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Montana Teen Ropes Drowning Man from Yellowstone River in Stunning Faith Fueled Rescue [WATCH]
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Montana Teen Ropes Drowning Man from Yellowstone River in Stunning Faith Fueled Rescue [WATCH]

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A 14 year old Montana boy turned a family camping trip into the kind of frontier rescue story that still reminds America what grit, faith, and practical skills can do when seconds matter.

Jory Thomas was camping with his family near Greycliff on July 5 when cries for help cut through the noise along the Yellowstone River.

Most people might freeze, reach for a phone, or wait for someone else to move.

Thomas did not wait.

“We all heard, ‘Help, help,’” Thomas told KTVQ. “There’s two or three people floating down the river, one hanging on to the cooler, and he wasn’t saying anything.”

Authorities and local reports said a raft and a paddleboard had slammed into a bridge pillar, throwing four people into the water.

Three made it out, but one man was swept downstream while clinging to a cooler in a fast moving stretch of river.

“This current was pretty fast then, and he was moving pretty quickly,” Thomas said.

The teenager understood immediately that the situation was not going to fix itself.

“Only thing I could focus on was helping him get out of the water because I didn’t want to see anyone go in front of me,” he said.

That is a pretty simple moral code, and frankly, America could use more of it.

With a lariat in hand and no time for hesitation, Thomas charged through a waist deep side channel and ran along the river bank to get ahead of the drifting man.

This was not theory, training jargon, or some government brochure about safety.

It was a ranch kid with a rope, a clear head, and the will to act.

Thomas grabbed his 12 foot lariat and took his shot. He swung the rope and caught the struggling man on the first try, the sort of moment that sounds like a movie until a Montana teenager actually does it.

“First instinct I thought was try and rope him and drag him out before he gets too far down the river,” he said.

“Luckily, I caught him first try.”

The teen then pulled the man toward shore and kept him there until first responders arrived, officials said.

The rescue could have ended very differently if Thomas had not moved when he did.

“I felt pretty good afterwards that I knew he was okay and was out of the water,” Thomas said.

There was no chest thumping, no celebrity pose, and no desperate hunt for applause.

Instead, Thomas credited his faith.

“God was basically putting me in the place of all this,” he said.

“God was just telling me all of this at the time and saying, ‘Go get him, you got it, and I believe in you.’”

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That explanation will make perfect sense to millions of Americans who still believe courage and providence are not outdated ideas.

In a culture that too often mocks faith and treats rural life like a punchline, this young man gave the country a reminder that values still matter when real danger shows up.

Thomas had been practicing with a lasso for about a year, according to The Washington Post.

Much of that practice happened on a cattle head he built in the backyard of his family ranch in Big Timber.

That detail matters. The skill that saved a life came from work, repetition, and the kind of hands on upbringing that never needed a lecture from some credentialed expert class.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office later honored Thomas with a Certificate of Achievement, calling the rescue “heroic” in a Facebook post.

It was a fitting recognition for a young man who did not just witness trouble, but ran straight toward it.

“Jory is a strong believer of if somebody needs help, you’re going to do everything you can,” his mother, Robin Thomas, told The Washington Post.

That is not a slogan cooked up by consultants, it is a way of life.

In this case, that way of life meant a man in the Yellowstone River got to go home.

It meant a 14 year old boy showed the sort of courage adults are supposed to model.

There are plenty of stories about chaos, failure, and excuses.

This one is about a Montana teenager who heard a cry for help, trusted God, used the skill he had, and got the job done.

Spanberger Opens Ballot Box to 66,000 Virginia Felons After Restoring Rights [WATCH]
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Spanberger Opens Ballot Box to 66,000 Virginia Felons After Restoring Rights [WATCH]

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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is moving fast to reshape the Commonwealth’s electorate, announcing that her administration has restored civil rights to more than 66,000 Virginians with past felony convictions, as reported by Breitbart.

The Democrat framed the sweeping action as a matter of American principle, declaring in a Friday press release that “the right to vote is foundational to who we are as Americans.” That is the sort of polished political line Democrats love when they are expanding the voter rolls in a way that just happens to benefit their side.

Spanberger said she heard stories of “redemption” both while campaigning for governor and since taking office. Her office made clear the move does not stop at voting, since restored rights also include jury service, running for public office, and becoming a notary public.

Virginia remains one of only three states where the constitution permanently strips citizens with felony convictions of certain civil rights unless the governor restores them. That gives the governor enormous discretion, which Spanberger is now using with unmistakable enthusiasm.

Her office stated that the restored civil rights include “the right to vote, serve on a jury,” and to “run for public office.” In other words, the administration is not simply allowing former felons back into the voting booth; it is reopening several doors of civic authority.

Spanberger took a direct shot at former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who had moved away from automatic restoration and reviewed applications individually. Democrats, of course, call that denial of rights, while many Virginians would call it basic judgment.

