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Suspected Islamic Extremist Hunted After Berlin Pride Van Attack Kills One, Injures 16 [WATCH]
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Suspected Islamic Extremist Hunted After Berlin Pride Van Attack Kills One, Injures 16 [WATCH]

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A deadly attack shattered Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebration Saturday night after a white van plowed into a crowd near the route of the city’s massive LGBTQ+ event, killing one person and injuring at least 16 others.

Authorities said the driver fled after the crash, setting off an urgent police manhunt across the German capital.

The suspect was identified as Abdul B., age 21, and officials said he was already known to law enforcement.

“The suspect is known to police.

He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin, and our search for this person is proceeding at full speed,” police spokesman Florian Nath said.

That detail will sound painfully familiar to Europeans who have watched officials repeatedly discover, usually after blood is on the pavement, that dangerous extremists were already somewhere in the security files.

Once again, the public is left asking why known threats remain free to turn crowded streets into crime scenes.

The attack happened around 10 p.m. near Tiergarten park, along a route that had been used earlier by the pride march.

Police said the van drove into the park area, struck multiple people, and then crashed into a tree.

The event had drawn hundreds of thousands of people to Berlin for what organizers and city officials described as a major celebration of tolerance and public life.

Within minutes, that atmosphere gave way to sirens, panic, and a heavy police presence.

At least one victim died, while several others reportedly suffered life threatening injuries.

Officials also said investigators were looking into witness accounts suggesting some victims may have had stab wounds in addition to injuries from the vehicle impact.

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Police stressed that it was too early to make final conclusions about those reports.

Authorities urged witnesses to provide videos, photos, or any other evidence that could help reconstruct what happened.

Event attendee Julian Meithig said he had been celebrating near the Brandenburg Gate and was planning to head to an afterparty when a friend warned him that “something bad happened there and there are a lot of fire trucks, a lot of emergency vehicles, ambulances.”

Meithig walked toward the scene and saw the aftermath of the attack. He later said “it’s a dark day for our community.”

About 15 minutes after the assault, the Christopher Street Day event was canceled.

Police flooded the area as emergency responders treated victims and investigators began searching for the suspect.

Berlin officials also activated a crisis hotline for people unable to locate loved ones after the attack.

In a city packed with visitors and residents for one of its largest annual public events, families were left scrambling for answers.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said that “following a peaceful and vibrant pride parade, the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal manner.”

“This is an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society.”

“I have confidence in the police and security authorities, who will be working around the clock to investigate,” Wegner said.

The mayor’s words captured the official mood, but they also highlighted the uncomfortable reality facing Germany and much of Western Europe.

Leaders talk endlessly about open societies, but open societies still require serious borders, serious policing, and serious consequences for extremists who make their intentions clear.

For now, police say the suspect remains at large as of Sunday morning.

The manhunt is continuing, with officers seeking the public’s help as they work through evidence from one of Berlin’s most disturbing public attacks in recent memory.

Berlin has seen what happens when a known extremist threat allegedly reaches a crowded street, and the bill for that failure was paid by innocent people.

Maine Dems Crown Troy Jackson as Senate Nominee After Platner Collapse [WATCH]
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Maine Dems Crown Troy Jackson as Senate Nominee After Platner Collapse [WATCH]

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Maine Democrats have now made it official, Troy Jackson is their new U.S. Senate nominee after the party moved on from scandal plagued Graham Platner.

The state party declared Jackson the winner of its U.S. Senate Nominating Convention, setting him up to face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

The Maine Democrat Party said Jackson secured the nomination over the weekend with support from 566 delegates from across the state.

Party leaders are trying to project unity, because nothing says confidence like swapping candidates and insisting everything is perfectly normal.

“Congratulations to Troy Jackson on earning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate,” Maine Democratic Party Chair Charlie Dingman said in a statement.

The party chair praised the process as if Democrats had just pulled off a master class in democracy instead of a rapid repair job.

“Maine Democrats engaged in this tightly scheduled nomination process with energy and enthusiasm.

Tens of thousands of Democrats participated in selecting delegates, and today our delegates chose our nominee in a process that was open, representative, and transparent,” Dingman continued.

He added that Maine Democrats are now “united to support our nominee and focus on what matters most: defeating Susan Collins this November.”

Dingman also tried to frame Jackson as the man for working Mainers.

“Mainers are looking for a senator who will fight for working families, lower costs, protect our freedoms, and stand up for Maine. We’re excited to get to work to elect Troy Jackson and build a stronger future for our state.”

Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, was widely expected to walk away with the nomination.

Most delegates had already pledged to support him over qualifying contenders David Costello, Dan Kleban, and Saundra Pelletier.

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One name apparently absent from the qualifying field was Ashley Webb, the self described transgender intersex candidate who previously drew attention for claiming to experience a monthly period through his rectum.

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Even by Democrat primary standards, that one apparently did not make the convention cut.

Jackson now becomes the face of the Democrat effort against Collins, but he is not exactly arriving without baggage.

He has long carried a reputation as a hot tempered political figure, which could complicate the party’s attempt to package him as a calm and steady alternative.

Earlier this month, the far left group Progressive Victory aired a serious allegation against Jackson.

