⛽ Trump Waives Jones Act for 60 Days to Counter Rising Oil Prices
President Donald Trump issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act. This 1920 law requires goods shipped between U.S. ports to travel only on American-built, American-flagged, and American-crewed vessels. The temporary suspension lets foreign tankers carry oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal more freely between domestic ports. Officials took the step to ease short-term supply bottlenecks and place downward pressure on fuel prices. Those prices climbed after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran nearly three weeks earlier effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint handling about one-fifth of global crude oil supply. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the waiver another measure to mitigate oil-market disruptions while the military pursues objectives under Operation Epic Fury, adding that the administration stays focused on strengthening critical supply chains.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, FOX Business
🏛️ Senate Republicans Force Democrats on Record Over Voter ID Requirements; Doom SAVE Act To Fail
Senate Republicans advanced the House-passed SAVE America Act on a 51-48 procedural vote on March 17, 2026, and launched a multi-day floor debate instead of seeking cloture to highlight Democratic opposition to requiring photo identification and proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration and balloting. Majority Leader John Thune noted broad public support in polling for these measures and aimed to expose what he called Democrats’ lack of common sense on the issue, while amendments addressing additional Trump priorities such as mail-in ballot limits may be added; one Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, voted against proceeding, Democrats uniformly opposed the motion, and the bill faces long odds of final passage without 60 votes.
Sources: The Daily Signal, FOX News
⛔ Trump Administration Tightens Southern Border as Unauthorized Migrants Rise at Airports
President Trump has sharply reduced unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico land border, with Border Patrol apprehensions dropping to just 6,070 in January and port encounters falling to 3,656 at the southwest boundary plus 3,772 at the northern one. Unauthorized migrants labeled inadmissibles for lacking valid paperwork have instead increased at airports and seaports, more than doubling from around 8,500 in August and September to over 19,000 in January, according to the latest available figures from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Parole now accounts for a record 61.5 percent of these cases, allowing entry despite incomplete documentation, a shift that coincides with the land-border decline and draws from would-be travelers on student or work visas, plus some using questionable passports who then claim asylum. Former CBP acting commissioner Mark Morgan noted the numbers remain far below Biden-era peaks that exceeded 50,000 at airports monthly and warned that cartels continue probing for weaknesses while urging sustained enforcement, including broader removals, to avoid repeating past cycles of catch-and-release. Analysts pointed to Chinese and Indian nationals leading the airport trend, yet described overall volumes as manageable compared with previous southwest surges.
Sources: The Washington Times, TraceReports.org
🏛️ House Oversight Chair Subpoenas Attorney General Bondi Over Epstein Files
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued a subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi on March 17, 2026. The subpoena requires her to appear for a deposition on April 14, 2026, regarding the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress last year, and related matters including possible mismanagement, the release of files, Epstein’s death, and Ghislaine Maxwell’s case. The move follows bipartisan frustration over delays in full disclosure despite the law’s mandate for prompt release within 30 days, with some files still withheld after partial releases, congressional visits to review unredacted documents that later drew internal tracking criticism, and earlier calls from lawmakers including five Republicans for Bondi’s testimony.
Sources: The Daily Caller, The New York Post
⚠️ Army Identifies Two Suspects in Targeted Drone Theft at Fort Campbell
The U.S. Army has identified two suspects connected to the theft of four Skydio X10D Drone Systems from a secured government building at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. The incident took place in late November 2025 at the 326th Division Engineer Battalion. Investigators from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigative Division determined the individuals had authorized access to the installation and the building. They defeated locks on storage cages in what officials described as a targeted act rather than a random breach. The drones carried only small cameras with no advanced weaponry. Fort Campbell released surveillance photos and details on March 11 and confirmed the identifications shortly after based on public tips and evidence that also pointed to possible locations of the missing quadcopters. Officials stressed there is no threat to the public and described the matter as an active criminal investigation.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Leaf Chronicle
⚠️ 170 Million Dollars In Alleged Hospice Daycare And Home Healthcare Fraud Discovered In California
Independent journalist Nick Shirley released a 40-minute video on March 17 2026 that documents over 170 million dollars in suspected fraud involving California Medi-Cal and Medicare-funded hospice care, daycares, and home healthcare services. His team visited multiple sites in Los Angeles County where daycares listed dozens of children but showed few or none present, and some operated without adult supervision, while hospice offices stood empty during business hours despite luxury vehicles parked nearby. Medi-Cal spending has doubled since 2022, and hospice enrollment in Los Angeles surged by roughly 1000 percent in recent years, with one in every 10 dollars spent on U.S. home healthcare now traced to LA County. An anonymous healthcare industry source described a post-COVID trend in which operators easily obtain hospice licenses without medical credentials, then bill government programs using purchased or stolen Medicare beneficiary numbers. The video surpassed 7 million views on X and prompted an AI-generated response image from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office that Shirley criticized as an attempt to discredit his effort to expose waste. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz separately noted that 18 percent of national home health billing originates in LA County.