“I’m proud that, after contending with my predecessor’s efforts to deny Virginians their fundamental rights, we have restored the rights of more than 66,000 Virginians who have served their time,” Spanberger said.

“These Virginians deserve the right to use their vote, make their voices heard, and be recognized as contributing citizens to our Commonwealth and country.”

The announcement also lands ahead of a major fall referendum in Virginia. Voters are expected to decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment that would allow felons to have their voting rights restored upon release from incarceration.

That would take much of the decision out of the governor’s hands and create a broader restoration process. For Democrats, that is the dream, a permanent structural change wrapped in the language of compassion and civil rights.

Spanberger argued that restoring these rights gives people back “their ability to make an impact at the local, state, and national levels.” She added that doing so helps them “take hold of their second chance.”

“This fall, voters can cast their ballots for Virginia to no longer strip so many of our neighbors of their fundamental rights, a shameful relic of our Jim Crow past,” Spanberger said. “I hope Virginians will join me in voting yes.”

There it is, the predictable escalation to one of the left’s favorite rhetorical weapons. If a Republican governor wants individual review for people with felony records, Democrats reach for history’s darkest chapters and pretend the debate is over.

According to Virginia Public Media, Youngkin restored the voting rights of fewer than 10,000 Virginians. That followed his decision to roll back the automatic restoration process used by his three predecessors and handle each case individually.

Spanberger’s approach is far broader, and the political implications are obvious. Virginia voters will now decide whether this mass restoration push becomes part of a larger constitutional shift, while Democrats celebrate another expansion of the electorate they believe will help them at the ballot box.

Lifetime Dem James Carville Threatens to Leave the Party if This Happens [WATCH]
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Lifetime Dem James Carville Threatens to Leave the Party if This Happens [WATCH]

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The Democrat Party has spent years pretending its radical socialist problem is just a noisy corner of the room. Now that corner is grabbing microphones, winning primaries, and making old party warhorses like James Carville sound the alarm.

Carville, hardly a conservative choirboy, is suddenly the voice of political sanity inside a party that seems determined to confuse revolutionary cosplay with a governing agenda. When even he starts warning Democrats that the inmates are getting too close to the controls, it is worth paying attention, as reported by Red State.

The rise of the Democratic Socialists of America and other leftist radicals has exposed a nasty truth about the modern Democrat coalition. The party loves to brag about being a “big tent,” which in practical terms means almost anyone gets welcomed in if they might help Democrats keep power.

That approach may have worked when the fringe knew how to stay quiet. It gets a lot harder when the fringe starts openly talking about upending the basic principles that keep the American system standing.

Carville made his position clear during a Fox interview, and for once, his famous ranting had a point. He sees what party leaders keep trying to downplay, which is that Democrats are flirting with political suicide.

“I am NOT going to be in the same party as Hasan Piker! I can tell you that right now!” Carville said during an interview on Fox.

“If he becomes a force within the Democratic Party, I’m out of here! I have no intention of ever being in the same political party with that guy!”

For conservatives who have spent years watching Democrats deny the obvious, this was almost refreshing. Carville is not wrong, and that may be the strangest part of the whole spectacle.

The problem for Carville is that Piker already appears to be exactly the kind of force he is warning about. He has backed socialist candidates who won primaries in New York City, and he has campaigned with Abdul El Sayed, who is leading for the Democratic nomination in Michigan.

That means Carville is not standing at the gate trying to stop the barbarians from entering. He is looking around the banquet hall, realizing they have already found the silverware.

Carville suggested that an overwhelming number of Democrats agree with him. Maybe some do, but the numbers inside the party tell a far more troubling story for anyone who still thinks Democrats are a center-left party with a few loud radicals on the margins.

About one third of Democrats now identify as Democratic Socialists. That is not a small activist club meeting in a campus basement. That is a major faction with real influence, real candidates, and real appetite for power.

Carville also pointed to the platform itself, which is where Democrats usually hope voters never look too closely. “This idea that we’re going to ‘seize the means of production’ , just look at the DSA platform,” Carville argued. “You don’t have to look any further than that.”

He is right about that, too. Voters do not need a graduate seminar in political theory to understand that seizing the means of production is not a harmless slogan. It is a flashing red warning sign dressed up as youthful idealism.

“One thing I can tell you for certain, Hasan Piker and James Carville are not going to be in the same political party. One of us is going to leave; it might even be me!”

That line may prove to be more prophetic than Carville intended. The Democrat Party is no longer merely tolerating the socialist wing. In many places, it is being shaped, pressured, and intimidated by it.

Party leaders like to pretend they can manage this crowd while still selling moderation to suburban voters. That is the usual Democrat trick: smile sweetly in October, then let the radicals write the wish list after Election Day.