The group claimed that he “struck a female colleague with a bottle he threw at her” during a disagreement, and said the account was supported by multiple witnesses.

The Washington Post has also described Jackson as someone who “once angrily threw a water bottle in a meeting after he couldn’t persuade a lawmaker to vote his way.”

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That is not exactly the kind of biography line campaign consultants usually put in glossy mailers to suburban voters.

Democrats, naturally, are hoping voters will look past all of that and focus on their usual talking points about costs, freedoms, and working families.

The problem is that voters in Maine may wonder why the party keeps producing candidates who require so much explaining.

Some Democrats are acting pleased with the switch, but not everyone sounds thrilled.

According to NOTUS, Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii laughed when she was asked whether Jackson had a better chance of winning than Platner.

“Let’s just say that we have a candidate,” she said.

That is the kind of ringing endorsement that usually belongs on a warning label, not a campaign brochure.

For Collins, the Democrat shuffle could be a political gift if her campaign can keep the focus on competence, stability, and the left’s increasingly odd candidate bench.

Maine voters may now get to choose between a familiar Republican incumbent and a Democrat nominee whose party had to reassure everyone that its emergency nomination process was open, representative, and transparent.

The Maine Senate race was already expected to draw national attention, and Jackson’s nomination will likely intensify the fight.

Democrats want to convince voters they have found their champion, but Republicans will have plenty of material to argue that the party simply traded one headache for another.

Jessica Tarlov Tried a Socialist Gotcha and Got Flattened on Live TV [WATCH]
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Jessica Tarlov Tried a Socialist Gotcha and Got Flattened on Live TV [WATCH]

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Friday night on The Five delivered another tidy reminder that liberal talking points tend to sound much better in the green room than they do once Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters start asking basic questions.

Jessica Tarlov came into the segment ready to accuse her conservative colleagues of hypocrisy over the Trump administration taking equity stakes in companies such as U.S. Steel and Intel.

She clearly thought she had a neat little socialism trap set and waiting.

Instead, she stepped in it herself.

Tarlov began by insisting that conservatives have spent years tossing around the words socialist and communist without meaning them. “You’ve been calling every Democratic candidate for over a decade a socialist or communist ,” Tarlov said.

That might have sounded clever if the modern Democratic Party were not currently hosting an open socialist movement in broad daylight. Gutfeld immediately pointed out the obvious flaw.

“The socialists are calling themselves socialists! We didn’t name them the DSA,” he said.

That was the central problem with Tarlov’s argument from the start.

Conservatives did not invent the Democratic Socialists of America, nor did they force leftist candidates to campaign under the socialist banner while demanding government control, wealth redistribution, and the usual fantasy land economic agenda.

Tarlov wanted viewers to believe Republicans are simply using the word socialist as a lazy insult.

The trouble is that the left keeps supplying actual socialists, then acts shocked when people notice.

Still, she pressed ahead with the claim that government stakes in private firms under Trump amount to socialism, or perhaps communism, depending on whatever label might make her point sound scarier.

Gutfeld asked her to explain the supposed connection.

“Explain the stake and how it works, please. Like, how is that the same as socialism?” he said.

That question mattered because there is a real difference between the government supporting strategic industries and the government seizing control of production.

Democrats love blurring that line when Trump is involved, then suddenly rediscover nuance when their own side is writing checks.

Watters jumped in with the plain answer. “He’s not controlling the company, he’s just putting money into it, it’s industrial policy,” Watters said.

That should have been enough to end the lecture, but Tarlov kept digging.

“They have to pay a tithe to the U.S. government. Everyone knows that, that’s why they show up in the Oval Office.”

Gutfeld then brought up Tesla, a useful example because government loans and support for private industry are hardly some new Trump invention.

“What about Tesla? This happens a lot, the government gives money, loans, money gets paid back,” he said.

That is where the liberal argument really started to wobble.

If every government investment, loan, or stake in a company is socialism, then Democrats have been cheering socialism for a very long time while pretending it only becomes dangerous when Trump is attached to it.

Tarlov tried to draw a distinction by focusing on ownership.

“It is part ownership of an American company that is supposed to be distinct from the government. If you are not being massive hypocrites, but you are, and we are out of time,” she said.

The problem is that calling something hypocrisy does not make it so.

There is a practical difference between limited government involvement in strategic sectors and the left’s preferred model of turning the economy into a playground for bureaucrats, activists, and politically connected winners.

Then Watters delivered the line that cut straight through the performance.

“So you should love it then, right? Because you’re a liberal,” he said.

That was the moment the whole gotcha collapsed.

If Tarlov truly believes this is socialism, then why was she not celebrating it as a grand leap toward the left’s beloved government managed economy?

By the time she pivoted to polling and tariff revenue, the segment had lost any remaining pretense of seriousness.

Watters finally said what many viewers were probably thinking.

“You’re just rambling,” he said.

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Tarlov walked into the discussion convinced she was about to expose conservative inconsistency.

What she exposed instead was the familiar liberal habit of changing definitions on the fly, especially when Donald Trump is involved.

The left wants to call everything socialism, except actual socialists, unless those actual socialists are useful for energizing the base.