Sources: The Post Millennial, CBS2 Salt Lake City
🚨 Fairfax HS Parents Outraged Over Illegal Immigrant Teen’s Reported Return to Classes After Groping Arrest
An 18-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador named Israel Flores Ortiz, enrolled as a junior at Fairfax High School in Virginia despite being nearly 19, faces nine counts of assault and battery after about a dozen girls reported that he repeatedly sneaked up behind them in crowded hallways over several months and groped them between the legs, grabbing private areas before moving to their buttocks. Parents told reporters the school district downplayed the incidents, attempted to sweep them under the rug for half the school year, and informed them Ortiz would be allowed back to class upon release from custody, leaving families concerned for their daughters’ safety. A judge denied his pretrial release on Friday, even though the local commonwealth’s attorney supported it, while the Fairfax County Sheriff refused an ICE detainer request after Ortiz crossed the southern border illegally in 2024. The City of Fairfax School Board issued a statement acknowledging the situation, expressing support for affected students, and affirming that inappropriate conduct has no place in schools, though it defended the principal amid criticism.
Sources: The Post Millennial, ABC7 Arlington
⚠️ Trans Youth Advocate Charged With Raping Infant in Washington State
A 25-year-old Tacoma man who identifies as a woman and previously volunteered with a youth homelessness advocacy group at the REACH Center faces charges of first-degree rape of a child and sexual exploitation of a minor after authorities linked him to a graphic image showing him penetrating an infant girl’s vagina. Isabelle “Izzy” Kelso Flournoy IV, born William Kelso Flournoy IV, was arrested on March 5 by the FBI’s Missing and Exploited Children’s Task Force following a Google cybertip that described an adult man on his knees with a small infant. Police matched distinctive moles on the hands in the photo to Flournoy via IP tracing. The infant’s transient parents had invited him to their motel room for babysitting help in 2023, giving him access to her and two siblings. He pleaded not guilty and remains held on $1 million bail. This marks his second brush with such allegations; in July 2025, he faced charges for possessing child sexual abuse material, including images of girls aged 12 to 18 and a video of himself masturbating at a youth shelter. Investigators continue probing the REACH Center and other leads for additional victims.
Sources: Reduxx.info, The Post Millennial
⚖️ Obama-Appointed Judge Orders Release of MS-13 Gang Member With History of Rape and Robbery
A federal judge appointed by former President Obama directed immigration authorities to free Carlos Antonio Flores-Miguel, an MS-13 gang member from El Salvador who entered the United States illegally multiple times. Flores-Miguel has a criminal record that includes rape, robbery, and resisting officers in this country along with a prior robbery arrest in his home country. He received release into the United States in 2022 during the prior administration, faced deportation orders that allowed removal to countries other than El Salvador, and resisted arrest by ICE agents in Minneapolis on January 20 by punching and kicking officers while grabbing at one’s gun holster. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson issued the release order earlier this month and criticized the current administration for posting his photograph online as one of the “Worst of the Worst.” Department of Homeland Security officials called the decision reckless and warned that it places Americans at further risk from a violent criminal.
