’s where it’s a lot harder. So, you know, he’s one of these guys who just always votes no, has never accomplished anything at all.” Toth did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Crenshaw said he hopes to avoid a runoff election but did not rule out the possibility when asked whether he could clinch the primary Tuesday. “Anything’s possible,” he said. Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who has not shied away from verbal confrontations with other Republicans, is pursuing his fifth term in Congress but must first defeat Toth. The sharp-tongued congressman has clashed with Cruz, Fox News personality Jesse Watters, Tucker Carlson and Alex Rosen, a YouTube political activist, over policy disagreements. Notably, Toth has received an endorsement from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who until last Thursday had not made a pick in the race. “I am proud to endorse [Toth] for Congress in Texas’s 2nd Congressional District. Steve faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government and constitutional governance,” Cruz said in a post on X. CRENSHAW PRAISES MEXICAN OFFICIALS AFTER ‘EL MENCHO’S DEATH, CALLS CARTEL ‘TERRORIST INSURGENCY’ Cruz’s endorsement of Toth comes after he and Crenshaw split over Cruz’s ROTOR Act, an aviation safety bill. Crenshaw voted against the bill Thursday. Aside from disagreements over legislation, Crenshaw believes Cruz has more financially-based reasons for his endorsement. He noted that Robert Marling, CEO of Woodforest National Bank, financially supported Toth after Crenshaw urged investigators to examine Marling’s $20 million investment in 2023. In particular, Crenshaw, alongside other lawmakers, said Marling’s real estate loans appeared to be “attracting and enabling illegal alien settlement in the state of Texas” by offering easy-access credit with little indemnity verification, according to a letter he penned to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office. Crenshaw signed the letter alongside 25 other Republicans. “Now, where does Cruz come into play? Well, that same banker is a mega donor for Cruz to the tune of millions of dollars,” Crenshaw said. Most recently, FEC records indicate Marling made a personal $14,000 donation to WinRed, a Republican fundraising organization, with the funds earmarked for Toth. Other FEC records indicate Marling has spent millions supporting other Republican candidates. In 2025, he has backed candidates such as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wisc. TEXAS SENATE PRIMARIES EXPLODE AS CORNYN WARNS PAXTON COULD COST GOP MAJORITY, DEMOCRATS CLASH OVER RACE Despite Cruz’s opposition, Crenshaw noted that this would not be the first time he has had to run without Cruz’s blessing. “Cruz endorsed against me in my very first race. We saw the results of that,” Crenshaw said. “So now we’re feeling good about it. But it’s a race, and we’re gonna run through the finish line.” Polls in Texas opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.
New satellite images show fires, naval base damage across Iran after US-Israeli strikes
New satellite images offer a stark look at the devastation inside Iran after U.S.-Israeli strikes, while also revealing the damage left behind by Tehran’s retaliatory attacks across the region. According to U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations across the Middle East, U.S. forces struck more than 1,250 targets during the first two days of Operation Epic Fury. Planet Labs satellite imagery captured burning ships and damaged facilities at the Konarak base in southern Iran, as well as significant destruction at Iran’s naval headquarters in Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf, reflecting the scale of the strikes on military infrastructure. FIRES RAGE AT IRAN’S BANDAR ABBAS NAVAL HEADQUARTERS, STRAIT OF HORMUZ TRAFFIC STALLED Imagery from Vantor shows the Choqa Balk drone facility in western Iran was hit, along with damage to other key military and strategic sites targeted in the U.S.–Israeli strike campaign. Radar systems at the Zahedan air base in eastern Iran — near the country’s borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan — were also struck. The two facilities are about 800 to 900 miles apart, underscoring the broad reach of the coordinated strikes. Additionally, satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows thick smoke plumes rising above Tehran, signaling explosions and fires inside the Iranian capital. The smoke underscores how the conflict has moved beyond isolated military sites and into the heart of Iran’s political center. TRUMP PLEDGES TO ‘AVENGE’ FALLEN US SERVICE MEMBERS AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN INTENSIFY Iran responded with missile and drone strikes of its own, expanding the conflict across the region. Satellite images reveal damage to the port city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The city of Sharjah is the third most populous after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Jebel Ali Port, the region’s largest maritime hub, was also targeted, underscoring how the retaliation extended beyond military sites to key infrastructure. The U.S. has warned that further retaliation could follow, as both sides signal they are prepared for additional rounds of strikes. Pentagon officials said U.S. forces in the region remain on high alert and have publicly cautioned that any new attacks on U.S. citizens would prompt a forceful response. With damage now visible from western Iran to the Persian Gulf, the coming days could determine whether the confrontation stabilizes — or spirals into a wider regional war.