Tarlov tried to run that routine on live television, and Gutfeld and Watters made sure it did not survive contact with reality.

IRS Goons Try to Steal Tennessee Farmer’s Land Over Their Own Stupid $20K Screw-Up [WATCH]
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IRS Goons Try to Steal Tennessee Farmer’s Land Over Their Own Stupid $20K Screw-Up [WATCH]

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Newsmax host Carl Higbie highlighted the case of a Tennessee farmer who spent years trying to return an IRS refund sent in error, arguing the situation illustrates systemic failures within the federal tax agency. Higbie also credited country music singer John Rich with helping bring the case to the attention of senior Trump administration officials.

“You know, one of my favorite things to do is stand up for the little guy,” Higbie said. “That’s literally the backbone of the show. There is no better example of the little guy getting the shaft than when we have to deal with the IRS.”

Higbie praised what he described as increased responsiveness under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“Fortunately, under the Trump administration, we have people that are actually in touch with the public,” he said. “John Rich, for example, special envoy to American landowners has stepped in and listen to how this went.”

Rich explained that he had learned about the case involving Mr. Kirby, a Tennessee farmer.

“Just heard about Mr. Kirby, the farmer in Tennessee, who the IRS is threatening to seize his property for him not making payments on a refund that he never asked for, nor was it his,” Rich said.

“According to the facts, is how I know them now. He tried to return the money, and as we all know, sometimes the IRS just is a labyrinth of complexity.”

Higbie then detailed the dispute, saying it began in 2021 when Kirby filed his tax return expecting a refund of approximately $1,100.

“So, in 2021, under Biden, a local Tennessee farmer named Mr. Kirby filed his taxes dutifully, like he does every single year, and was supposed to get an $1,100 refund,” Higbie said.

Instead, the IRS allegedly sent Kirby more than $20,000.

“The IRS actually sent him over $20,000,” Higbie said. “Kirby was like, ‘Hold up, wait a minute, something ain’t right.'”

According to Higbie, Kirby repeatedly attempted to notify the IRS of the mistake.

“So he makes multiple calls-not one, not two-multiple calls to the IRS to let them know that they’ve made a mistake,” Higbie said.

He added that Kirby also wrote letters and later had his accountant attempt to contact the agency.

“He wrote them letters and things like that,” Higbie said. “He has his accountant reach out. They couldn’t get in touch with anybody either.”

Higbie said Kirby eventually placed the money into a separate account while waiting for guidance from the IRS.

“So he puts this money in this side account and just lets it sit there until he could get somebody on the phone,” Higbie said. “This went on for four years.”

According to Higbie, the IRS later demanded repayment of the money plus interest.

“Then in early January of 2025, Mr. Kirby received a letter from the IRS telling him to send the $20,000 back with interest,” he said.

Higbie said Kirby immediately returned the entire $20,000 but disputed the interest charges because the overpayment resulted from an IRS error.

“According to his accountant, he immediately sent all the money back-the full $20,000 amount-to the IRS,” Higbie said.

He explained that Kirby later met with an IRS employee, who instructed him to file an abatement request seeking relief from the interest.

“Mr. Kirby went with the agent, and the agent had him fill out this like abatement form to explain why he didn’t owe the interest on this money.”

Higbie said the IRS rejected that request after another lengthy delay.

“The IRS waited 18 more months from that time, and then they denied his petition,” he said.

He added that the IRS also withheld Kirby’s later tax refund to collect the disputed interest.

“This year, the IRS withheld Mr. Kirby’s $1,873 refund that was due to him from his regular income as a payment towards the interest on the 20k that they sent him in error four years ago.”

According to Higbie, the dispute escalated further this year.

“So fast forward to this month, July 4 of all days, 2026. The IRS sent him a letter stating intent to put a levy against his farm to pay the interest on the 20k.”

Higbie said Rich intervened after learning of the situation.

“Thankfully, to avoid armed conflict, John Rich has stepped in, and as of this afternoon, it looks like this actually may be solved.”

Rich said the Trump administration has prioritized cases involving ordinary Americans.

“These are the kinds of things that I think the Trump administration cares about-just regular citizens who are running into situations that are so maddening nobody’s ever listened to them before.”

He added, “Rest assured, Mr. Kirby’s farm ain’t going anywhere. It’s going to stay right there with him.”

Higbie said Rich later informed him the case was receiving attention from senior officials.

“Now, I spoke to John Rich… and he said this is being expedited to a resolution at the highest levels. The White House got involved.”

While praising the reported progress, Higbie questioned why the situation had persisted for years.

“When you have CPAs and yourself not able to get in contact with a civil servant serving, you can’t penalize people for that,” he said.

Higbie argued the IRS should have resolved the issue immediately once Kirby met with agency personnel.

“How could any human with an IQ above a pineapple not see this and say, ‘Yep, sorry about that. We’re going to take care of it, and it’s over.'”

He also cited what he described as a federal law requiring the IRS to abate interest in cases involving erroneous refunds.

“There’s a law that says they can’t do this,” Higbie said, referring to “26 U.S. Code 6404e2, the provision on mandatory abatement of interest on certain erroneous refunds.”