The midterms could expose just how dangerous that game has become. Sane Democrats may stay home, while others may decide that voting Republican is the only practical way to stop the party from wandering deeper into socialist madness.

Michigan could be one of the places where this matters most. If radical energy keeps driving Democrat primaries, Republicans will have a major opening with voters who are tired of being told that socialism is just compassion with better branding.

When Democrats are losing James Carville, the alarm bells are not just ringing. They are practically falling off the wall, and the party brass is still pretending the noise is campaign music.

‘Inshallah, Ya’ll’: Abdul El-Sayed Staffers Praise Allah Ahead of Tuesday’s Primary [WATCH]
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‘Inshallah, Ya’ll’: Abdul El-Sayed Staffers Praise Allah Ahead of Tuesday’s Primary [WATCH]

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Michigan’s Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate is entering its final stretch with candidate Abdul El-Sayed holding a polling advantage over Rep. Haley Stevens, while the race has drawn attention for campaign messaging, endorsements, and debate over the role of religion and identity in the contest.

Video obtained by The Midwesterner shows El-Sayed campaign staff opening a weekly conference call Wednesday with the Arabic phrase “Inshallah,” which translates to “God willing” or “if God wills.”

“Inshallah, ya’ll!” one staffer said at the start of the call.

“Inshallah, we come back for 12 more of these,” added Mark Crain, El-Sayed’s organizing director.

The phrase is commonly used by Muslims as an expression of faith.

Campaign staff also expressed confidence about the state of the race during the meeting.

“We’re kicking ass!” one staffer said.

“We are. No, that’s real, we are,” Crain responded. “Say it, believe it!”

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The optimism follows new polling showing El-Sayed with a significant advantage in the Democratic primary.

An Emerson College Polling survey of 700 Michigan Democratic primary voters found El-Sayed leading Stevens, 54% to 39%, with 6% undecided. The poll was released this week as Democrats prepare to select a nominee to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.

Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said the results reveal a notable age divide among Democratic voters.

“There is a clear age divide in the Democratic Primary: voters under 50 break for El-Sayed by 42 percentage points, 67% to 25%, and that gap tightens among voters in their 50s to a 12-point lead, and voters over 60 flip to Stevens by a 14-point margin, 53% to 39%,” Kimball said.

According to 270toWin’s average of the four public polls conducted during July, El-Sayed leads Stevens by an average of 45.5% to 39.8%.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, exited the race on July 5, leaving El-Sayed and Stevens as the leading Democratic contenders.

The Democratic nominee will face former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is running unopposed for the Republican nomination and has received President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

A separate survey conducted by the Glengariff Group for the Michigan Education Association and Business Leaders for Michigan found Stevens and Rogers essentially tied in a hypothetical general election matchup, with Stevens leading 45.5% to 44.7%, a difference within the poll’s four-point margin of error.

The same poll found Rogers holding a larger advantage over El-Sayed, leading 49% to 38.7%.

The Michigan Senate contest is expected to be one of several races that could influence control of the U.S. Senate following the 2026 midterm elections.

The primary has also highlighted divisions within the Democratic Party.

El-Sayed has received endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

Stevens has secured endorsements from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, retiring Sen. Gary Peters, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Questions surrounding race and identity have also surfaced during the campaign.

Farmington Public Schools board member Angie Smith recently explained why she is supporting Stevens over El-Sayed.

Speaking at a Stevens campaign event Friday, Smith said, “we need someone that can represent all of us, not just one race but all races.”

Referring to El-Sayed, she added, “The other candidate … doesn’t work a room.”

“You have to know how to work the room, don’t come out speaking only Arabic, don’t come out with your Arabic music on. Represent everyone.”

The event also featured appearances by Whitmer and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.

El-Sayed’s campaign has also drawn attention because of several supporters and associates.

Among those who have publicly supported El-Sayed are political commentator Hasan Piker and longtime socialist activist Tom Burke.

Fox News has also reported that Iraqi-American activist Anas Shallal hosted a fundraiser for El-Sayed. According to the report, Shallal’s social media accounts contain posts expressing support for Cuba, the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, the Free Palestine movement, Colin Kaepernick, Zohran Mamdani, and Assata Shakur.

Fox News also reported that El-Sayed received $800 in campaign contributions in 2017 from Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights and has appeared in online photographs with the imam.

According to the report, Ali Elahi later held memorial services for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following U.S. military strikes that killed the Grand Ayatollah on Feb. 28.

Fox News reported that Ali Elahi described the strike on “our leader” as “evil,” carried out by “the most wretched hands on Earth.”

Religion has also become part of campaign discussions within Michigan’s Muslim community.

On July 17, an imam speaking at the American Muslim Diversity Association Masjid in Sterling Heights encouraged congregants to participate in the election while discussing what he described as “a legitimate Islamic objective.”