Trump criticizes Biden for transferring weapons to Ukraine but insists US is ‘stocked’ to win
President Donald Trump on Monday accused former President Joe Biden of failing to replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles, though insisted that the U.S. is still “stocked” to win as Operation Epic Fury continues to devastate Iran. U.S. munitions at the medium and upper medium grades have “never been higher or better,” Trump said on Monday in a post on his Truth Social platform. He added that “we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons.” “Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries (sic) finest arms!),” the president’s post read. But Trump noted that while the U.S. has a “good” supply of the highest munitions grade, it is “not where we want to be.” TRUMP SAYS US MISSION IN IRAN IS ‘AHEAD OF SCHEDULE,’ VOWS TO ‘EASILY PREVAIL’ OVER REGIME “Much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries,” the post read. “Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Country’s money, GIVING everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine – Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth – And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didn’t bother to replace it.” The U.S. delivered billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with Biden approving an additional $500 million of military aid in a security package rushed out the door just days before Trump’s second term began. “Fortunately, I rebuilt the military in my first term, and continue to do so,” Trump added. “The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!” “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone,” he wrote later. “They want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!’” HEGSETH LAYS OUT ‘CLEAR’ 3-PART MISSION AGAINST IRAN, SAYS WAR ‘IS NOT ENDLESS’ The U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on Saturday morning, a joint military campaign that officials say targeted Iranian leadership and key military installations. Earlier Monday, Trump declared that the operation in Iran is “ahead of schedule,” stating that many of the regime’s military leaders were eliminated in about an hour. “We have the strongest and most powerful, by far, military in the world, and we will easily prevail,” the president said. “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections, but whatever the time is, it’s okay. Whatever it takes.” Trump said that the operation is projected to last four to five weeks, noting that “we have capability to go far longer than that.” “We also projected four weeks to terminate the military leadership,” Trump added. “And as you know, that was done in about an hour. So we’re ahead of schedule there by a lot.”
Americans in more than a dozen Middle East nations urged to flee
The State Department on Monday urged Americans to depart immediately from more than a dozen countries across the Middle East, warning of “serious safety risks” as the Iran war intensifies. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said U.S. citizens should leave from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The department said Americans who need help arranging departure via commercial means can contact the State Department 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 from abroad or +1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada. The travel push was amplified by the State Department’s official travel account, which urged Americans abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive the latest security updates from their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. IRAN’S SECURITY CHIEF ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘ISRAEL FIRST’ POLICY, ‘DELUSIONAL FANTASIES’ IN REGION Officials have warned that conditions in the region remain volatile and that security situations can change quickly as fighting tied to the Iran conflict continues. The warnings come days after the United States launched Operation Epic Fury, striking command-and-control centers, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites. In a Feb. 28 Worldwide Caution security alert, the State Department said Americans worldwide, and especially those in the Middle East, should exercise increased caution, monitor local security alerts and expect potential travel disruptions, including periodic airspace closures. DHS REMAINS UNFUNDED AS IRAN SLEEPER CELL FEARS SPIKE NATIONWIDE AMID SECURITY WARNINGS The evacuation push follows a cascade of security alerts issued by U.S. embassies across the region since Saturday, many ordering or recommending Americans to shelter in place. At least nine U.S. missions, including Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar and Israel, have issued repeated shelter-in-place directives or advisories over the past several days. NETANYAHU INSISTS US AND ISRAEL’S STRIKES ON IRAN WON’T LEAD TO ‘ENDLESS WAR’ In multiple cases, embassy personnel and their families were ordered to remain at home, with Americans urged to stay in secure structures away from windows and be prepared for incoming missiles or drones. In Saudi Arabia, the embassy in Riyadh closed Tuesday after two Iranian drones struck the building, prompting expanded shelter-in-place orders for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran. No injuries were reported.