Sources: US Dept of Homeland Security, FOX News
💸 Indicted Florida Democrat Spent Over $200,000 in Taxpayer Funds on Luxury Chauffeur Service
Indicted Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has directed more than $200,000 from her congressional office budget to a Miami luxury chauffeur company and its co-owner since taking office in January 2022. House disbursement records show roughly $118,000 paid to Mauricio Pereira De Barros between 2022 and 2024 for items labeled as non-technology service contracts, taxi or ride shares, and one $240 janitorial charge. In 2025, she added about $85,000 more in payments to Easy Way Luxury and De Barros. The company markets itself as providing the pinnacle of luxury and sophistication to VIP clients, including possible concierge add-ons such as private yacht tours, personal shopping, and event access, though the exact services purchased remain unclear. Cherfilus-McCormick faces separate federal charges dating to November 2025, alleging that she and her family siphoned over $5 million in fraudulent FEMA COVID funds to buy personal luxuries, including a $109,000 diamond ring, and to fuel her narrow 2021 congressional win; she has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, FOX News
🩸 Trump Administration Temporarily Lifts Russian Oil Sanctions Amid Iran Conflict
The Trump administration issued temporary waivers on sanctions against Russian oil exports following U.S. military strikes on Iran that disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and drove up global crude prices. Officials granted a 30-day waiver on March 5 specifically for Indian refineries to purchase Russian crude already loaded on vessels at sea then expanded the suspension to all countries until April 5 on March 12. Over 130 million barrels of Russian crude sat on tankers as of early March. Chinese state-owned companies Sinopec and PetroChina began exploring resumed purchases of the discounted Russian oil after halting buys in late October to comply with prior U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil though no firm deals had closed by March 17. Indonesia signaled interest in acquiring Russian crude during the reprieve period while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the moves as necessary steps to stabilize energy markets and limit further flows to China after earlier tariff pressure had pushed India to scale back its Russian oil imports.
Sources: The Daily Caller, Reuters
🏛️ Tulsi Gabbard Tells Senators Iranian Regime Remains Intact but Largely Degraded
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. She stated that the Iranian regime appears to be intact but has been largely degraded by nearly three weeks of U.S. and Israeli military strikes under Operation Epic Fury. Gabbard noted that Iran’s conventional military power projection capabilities have largely been destroyed. This leaves Tehran and its proxies still capable of attacking U.S. and allied interests in the Middle East. She added that if the regime survives, it would likely seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its military, missiles, and UAV forces. The assessment came during the annual worldwide threats hearing on March 18, 2026, as lawmakers pressed for details on the conflict that began on February 28.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Wall Street Journal
💥 Iranian Drones And Rockets Hammer US Embassy In Baghdad As Dubai Airport Fuel Tank Burns
Rockets and at least five drones struck the US embassy compound in Baghdad early on March 17 in what Iraqi security sources called the most intense assault since the current conflict began. Air defenses downed several incoming threats, yet one drone hit inside the grounds and sparked visible fire and smoke, with no injuries reported among American personnel. The barrage formed part of a wider Iranian retaliation campaign against US and Israeli actions that started on February 28. Hours earlier, on March 16, an Iranian drone slammed into a fuel tank at Dubai International Airport. It triggered thick black smoke and a contained blaze that forced a temporary halt to flights at one of the world’s busiest hubs before operations resumed. No one was hurt in that strike, which marked the third such incident at the airport since fighting erupted. UAE forces intercepted multiple missiles and drones that same day, while Iran kept pressure on Gulf infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources: The Daily Mail, The New York Post
💥 Colombian President Requests Trump Help To Prevent Conflict With Ecuador Over Alleged Border Explosion
Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused Ecuador of dropping an explosive device from an aircraft near their shared border during a cabinet meeting on March 17, 2026. He stated that Colombia faced bombing from Ecuador and asked President Donald Trump to intervene by speaking with Ecuadorian officials to avoid any war. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa rejected the claims as false and said his government conducted operations only inside its own territory against narco groups. The incident occurred amid broader regional tensions including recent U.S.-Ecuador cooperation on counter-narcotics strikes and Ecuador’s large-scale police deployment described as being at war with cartels. Petro emphasized that Colombia has no desire for armed conflict.
Sources: Independent Journal Review, The Daily Caller
💥 Pakistan Airstrike Hits Kabul Drug Treatment Hospital Amid Escalating Border Conflict
Rescuers pulled more bodies from the rubble of the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul on March 17, 2026, after an overnight Pakistani airstrike, officials said, killed over 400 people and injured 265 others. Pakistan rejected Afghan accusations that it deliberately targeted the civilian facility, insisting its strikes hit military and terrorist infrastructure at the former Camp Phoenix site, which it described as an ammunition storage location several kilometers from the hospital. Afghan spokesmen condemned the action as an attack on innocents and addicts, while Pakistan maintained its operations aimed at militants from the Pakistani Taliban who use Afghan territory as a base. The incident marked a sharp rise in fighting, now in its third week, with repeated cross-border clashes and airstrikes despite international calls for calm. The United Nations expressed condolences, urged an immediate ceasefire, and called for accountability, noting hundreds of civilian deaths and widespread displacement since late February.
Sources: NewsMax, Al Jazeera