“When Allah will help you with your intention, the change will come,” the imam said in video highlighted by the Middle East Media Research Institute.

“We know that Rashida Tlaib – she is a sister … she’s representing us in Congress.”

He continued, “So we have a lot of things coming in our side, the tide is changing, we need to take advantage of that and get involved.”

“Abdul El-Sayed, if he gets elected, he’s going to be the first (Muslim) U.S. senator in the history of the United States.”

The imam also referenced the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America.

“They recommend to vote to serve a legitimate Islamic objective.”

“This is the fatwa from AMJA.”

GOP Senator Bolts After Simple Question About Mitch McConnell Health Rumors [WATCH]
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GOP Senator Bolts After Simple Question About Mitch McConnell Health Rumors [WATCH]

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Sen. Mitch McConnell has been absent from Capitol Hill for weeks, and the official explanations have done little to calm the growing chatter around one of the Senate Republican Conference’s most powerful figures.

The Kentucky Republican said he suffered another fall and later contracted pneumonia, which led to hospitalization and a longer stay in rehabilitation.

That is a serious medical situation for any public official, especially one who has spent decades at the center of Senate power.

McConnell tried to ease concerns by posting a photo with his wife, Elaine Chao, the former Transportation and Labor Secretary.

But in Washington, a carefully released photo rarely settles anything, and this one did not exactly shut down the rumor mill.

The absence has now reached the point where even Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is publicly demanding proof that McConnell is fit to serve or should resign. Of course, Democrats suddenly discovering standards for public fitness is rich, but the question is no longer confined to partisan sniping.

The latest round of fog came from Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who offered a second hand update about McConnell’s condition.

Instead of providing clarity, her comments gave political watchers yet another reason to squint at the situation.

Capito told independent journalist Nicholas Ballasy that she was aware of the reports surrounding McConnell and that he “is recovering and is healing and is in a rehabilitation hospital.”

That much lined up with what had already been publicly known.

Then came the part that raised eyebrows.

“I talked to somebody yesterday who visited him and said that he’s clear minded, and he just needs to get stronger,” she said.

That may have been intended as reassurance, but unnamed visitors delivering medical confidence through a fellow senator is not exactly the gold standard for transparency. It is more like the Senate version of trust me, a guy told me.

Ballasy then asked Capito whether she would visit McConnell herself. She replied that she would wait “until he asks for visitors.”

That answer also sounded cautious, which is understandable on a human level, but politically it did not solve the problem.

When a senior senator has been out of sight for weeks, every carefully worded answer gets pulled apart for meaning.

The real trouble began when Ballasy followed up by asking who the mysterious visitor was.

Capito refused to identify the person, and according to the report, she moved away rather than offer more detail.

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That is where the whole thing started to look less like a health update and more like a Senate leadership mystery wrapped in institutional muscle memory.

If McConnell is recovering well, naming a visitor or providing a more direct update would go a long way.

Instead, voters are left with a photo, a few vague descriptions, and one senator saying someone else saw him and thought he was doing fine.

For a body that loves lectures about norms, accountability, and public trust, the Senate sure gets shy when those standards point inward.

McConnell’s health has been a subject of concern before, particularly after highly visible incidents in which he froze during public appearances.

Those moments were not gossip, they were broadcast for the country to see.

Republican voters are not wrong to ask whether their leaders can fully do the job.

The party’s grass roots have spent years watching Washington protect its own while demanding endless patience from the people footing the bill.

There is no need to be cruel about illness, and nobody should root against McConnell’s recovery.

But there is also nothing improper about expecting clear answers from elected officials who wield enormous power over national policy.

The Senate is already famous for moving at a pace that makes molasses look athletic.

When the public cannot even get a straight answer about whether a former leader is fit and preparing to return, confidence does not exactly soar.

Capito says McConnell’s return is expected at the end of the August recess.

Until then, the questions will keep coming, especially when the answers sound like they were designed by a committee of lawyers, handlers, and people allergic to sunlight.

Washington insiders may think this is all just another round of uncomfortable press attention.

Regular Americans see something simpler: if a senator is well enough to serve, prove it clearly, and if not, stop treating voters like they are the problem for asking.

South Korean Frigate Seizes Maritime Top Gun Glory During RIMPAC Drills
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South Korean Frigate Seizes Maritime Top Gun Glory During RIMPAC Drills

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A South Korean navy frigate walked away with top honors in a live fire gunnery contest during Rim of the Pacific, proving once again that serious allies still understand the value of steel, accuracy and disciplined crews.

The ROKS Daejeon earned the Top Gun award during the Naval Surface Fire Support Rodeo, a competition held as part of the recently concluded RIMPAC exercise around Hawaii.

RIMPAC, hosted by the U.S. Navy, remains the largest international maritime exercise in the world, bringing together allied and partner navies for weeks of drills that actually matter in a region where deterrence is not a slogan.