Quoting the statute, Higbie emphasized the word “shall.”

“The secretary shall not may not should shall abate the assessment of all interest on any erroneous refund under section 6602 until the date demanded for repayment is made.”

Higbie argued that Kirby’s repeated efforts to return the money should have ended the matter years ago.

“And since he tried like hell to pay it back and no one picked up the phone at the IRS, it must be forgiven.”

He concluded by calling for accountability among government officials involved in the case.

“These laws are in place to protect you, me, and Mr. Kirby, and every everyone in America,” Higbie said. “Not a single IRS agent or federal worker will change a thing after this story unless there are real consequences.”

Comparing the government’s actions to how taxpayers are treated, Higbie added, “If I stiffed the IRS for 20 grand over five years, they would lock me up.”

He ended by appealing directly to President Trump.

“So, Mr. President, how about we send a message that the people paid by our tax dollars cannot violate the laws they are taxed to enforce without consequences?”

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First Amendment? Not If Liberals Get Offended! Shiloh Hendrix Case Exposed [WATCH]
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First Amendment? Not If Liberals Get Offended! Shiloh Hendrix Case Exposed [WATCH]

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Political commentator Brittany Hughes criticized the outcome of the case involving Minnesota resident Shiloh Hendricks, arguing that the prosecution reflects unequal treatment under the law and raises constitutional concerns about free speech protections.

Hughes opened by revisiting the incident that brought Hendricks national attention.

“So you might recall Shiloh Hendricks,” Hughes said. “She’s the white mom who was filmed in Minnesota last year, calling a black kid the N-word after catching him stealing stuff out of her toddler’s diaper bag on a playground.”

According to Hughes, Hendricks was recorded by a Somali migrant who continued filming her after the confrontation.

“She was recorded by a Somali migrant who then followed her around the playground and pestered her,” Hughes said. “But of course, we’re not supposed to care about that. We’re only supposed to care about the fact that this white lady used a slur against an autistic child that we were told at the time was five years old.”

Hughes said testimony presented during the trial established that the child was eight years old.

“Well, turns out the kid was actually eight, and we know that from court testimony this week because Shiloh Hendricks was actually on trial for using what prosecutors called fighting words,” she said.

Hughes criticized the prosecution’s legal theory, saying, “Apparently the First Amendment doesn’t apply to white ladies using words that non-white people don’t like.”

She compared Hendricks’ case with another criminal case she said has experienced significant delays.

“Oh, by the way, just your friendly reminder that De Carlos Brown stabbed Irina Zarutska to death on a train and was caught on camera, and he still has yet to go to trial because he’s been deemed incompetent,” Hughes said. “But this lady says a mean word and finds herself in front of a jury a few months later. So make of that what you will.”

According to Hughes, the jury convicted Hendricks of disorderly conduct in connection with the confrontation involving the man who recorded her.

“The jury ultimately found her guilty of disorderly conduct against the migrant man who walked around filming her and sentenced her to 200 hours of community service and $1,000 fine,” Hughes said. “And now she’s got a misdemeanor on her record.”

Hughes also referenced the criminal history of the man who filmed Hendricks.

“Which is even more insane when you consider the fact that the migrant man who was following her around with a cell phone, he was arrested and charged in 2022 with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old that he and another man had reportedly abducted, but he was released from jail.”

Hughes argued the differing outcomes illustrate unequal enforcement of the law.

“So in 2026, America, if you’re a Somali migrant, you can come to the United States, sexually assault a child, and get off scot-free,” she said. “But if you’re a white woman who says a mean word to a kid that you just caught stealing from you, and then have the audacity to say something to a man shoving a camera in your face, well, now that’s a bridge too far.”

Hughes concluded by arguing that the case raises broader constitutional concerns about free speech.

“The First Amendment does not exist to protect polite speech that everybody agrees with,” she said. “It exists to protect speech that other people find offensive. That’s literally the entire point.”

She closed by stating, “And make no mistake: what we just saw in this case was not only a gross miscarriage of justice, but a clear double standard based on the color of someone’s skin.”

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CNN Host Finally Admits Illegal Alien Voting Happens After New Jersey Fraud Bombshell [WATCH]
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CNN Host Finally Admits Illegal Alien Voting Happens After New Jersey Fraud Bombshell [WATCH]

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CNN and SiriusXM host Michael Smerconish said he no longer believes it is accurate to claim that noncitizen voting never occurs after New Jersey officials disclosed that a software error resulted in thousands of noncitizens being registered to vote, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Smerconish made the remarks during a recent conversation with political analyst Mark Halperin.

Their discussion centered on New Jersey’s disclosure that approximately 6,600 noncitizens were improperly registered to vote because of a software error and that fewer than 400 ballots were cast by those individuals.

Software Company Fires Back At Democrat Governor Over Illegal Voter Scandal

The discussion came days after President Donald Trump delivered a national address focused on election integrity.

During that speech, Trump alleged that noncitizen voting was occurring in multiple states.

According to a report cited from Fox News, Smerconish acknowledged that the New Jersey disclosure caused him to reconsider previous statements he had made on the subject.

“I can’t say that any longer,” Smerconish said. “I don’t know how often it does happen, but I can’t say any longer, ‘This never happens.’”