Texas Democratic Senate candidates sidestep Islamic terrorism concerns following deadly Austin attack
Neither of the two frontrunners in the Texas Democratic Senate primary addressed concerns about Islamic terrorism in the wake of a deadly shooting on Sunday morning in Austin that left three dead and more than a dozen others wounded. Instead, just a day ahead of a competitive Senate primary, James Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, focused on the effectiveness of prayer and delivered a warning against stereotyping immigrants. “I believe in the power of prayer. I believe prayer changes lives. But there is something profoundly cynical in asking God to solve a problem we’re not willing to solve ourselves,” Talarico said in an interview with MS Now. “We prayed, and God sent lawmakers with commonsense gun safety proposals like universal background checks, red flag laws,” he added. DAVID MARCUS: IN DALLAS, VOTERS WEIGH TWO SENATE PRIMARIES AND NOW, A WAR Crockett, for her part, warned viewers on TikTok against extrapolating conclusions about the violence to minorities and immigrants. “Listen, every time there’s some crazy situation like this, black folks sit around and say, ‘Oh, I hope they’re not black,’ because we know that’s going to be an additional target on our backs. We know that the immigrant community was probably holding their breath and saying, ‘Oh, I hope it wasn’t an immigrant.’” But Crockett and Talarico did not address any mention of Islamic terrorism or whether it might pose an additional risk to Americans in light of recent U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran. SHARIA LAW VICTIM WHO FLED SOMALIA ISSUES ENDORSEMENT IN CRITICAL SENATE RACE Their silence on the topic drew condemnation from at least one GOP observer. “Absolutely disgusting stuff. James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett are blaming hardworking Texans who go to church and lawfully own guns, instead of the radical Islamic terrorist who committed this heinous act,” Zach Kraft, an RNC spokesman, said. Ndiaga Diagne, 53, opened fire at a bar scene in Austin while wearing a hoodie with the words “property of Allah” emblazoned on the front. While his specific motives remain unclear, police searching his home with a warrant later discovered an Iranian flag and photos of Islamic leaders. AUSTIN SHOOTING SUSPECT WORE IRANIAN FLAG SHIRT DURING ATTACK, SOURCES SAY Diagne was shot dead by local police. The shooting comes on the heels of strikes carried out by the U.S. and Israel on Saturday that targeted Iran’s military leadership and killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a press event on Monday, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said local police had invited federal authorities to the scene to investigate the attack as a possible act of terrorism. JASMINE CROCKETT UNDER FIRE AFTER REPORTEDLY HAVING ARMED GUARDS REMOVE ‘WHITE GIRL’ REPORTER FROM RALLY “We’re looking at the totality of this. We see these indicators, we’re thinking about events and what’s occurring in the country as well. The motives – all of those things, that’s what the investigation is about right now,” Davis said. Asked how lawmakers could prevent attacks in the future, Crockett said she believes a majority of shooters in the U.S. are White. “If I was to give you the facts as to who the shooters have been in these mass shootings, I can guarantee you — the vast majority of them have been White, male and homegrown. But we don’t see them taking any action on that,” Crockett said. BOEBERT JOKES ABOUT ENDORSING CROCKETT IN TEXAS’ SENATE RACE TO GIVE HER DEMOCRATIC RIVAL A BOOST Crockett did not explain how she would use that insight as a senator to prevent shootings in the future. “We need to actually do something about guns. Don’t sit there and say that it’s the immigrants. Maybe it’s your lax laws when it comes to guns,” she added. Talarico said the U.S. should prevent “dangerous people from entering the country.” “Dangerous people should not be allowed to get guns,” Talarico added, doubling down on his red-flag proposals, policies that aim to screen would-be gun buyers against stiffer background checks. Neither Talarico’s nor Crockett’s campaign replied to a request for comment.
US Embassy struck by drones in Saudi Arabia as Americans instructed to shelter in place
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones from Iran on Monday as Americans in Saudi Arabia were instructed to shelter in place. The embassy was empty at the time of the hits and no injuries were reported as a result of the attack. On Tuesday, the embassy issued a security alert saying that the shelter in place order for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran remained in effect, and it added that U.S. citizens throughout Saudi Arabia were advised to remain indoors. It also advised U.S. citizens to “avoid the embassy until further notice” due to the attack. “We advise all U.S. citizens to maintain a personal safety plan. Crises can happen unexpectedly while traveling or living abroad, and a good plan helps you think through potential scenarios and determine in advance the best course of action,” the embassy’s Tuesday alert read. US CASUALTIES RISE TO 6 FOLLOWING IRANIAN RETALIATION FOR MASSIVE STRIKES In the security alert, the embassy urged U.S. citizens to shelter in place, monitor its website for updates, enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), ensure their passports are valid for potential short-notice travel, remain aware of their surroundings, avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, follow local authorities’ instructions and monitor official information sources for the latest updates. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a video posted on X, urged Americans in the Middle East to register with STEP, saying that it would allow them to see the latest safety and security guidance amid the “cowardly attacks” from Iran. NETANYAHU INSISTS US AND ISRAEL’S STRIKES ON IRAN WON’T LEAD TO ‘ENDLESS WAR’ Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry released a statement condemning the attack, saying “the repetition of this cowardly and unjustified attack blatantly violates all international norms and laws, including the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.” “The Kingdom emphasizes that the repetition of this flagrant Iranian behavior, which comes despite the Iranian authorities’ knowledge that the Kingdom has affirmed it will not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran, will push the region toward further escalation,” the foreign ministry’s statement read. Iran has launched attacks in the region against Israel and several countries that have U.S. interests in retaliation for the U.S. and Israel’s joint military offensive known as Operation Epic Fury. Saudi Arabia condemned the retaliation on Feb. 28. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant and cowardly Iranian attacks that targeted the Riyadh Region and the Eastern Province, which were successfully intercepted,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry’s Feb. 28 statement read. “These attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way whatsoever, and they came despite the Iranian authorities’ knowledge that the Kingdom had affirmed it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran.” Amid the retaliatory strikes, the State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and their families from Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.