According to a South Korean navy release issued Sunday, the Daejeon beat out a field of 13 warships in the gunnery event.

The contest measured naval gunfire accuracy, with ships from 10 nations taking part. Each warship fired five rounds from its 5 inch naval gun at a target roughly 4 1/2 miles away.

The rules were simple, which is usually how the military gets its best tests done. The ship that put rounds closest to the target took home the Top Gun award.

“We are very proud to have earned the honor of the Top Gun with my shipmates,” Senior Chief Petty Officer Joo Hyo-jin, who oversees the warship’s guns, said in the release.

That kind of pride is exactly what naval exercises are supposed to build, because a crew that can shoot straight under pressure is worth far more than another glossy strategic vision document cooked up by bureaucrats.

The Daejeon’s win was officially announced Friday during RIMPAC’s closing ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam. The gunnery competition itself took place July 12.

Navy Dismantles Middle East Minesweepers and Bets Big On New Countermeasures
Pacific Ocean (July 10, 2004) — The mine countermeasure ship USS Avenger (MCM-1) operates off the coast of Hawaii during exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2004. RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. This yearís exercise includes seven participating nations; Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. RIMPAC is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while enhancing stability in the Pacific Rim region.

Commander Lee Jung-soo, the frigate’s skipper, accepted the award from U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Jeffrey Jablon during the ceremony.

The Daejeon is a relatively new ship, launched in 2021 and named for the South Korean city of Daejeon. It carries the same Mark 45 Mod 4 naval gun used aboard U.S. vessels, according to manufacturer BAE Systems.

The frigate is not just a floating cannon platform, either. It is also equipped with anti ship missiles, tactical surface to surface missiles and a close in weapon system, giving it the kind of layered punch modern warships need in contested waters.

The award marked South Korea’s second Top Gun victory at RIMPAC. Its previous win came 16 years ago, when the destroyer ROKS King Sejong took the honor in 2010.

“It is meaningful to be acknowledged on the international stage for South Korea’s advanced defense industry and the navy’s outstanding operational capabilities,” Cmdr. Lee Jung-soo, the Daejon’s skipper, said in the press release.

Army Helicopters and Navy Drones Blast Two Retired Ships to the Bottom at RIMPAC
An AH-64 Apache with the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, 7th Infantry Division, Multi-Domain Command – Pacific, fires a missile on the USS Mobile Bay. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Christian Morton.

That acknowledgment matters at a time when Indo Pacific security is anything but theoretical. China keeps pushing, North Korea keeps threatening, and serious nations are expected to show up with credible capabilities rather than soft diplomatic theater.

South Korea did more than compete this year. It served as the first Asian nation to command the exercise’s combined maritime component, a significant milestone for one of America’s most important treaty allies.

The broader RIMPAC exercise brought together 30 nations in and around Hawaii for six weeks of maritime operations. This year marked the 30th version of the exercise, which began in 1971.

Under President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the message to allies has been refreshingly direct: bring capability, share the load and treat deterrence like a combat requirement rather than a press release.

USS Carl Vinson Joins Middle East Operations as U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Loom
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations, sails through the Pacific Ocean on its way to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Marissa A. Johnson)

South Korea’s performance fits that model. A frigate crew showed up, fired accurately, beat the field and left with hardware that reflects real operational competence.

For the U.S. and its allies, that is the kind of result worth celebrating.

In the Pacific, precision, readiness and allied firepower are not optional extras, they are the price of keeping hostile regimes guessing.

Iran Fight Burns Through Nearly Two Thirds of U.S. Patriot Interceptors as Readiness Fears Mount
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Iran Fight Burns Through Nearly Two Thirds of U.S. Patriot Interceptors as Readiness Fears Mount

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The war with Iran has burned through nearly two thirds of America’s Patriot interceptor stockpile in less than six months, according to a new analysis that is setting off fresh alarms about U.S. readiness in the Middle East.

The numbers are not subtle, and neither is the warning for Washington.

The United States and its partners have leaned hard on Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems to shield troops, bases, and allied positions from Iranian ballistic missile attacks.

That air defense effort has largely worked, according to analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But success has come with a steep price tag, because shooting down Iranian missiles is rapidly draining some of the most important munitions in the American arsenal.

CSIS analysts estimate that the U.S. now has between 759 and 827 Patriot interceptors remaining. That is roughly one third of the inventory available before the war began.

The THAAD picture is not much prettier. The report estimates that U.S. stocks of THAAD interceptors have fallen to between 234 and 278, down from 452 before the conflict.