Smerconish explained that his earlier position had been influenced by a January analysis published by The New York Times titled “Initial Review Finds No Widespread Illegal Voting by Migrants, Puncturing a Trump Claim.”

According to the source, that analysis reported that investigators found no evidence of widespread illegal voting by migrants while also noting that noncitizens had at times appeared on voter registration rolls.

During the conversation, Halperin agreed that the New Jersey disclosure challenged categorical claims that noncitizen voting never occurs.

At the same time, he said additional information would be necessary before drawing broader conclusions about how frequently such cases happen.

“Based on what we now know, the thing that Democrats said doesn’t happen happened,” Halperin said.

“And it’s not right to take the word of the Democratic governor of New Jersey about what actually happened.”

The discussion focused on the distinction between isolated incidents and broader claims regarding election integrity.

Smerconish indicated that while he was changing his position on whether such incidents ever occur, he was not making a broader claim about their prevalence.

The New Jersey disclosure has generated renewed attention on voter registration procedures and election administration.

Questions surrounding the accuracy of voter rolls and safeguards intended to prevent ineligible registrations have remained part of the national debate over election integrity.

The conversation between Smerconish and Halperin followed public reporting that New Jersey officials attributed the registrations to a software error.

The disclosure has prompted renewed discussion among commentators and public officials about how voter registration systems operate and whether additional reviews or safeguards are needed to identify registration errors.

Video of the exchange between Smerconish and Halperin circulated online after the interview, drawing attention to Smerconish’s acknowledgment that he no longer believes it is accurate to state that noncitizen voting never happens.

Halperin likewise emphasized that the available information warrants additional examination before conclusions are reached regarding the overall scope of the issue.

Pentagon Taps Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral to Command U.S. Army Europe and Africa
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Pentagon Taps Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral to Command U.S. Army Europe and Africa

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The War Department on Thursday nominated Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral to become the next commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, placing a seasoned III Corps leader in line for one of the Army’s most visible overseas commands.

Admiral currently commands III Corps and Fort Hood, Texas, a major Army post with deep ties to armored warfare, rapid deployment, and large scale ground combat power.

If confirmed, Admiral would succeed Gen. Christopher Donahue, who stepped away from the Europe and Africa post earlier this month after only 18 months in command.

That early exit was unexpected, and it left Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie serving as acting commander while the War Department sorted out the next move.

The U.S. Army Europe and Africa command is not some ceremonial desk job for PowerPoint generals and diplomatic ribbon cutters.

It sits at the center of American land power on two continents, with Russia’s war in Ukraine still grinding on and NATO allies looking to Washington for steady leadership.

If confirmed, Admiral would also serve as commander of NATO’s Allied Land Command.

That role involves coordination across a massive area of responsibility involving 104 countries, which is a polite way of saying the job requires more than just smiling through multinational meetings and pretending every ally carries its weight.

Admiral would remain a three star general in the position, even though the job has previously been held at the four star level.

That detail will draw attention inside Army circles, because rank structure often tells its own story about how Washington views a command’s weight, mission, and political importance.

Before taking command of III Corps and Fort Hood, Admiral led the 1st Cavalry Division, one of the Army’s most recognizable formations.

His time with the division included service out of Fort Hood and in Poland, giving him direct experience in Europe’s tense security environment.

Pentagon Taps Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral to Command US Army Europe and Africa
The Pentagon nominated Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral to replace Gen. Christopher Donahue as the top Army officer for Europe and Africa. Admiral is currently the commanding general of III Armored Corps and Fort Hood, Texas. Army photo by Sgt. Tanner Dibble.

According to his official Army biography, Admiral also served as director of force management in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G 3 5 7.

That background matters because force management is where strategy meets reality, including troop structure, readiness demands, and the never ending fight over resources.

Donahue’s departure came during a wider round of senior leadership changes under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth, serving under President Trump’s national security team, has moved aggressively to reshape the top ranks after years of military leadership that many conservatives viewed as too comfortable with political fads and too slow to restore warfighting focus.

In April, Hegseth asked U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire before completing the usual four year term.

That move signaled that the new leadership at the War Department was not interested in sleepwalking through inherited timelines simply because the old Pentagon establishment liked its routines.

Since taking office, Hegseth has removed more than a dozen senior military leaders.

That list includes former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown and former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, both prominent figures from the previous era of uniformed leadership.

To the usual Washington crowd, these changes are automatically treated like a crisis.

To many troops, veterans, and Americans outside the Beltway bubble, they look more like long overdue housecleaning after years of questionable priorities and uneven readiness.

Admiral’s nomination now lands in that broader context.

Pentagon Taps Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral to Command US Army Europe and Africa
Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral previously commanded the 1st Cavalry Division and the 3d Cavalry Regiment.

The Army needs credible, experienced commanders in Europe and Africa, especially as NATO manages Russian aggression, instability across Africa, and the constant demand for American leadership in regions where power vacuums do not stay empty for long.

Fort Hood, now again a central part of Admiral’s resume, has long been tied to major combat formations and the operational muscle of the Army.