Lockheed Martin Rolls Out Budget Patriot Interceptor to Battle Cheap Drone Swarms
Defense companies are exploring cheaper alternatives to the Patriot system. (Anthony Sweeney/U.S. Army)

“Diminished stockpiles may force the United States and its coalition partners to take more risks with interceptions,” CSIS analysts Mark Cancian and Chris Park said. “There are no good alternatives to Patriot and THAAD for ballistic missile defense.”

That is the hard reality behind all the briefing room spin. When the enemy fires cheap drones and missiles, and the U.S. answers with multimillion dollar interceptors, even a successful campaign can start chewing through stockpiles at an ugly pace.

The report arrives as the Middle East fight continues to intensify. A tentative ceasefire reached in June quickly collapsed after both sides accused the other of violating the agreement, which is about as surprising as rain being wet when Iran is involved.

President Donald Trump has said he is willing to keep up attacks until Iran agrees to another deal.

That position is classic Trump pressure politics, and it puts Tehran on notice that running out the clock may not be the easy strategy it hoped for.

U.S. Central Command said it carried out a “heavy wave of strikes” Wednesday evening after Iran targeted American forces.

According to The Wall Street Journal, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper has also provided Trump with plans for a punishing two week air campaign against Iran.

Army Builds New Missile Defense MOS to Merge Patriot and THAAD Expertise
A soldier conducts maintenance on an MIM-104 Patriot missile system in the Middle East. (U.S. Army)

Further escalation could stretch a conflict already consuming large amounts of U.S. munitions.

The war has also driven up global fuel prices, produced casualties among hundreds of American service members, and stirred growing domestic opposition from the usual crowd that discovers restraint only when America is the one defending itself.

For months, U.S. officials have pushed back against reports that interceptor supplies are under strain.

Some have argued that leaking or publishing such details risks national security, which is a fair concern when adversaries in Tehran, Beijing, and Moscow read American media just like everybody else.

Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told NBC News that the current supply is adequate.

“The U.S. military has everything it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be,” he said. “The people that are leaking this nonsense deserve to be in jail.”

U.S. Army Expands Air Defense Workforce with New 14W MOS
The Army is creating a new job for soldiers that will both operate and repair its Patriot and THAAD missile defense systems. Army photo by Sgt. David Poleski.

The CSIS analysts said their estimates were based on War Department budget materials for fiscal year 2027 and publicly released information. In other words, they did not need a spy novel plotline to see that America is firing interceptors faster than the industrial base can comfortably replace them.

The economics are brutally lopsided. Iran can build a one way Shahed 136 attack drone for roughly $50,000, while a single Patriot interceptor costs about $4 million.

That imbalance is exactly why Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and the Trump administration face a major industrial challenge.

America cannot deter adversaries with empty launch tubes, and the old swamp habit of slow rolling weapons production looks especially ridiculous when missiles are already flying.

Zelenskyy Pushes New ‘Freya’ Missile Shield As Europe Scrambles For Cheap Patriot Clone
U.S. soldiers conduct a Patriot missile live-fire exercise at MacGregor Range near Fort Bliss, Texas, Aug. 23, 2025. (Sgt. JaDarius Duncan/U.S. Army)

The Army said this week it is expanding a one year contract with Lockheed Martin into a seven year, $58 billion deal to produce Patriot interceptors.

The service said the modification will give manufacturers the demand signal needed to establish production lines and rapidly produce more interceptors where they are needed most.

That kind of long term production push is not optional anymore.

If the United States intends to keep troops protected, allies defended, and Iran contained, the War Department will need more interceptors, faster manufacturing, and far less bureaucratic nap time.

Navy Ousts USS West Virginia Submarine Commander After Stunning Loss of Confidence
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Navy Ousts USS West Virginia Submarine Commander After Stunning Loss of Confidence

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The Navy has removed the commander of the USS West Virginia Blue Crew after less than a year in charge of one of America’s most powerful undersea nuclear deterrent platforms.

Cmdr. Joseph Sammur was relieved from command Thursday, July 30, by the head of Submarine Squadron 20, the Navy announced Aug. 1.

The service gave the familiar but serious explanation that senior leaders had a “loss of confidence in his ability to command.”

That phrase is often short, sterile, and intentionally vague, but in the Navy it carries real weight.

Sammur had commanded the Blue Crew of the Ohio class ballistic missile submarine since Aug. 14, 2025, when he relieved Cmdr. James Kepper IV.

Ohio class submarines operate with two crews, commonly known as Blue and Gold, allowing the boats to maintain a demanding patrol and readiness cycle.

The USS West Virginia is no ordinary assignment.

As a ballistic missile submarine, it is part of the nation’s strategic nuclear triad, which means command standards are not merely high, they are unforgiving.

The Navy did not provide details about what led to Sammur’s removal.

That leaves plenty unsaid, as usual, because “Loss of confidence” can cover a wide range of problems, including poor performance, misconduct, operational mistakes, leadership failures, or other issues that senior commanders believe make continued command impossible.

In this case, the Navy did not point to any specific incident aboard the submarine.

Sammur has been temporarily reassigned to Submarine Group 10, according to the announcement.

Cmdr. Luke Kelvington, who had been serving as Deputy for Training for the submarine squadron, has been named interim commander of the Blue Crew.

That move gives the Navy a temporary bridge while leadership decides who will permanently take over one of the most sensitive command jobs in the fleet.

The West Virginia is homeported at Kings Bay, Georgia, one of the Navy’s major submarine bases and a key location for the nation’s ballistic missile submarine force.

The boat entered service in 1990 and remains part of the undersea leg of America’s nuclear deterrent.

The submarine is currently in port for maintenance.

The Navy said Sammur’s removal will not affect operations, which is exactly the message the service wants to send when a commander is removed from a platform this important.

Still, command firings are never routine, no matter how carefully the public affairs shop phrases the announcement.

When a submarine commander is relieved, especially one tied to a strategic deterrence mission, it raises obvious questions inside and outside the fleet.

Sammur’s available biography shows he was commissioned in 2006.

Before taking command of the Blue Crew, he served as Strategic Operations Section Head for the “Green Dragons” Operations Team at the National Airborne Operations Center.

That background placed him in serious strategic operations territory before he ever took the reins of the West Virginia crew.

Even so, command at sea is where the Navy separates those it trusts from those it no longer can.

The Navy has relieved multiple commanders this year, and the explanations often follow the same script.

The phrase is clean, official, and broad enough to avoid airing every dirty detail in public, which is convenient for the brass and frustrating for everyone else.

There are legitimate reasons for keeping some information close, especially in the submarine force.

Ballistic missile submarines operate in a world of classified missions, tight security, and strategic consequences that do not lend themselves to casual disclosure.

At the same time, taxpayers fund the fleet, sailors serve under these leaders, and the public has a stake in knowing whether command failures are isolated problems or signs of a deeper culture issue.

That is where vague Navy language tends to generate more smoke than clarity.

What is clear is that the Navy moved quickly once senior leaders made their decision.

Sammur is out, Kelvington is in on an interim basis, and the West Virginia remains on its maintenance track.

For sailors aboard the submarine, the change means a new command climate at the top.

For the Navy, it means another entry in a growing list of command removals that service leaders would probably prefer not to discuss at length.

The submarine force is one of the most elite communities in the U.S. military.

It demands technical mastery, emotional discipline, absolute trust, and the ability to make hard decisions in places where mistakes can have historic consequences.

That is why the standard for command cannot be watered down.

If senior leaders lose confidence in a commander aboard a ballistic missile submarine, the only responsible move is to remove him and keep the mission moving.

The USS West Virginia will continue its role in the nation’s deterrence posture.

But Sammur’s short command tour is over, and the Navy has made clear that whatever happened behind the scenes was enough to end his time in the captain’s chair.

Democrat Sounds Alarm as ‘Democratic Socialists’ Push the Party Further Left Than Ever [WATCH]
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Democrat Sounds Alarm as ‘Democratic Socialists’ Push the Party Further Left Than Ever [WATCH]

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Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., drew a sharp distinction between mainstream Democrats and the Democratic Socialists of America during a recent interview with Tomi Lahren, arguing that the socialist organization does not represent the Democratic Party’s values and should not be allowed to reshape its direction.

The discussion centered on the growing influence of Democratic Socialists in Democratic politics following a series of primary victories by progressive candidates and ongoing debates over the party’s future.

Lahren began by asking Gottheimer whether he believes there is significant ideological overlap between traditional Democrats and Democratic Socialists.

“I want to ask you: Do you think that there’s a lot of overlap between traditional Democrats such as yourself and the Democrat socialists that are giving the establishment a run for its money?” Lahren asked.

Gottheimer rejected the idea, saying he does not consider members of the Democratic Socialists of America to be Democrats despite their efforts to run candidates under the Democratic Party banner.

“Well, obviously, I’m a very proud, common sense Democrat, and I don’t think DSA members are Democrats,” Gottheimer responded. “They’re socialists, right?”

He said he has no objection to Democratic Socialists organizing as a separate political movement but opposed their efforts to influence the Democratic Party from within.

“And I’m all for them having their own party if they want one, but if they’re trying to take over our party, that’s unacceptable to me.”

Gottheimer argued that the group’s political philosophy differs significantly from that of mainstream Democrats.

“And their values, their ideas, and you know are certainly not in line with ours.”

According to Gottheimer, members of the Democratic Socialists of America are attempting to use the Democratic Party as a vehicle for advancing their own agenda rather than supporting the party’s leadership or platform.

“And they don’t support our leadership. They’re trying to use the Democratic Party as a vessel for their ideas.”

He also referenced statements and discussions that have taken place at Democratic Socialist gatherings, arguing they demonstrate ideological differences between the organization and the broader Democratic Party.