A commander coming out of III Corps brings firsthand familiarity with heavy forces, deployment cycles, and the kind of large formation command that still matters when serious adversaries start moving armor and artillery.

The Senate confirmation process will determine whether Admiral formally takes the post.

If approved, he will inherit a command that must balance NATO coordination, Army readiness, partner relationships, and the hard reality that Europe is no longer a quiet rear area for American military planning.

The nomination also shows that Hegseth’s War Department is continuing to move quickly on senior personnel decisions.

Whether the Beltway class likes it or not, the message is increasingly clear: the Trump era War Department is putting its own stamp on the chain of command, and the old automatic promotion club is no longer guaranteed a comfortable ride.

For Admiral, the mission ahead would be demanding and politically watched.

For the Army, the question is whether this nomination brings stability to a key theater after Donahue’s sudden departure and helps sharpen American land power where it is needed most.

Military Air Traffic Controller Shortage Puts Safety, Missions on the Line, Watchdog Warns
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Military Air Traffic Controller Shortage Puts Safety, Missions on the Line, Watchdog Warns

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A serious shortage of civilian air traffic controllers working for the military is now hitting safety, readiness, training, and mission execution, according to a federal watchdog report that should have every commander paying attention.

The problem is not complicated, which makes it even more frustrating. Civilian controllers who work for the services are leaving for better paying jobs elsewhere, and the military is struggling to compete.

Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force officials told investigators they cannot keep pace with the civilian sector when it comes to hiring and retaining air traffic control personnel. That is not exactly a small matter when pilots, aircraft, and operational timelines depend on people safely managing crowded skies.

According to the Department of War Inspector General report released last week, the average air traffic control specialist across the Air Force earns about $113,032. The average pay at the Federal Aviation Administration is $161,150, a gap of roughly 43 percent, based on a 2026 RAND report cited by investigators.

That kind of pay difference does not require a think tank to decode. If Washington wants skilled controllers to stay in uniformed service airfields and support military operations, it cannot pretend that patriotism alone pays the mortgage.

The watchdog also found that the services are using inconsistent job grades that do not always reflect the real demands of the job. Those federal classifications help determine pay and career progression, meaning bad grading can quietly bleed talent over time.

RAND noted that the FAA pay bands “provide greater pay flexibility and address pay disparities.” In plain English, the FAA can offer a more attractive deal while the military side is stuck watching trained people walk out the door.

The FAA controls the National Airspace System, including controlled and uncontrolled airspace over the United States and surrounding waters. The military services operate their own air traffic control workforce, coordinating with the FAA for military flights and operations.

F-22s Recalled From Super Bowl Flyover as Urgent Missions Take Precedence
An F-22 Raptor aircraft performs a ‘tail slide’ maneuver during an aerial demonstration at the SkyFest air show in Spokane, Washington, June 22, 2019.

The Inspector General said the Department of War controlled 29 percent of national airspace traffic in fiscal year 2024, while the FAA controlled 71 percent. That is a massive operational responsibility, and it does not get easier when the personnel pipeline starts cracking.

The report said the Department of War air traffic control shortages “negatively impact” aviation safety and overall readiness. Air Force officials said the shortage has forced them to limit airfield hours, reduce airspace availability, and close “critical safety functions.”

At Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, investigators found that the problem “created risks to aircraft and airfield maintenance and caused overseas mission delays.” That means this is not just a human resources spreadsheet problem, no matter how much the bureaucracy may wish it were.

Collision with Ducks Forces Emergency 'Flameout Landing' of U.S. Air Force F-16 in Alaska
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 18th Aggressor Squadron out of Eilson Air Force Base, performs aerial maneuvers during the Arctic Thunder Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 30, 2018. This biennial event hosted by JBER is one of the largest in the state and one of the premier aerial demonstrations in the world. The event features multiple performers and ground acts to include the JBER joint forces, U.S. Air Force F-22 and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstrations teams, June 30-July 1. (U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Peña)

Pilots are also paying the price because fewer controllers means fewer opportunities to train, move, and operate efficiently. “The shortages are causing a reduction in [air traffic control] services, decreased operational efficiency, and less pilot training because [air traffic control] personnel are not available to manage the aircraft’s movement along air routes,” the report said.

The controller shortage is not limited to the military. The FAA has also reported being short thousands of controllers because of recruiting struggles, retention problems, and expected retirements in the coming years.

Even so, the watchdog report shows the military side is being hit harder in some ways because it is losing its own trained workforce to the FAA. That is a brutal cycle, because the services invest in skilled personnel only to see them leave for better pay and more flexible structures.

Investigators warned that these shortages “hinder” the military’s ability to meet homeland defense goals laid out in the 2026 National Defense Strategy. That strategy includes a renewed focus on countering unmanned aerial threats, a mission set that demands tighter airspace awareness, not fewer qualified controllers in the tower.

Marines Bet Big on F-35, Turning Stealth Jet Into a Battlefield Data Engine
A Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II takes off from the USS Boxer in the Pacific Ocean, March 28, 2026.

“To maintain its warfighting advantage and align with its strategic priorities, the [Department of War] must address these civilian [air traffic control] shortages to improve the Department’s overall readiness and lethality,” the report said. That is about as direct as government watchdog language gets.

For Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, this is exactly the kind of readiness issue that deserves a hard look and a sharper fix. The military cannot claim to be serious about lethality while allowing basic aviation control functions to erode because civilian pay tables are out of step with operational reality.

President Trump has repeatedly emphasized rebuilding military strength and restoring common sense to national security. This report offers another reminder that readiness is not only about ships, jets, missiles, and headlines, but also about the trained Americans in control towers making sure missions launch safely and on time.

The left loves to throw money at fashionable programs and bureaucratic pet projects, but the force still needs functioning airfields, trained controllers, and pilots who can actually train. If Washington cannot get that right, all the glossy strategy documents in the world will not keep aircraft moving when the mission clock starts ticking.

National Guard Locks in 2 Million Deal for 2,000 Apartment Style Units for DC Troops
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National Guard Locks in $292 Million Deal for 2,000 Apartment Style Units for DC Troops

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The National Guard Bureau, the District of Columbia National Guard and the U.S. General Services Administration have awarded Placemakr a $292 million contract to house troops supporting the Joint Task Force District of Columbia mission.

The agreement will provide up to 2,000 “apartment-style lodging units” for Guardsmen assigned to the capital, according to the Guard announcement.

Officials described the deal as the largest interagency lodging acquisition in National Guard history, a major move tied to President Trump’s “Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful” executive order.

That order has kept the mission in motion since August 2025, as troops have supported law enforcement and public safety efforts across Washington.

The Guard said the length of the deployment has made the current patchwork of hotel rooms across the region unsustainable.

For troops who are mobilized away from home, better lodging is not some luxury perk. It is a basic requirement if leaders expect them to remain sharp, disciplined and ready for a mission in the nation’s capital.

The new contract is intended to give those soldiers and airmen more stable housing while also giving commanders more flexibility.

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It also aims to reduce costs for taxpayers, which is a point worth noting in a city where the federal government usually treats waste like a core operating principle.

The acquisition process was completed in less than three months, the Guard said, “despite an agency-level vendor protest, which was reviewed and denied.”

That is quick movement by Washington standards, where moving a stapler from one office to another can somehow require a working group.

“This contract delivers stable, secure housing for our soldiers and airmen while achieving significant cost savings for the government,” Monica Williams, executive director of acquisitions and head of contracting activity for the National Guard Bureau, said in the release.

“We were able to move quickly to meet mission requirements and provide a long-term solution for deployed personnel.”

Guardsmen Honored for Their Heroic Stand Against DC Gunman
Two guardsman deployed to Washington, D.C., were awarded the Soldier’s Medal and Airman’s Medal for their response to a shooting that killed a fellow West Virginia guardsman. National Guard photo by Master Sgt. William Blankenship.

According to figures from the Guard and GSA, the pricing is “about 49% below projected short-term commercial hotel costs and 27% below standard GSA schedule pricing for lodging and housekeeping services.”

For a mission involving thousands of personnel, that kind of difference is not pocket change. It is exactly the sort of practical planning Americans should expect when troops are deployed for domestic support.

The housing announcement comes after a May 28 report that questioned the effect of the D.C. mission on crime.

That report, published by the Niskanen Center, assessed that more than 2,000 Guard troops who participated in the task force had “no measurable effect on violent crime.”

Researchers called the deployments “an expensive tool” used in “the wrong places for the wrong types of crime.”

The report cited an average daily cost of $607 per Guard member in Washington, compared with $384 in pay for Metropolitan Police Department officers.

SecWar Signs Memo Authorizing Arming of National Guard in DC as They Prepare for New Mission
Two soldiers stand in the middle of a street at night and speak with two police officers standing in front of a police vehicle.
Army 2nd Lt. Harry Siegel and Sgt. 1st Class Nikolay Bashko, both assigned to Joint Task Force District of Columbia as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, talk with Metropolitan Police Department officers near Nationals Park in Washington, Aug. 19, 2025.

The report also said robbery and other violent crime rates in the region had already declined before the Guard mission began.

According to the researchers, those numbers were not meaningfully changed by the military operation.

Still, even that report did not flatly write off the mission as pointless.

Its authors noted a 24 percent decline in opportunistic property crime during the first six months of the operation, which is not exactly nothing for residents and visitors tired of watching disorder get excused by the usual soft on crime chorus.

Guard leaders have also pointed to broader mission results beyond raw violent crime statistics.

Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, praised troops in Washington in July and highlighted lifesaving and public support actions during the deployment.

America’s Cities at a Crossroads: Fear, Perception, and the Push for Order
U.S. Army Soldiers from the District of Columbia National Guard, activated in support of D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, at the National Mall, Washington, D.C., Aug. 18, 2025. President Donald J. Trump activated the D.C. National Guard under Title 32 to assist Federal and Washington, D.C. law enforcement within the nation’s capital, Aug. 11, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Nina Cortez)

“We brought 2,500 Guardsmen in from 15 states and the District of Columbia, and you all have done an amazing job,” Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told troops in D.C. in July.

“[Since arriving] you saved over 235 lives. You’ve done over 530 medical assistances to personnel, you restored children back to their families 27 times, and you have done amazing things in support of law enforcement to make sure we reduce crime.”