“And as you heard in some of these conventions, literally, they’re supporting the Communist Manifesto and Trotsky-they’re anti-American, they’re anti-cop, they don’t believe in borders, you know.”

Gottheimer maintained that, despite the attention the organization has received in recent election cycles, it represents only a small fraction of Democratic voters nationwide.

“And frankly, the good news is there’s only about 150,000 of them registered, and there’s 45 million Democrats.”

He said that disparity should make it clear that Democratic Socialists do not speak for the party as a whole.

“And so we should make it very clear that they’re not Democrats and they’re not welcome in the Democratic Party.”

WATCH:

The exchange comes as ideological divisions within the Democratic Party have become increasingly visible ahead of upcoming elections, with moderate Democrats and progressive activists continuing to debate the party’s direction on issues ranging from economic policy and policing to immigration and foreign affairs.

Gottheimer’s comments reflect the broader debate over whether Democratic Socialists should be viewed as a distinct political movement or as part of the Democratic coalition.

During the interview, he made clear that he believes the organization represents a separate ideology and should not define the future of the Democratic Party.

Hageman Moves to Crush Climate Lawsuit Grift Targeting American Energy [WATCH]
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Hageman Moves to Crush Climate Lawsuit Grift Targeting American Energy [WATCH]

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Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming is taking aim at one of the left’s favorite political rackets, climate lawsuits dressed up as public interest litigation.

Her new bill, the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act, is designed to block activist driven legal campaigns that try to punish energy companies for alleged climate harms.

The legislation targets lawsuits from states, cities, and climate pressure groups that claim oil, gas, and energy producers should pay enormous sums for weather events, rising costs, and the usual grab bag of green talking points.

In plain English, Hageman says this is taxation by lawsuit, because the left knows many of these schemes would never survive a real vote in Congress.

“It is the Stop the Climate Shakedowns Act, and what this has to do with is there are many communities and states around the country that have … filed lawsuits against our energy companies claiming that they are responsible for climate change and the impacts of climate change, and this is an effort to try, really, it’s another way of taxation, is really what these communities are doing,” Hageman said.

That is the heart of the fight.

Instead of winning elections, persuading voters, and passing laws through constitutional channels, climate activists are using friendly courts to chase payouts and impose their agenda through litigation.

Hageman also pointed to the use of so called superfund style laws that attempt to pin the entire bill for climate policy fantasies on energy producers.

“So they’ve either adopted superfund laws claiming that producing energy has caused climate change and so those energy producers should be responsible for paying billions upon billions upon billions of dollars in fines,” she continued.

Those billions would not magically appear from some corporate vault hidden under a mountain.

Costs get passed along, and working Americans end up paying more for gasoline, electricity, food, transportation, and nearly everything else.

“The city of Boulder, Colorado, has a lawsuit pending in front of the United States Supreme Court right now against Suncorp. So the purpose of my legislation, and I filed this in conjunction with Senator Ted Cruz, is to stop these lawsuits in their tracks,” Hageman said.

WATCH:

The involvement of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas gives the effort additional weight on Capitol Hill.

Cruz has long been one of the sharper critics of green mandates, federal overreach, and climate policies that punish energy states while rewarding activist lawyers.

The bill lands at a time when the American energy sector is already being battered by regulators, bureaucrats, and climate lobbyists who seem far more interested in control than reliability.

From natural gas restrictions to anti drilling crusades, the left’s energy agenda keeps finding new ways to make life more expensive for ordinary families.

Hageman’s argument is straightforward. If politicians want a carbon tax, they should introduce one, defend it in public, and let voters respond accordingly.

What they should not do is hide behind lawsuits and let courts impose what elected lawmakers could not pass.

That is exactly why this legislation matters. It is not merely about protecting corporations from nuisance suits, as the left will surely claim.

It is about protecting consumers, constitutional government, and the basic principle that major policy decisions belong in the legislative branch.

The climate lawsuit machine has become a convenient tool for activists who want power without accountability.

They can file lawsuits, demand settlements, generate headlines, and pressure companies, all while pretending this is somehow about saving the planet rather than extracting money and political leverage.

For conservatives, Hageman’s move is another reminder of why she has become a respected voice on the right.

She did not arrive in Washington to play along with the permanent political class.

She arrived after knocking Liz Cheney out of Congress, which still earns her a well deserved place in grassroots conservative history.

The Stop Climate Shakedowns Act is the kind of direct response many Republican voters want to see.

It names the problem, confronts the scheme, and refuses to let radical climate activists use the courts as their private tax office.

If Democrats and green groups believe their agenda is so popular, they can campaign on higher energy costs, new taxes, and more lawsuits.

Until then, Hageman is doing exactly what voters sent Republicans to Washington to do, fight back.


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