Those numbers explain why the lodging contract matters.

If the federal government is going to keep Guardsmen on the ground for an extended mission, then it needs to stop improvising with hotel stays and provide a long term setup that protects readiness, morale and taxpayer money.

The broader debate over the D.C. deployment will continue, because Washington cannot even agree on whether crime is bad when the wrong political team says it out loud.

But the Guard’s housing move is clear enough: troops assigned to protect and support the capital are getting more stable quarters, and the government says it is doing so at a lower projected cost than the hotel shuffle.

Free ER Suicide Crisis Care Has Already Reached Nearly 50,000 Veterans
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Free ER Suicide Crisis Care Has Already Reached Nearly 50,000 Veterans

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Nearly 50,000 veterans have already used a little known emergency suicide crisis benefit that allows eligible veterans and some former service members to walk into any VA or community emergency room and receive VA funded care, even if they are not enrolled in VA health care.

The benefit comes through the COMPACT Act, a law signed during President Trump’s first term that was meant to cut through the usual paperwork swamp when a veteran is standing at the edge. For once, Washington created something that can actually meet a crisis before the bureaucracy finds a clipboard.

Retired Navy Master Chief David Hull learned about the benefit only after his life had collapsed during the 2025 government shutdown. He had struggled after leaving the military, rebuilt his footing, then lost his job and suddenly could not provide for his three children.

“I didn’t always consider taking my own life,” Hull said. “It wasn’t until I felt like I had no one and nowhere to go.”

“It’s easy to sink into feeling nothingness when you can’t see your value anymore or you become disconnected from your purpose,” he said.

One night, after putting his children to bed, Hull searched online for combinations of pills he believed would end his life. As he poured medication into one bottle, he knocked an empty container onto the floor, drawing the attention of his daughter.

“She looked up at me with her big brown eyes,” Hull recalled, his voice breaking. “It cracked me wide open.”

Hull left his children with a neighbor and drove to Garrett Regional Medical Center in Oakland, Maryland. He was not enrolled in VA health care, had no health insurance and had never heard that eligible veterans could receive emergency suicide crisis care at a community hospital with VA covering the bill.

“I just needed someone to help clear my head and get me straight again,” Hull said. “I was circling the drain. On the precipice of having no home, no food, no money and no job with a promise of a better tomorrow. Nothing.”

About 40 minutes after arriving, Hull was evaluated by an emergency physician who told him he would be cared for. A hospital social worker later explained that the VA would cover both his emergency treatment and the care that followed.

“I was shocked to find out that I could be seen for free after they identified me as a veteran,” Hull said.

The Emergency Suicide Crisis Benefit was created under the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, known as the COMPACT Act. It covers emergency evaluation, treatment, inpatient or crisis residential care when clinically appropriate and up to 90 days of outpatient follow up care.

VA data provided to Military Times shows 49,341 veterans have received the benefit since fiscal 2023. That includes just over 10,000 in fiscal 2023, 14,666 in fiscal 2024, 15,218 in fiscal 2025 and 9,434 during the first half of fiscal 2026.

“The number of Veterans receiving the COMPACT Act’s Emergent Suicide Crisis Benefit has grown steadily since its inception in FY23,” VA Press Secretary Quinn Slaven said.

VA spent nearly $110 million on acute suicide crisis care in fiscal 2025, the highest total yet. Slaven said VA reviews eligible cases, educates veterans and community emergency staff and works with providers so veterans do not get blindsided by surprise medical bills after seeking help.

According to VA, 72 percent of veterans who have used the benefit later enrolled in VA health care. That matters because a crisis visit can become the first real doorway into longer term care.

Still, veteran advocates say the program remains far too obscure. “DAV believes awareness of the safety net created by the COMPACT Act remains lower than it should be,” Jon Retzer, DAV’s national legislative director, said.

Retzer said many veterans wrongly believe they must already be enrolled in VA health care, have a service connected disability rating or report to a VA medical center for the benefit to apply. “Many veterans remain uncertain whether an emergency room visit will generate medical debt or whether VA will ultimately cover the care,” Retzer said. “That uncertainty can discourage veterans from seeking treatment during a crisis when immediate intervention is critical.”

Army Reserve Prevention Integrator David Arthur said the same confusion shows up often, especially among older veterans and those living far from VA hospitals. Rural veterans may live more than an hour from a VA medical center, while nearby outpatient clinics usually do not handle emergencies.

“When they are in a crisis, in my experience with suicidal soldiers and vets, they are not even thinking about that,” Arthur said. “But those thoughts are huge barriers, especially the cost.”

“I want every vet to know they can go to any ER or hospital,” Arthur continued.

Hull used the full 90 days of follow up care before enrolling in VA health care. “I don’t know if I could have afforded the treatment I received after that night without the VA,” Hull said. “And I don’t know that I’d be enrolled with the VA now without the care I experienced.”

“I wish so many of my brothers and sisters knew that this was an option,” Hull said. “It doesn’t matter if you have insurance. It doesn’t matter if you’re a patient in the VA system. None of that matters. There are no strings attached. No barriers to being seen. This is a gift that every veteran needs to know they’re eligible for.”


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