THE NEWS

The most dangerous moment in a high-stakes rescue mission often comes after the objective is secured, a veteran operator told Fox News on Monday, reacting after U.S. forces recovered a missing airman behind enemy lines in Iran.”Very often when these operations happen… we get our objective [and] over the radio, we say ‘jackpot’… and very often in the command center when that happens, everyone starts high-fiving each other because that means that you got the target, you got to [the] objective …,” Grey Bull Rescue founder and Chairman Bryan Stern told “Fox & Friends First.”But for the team on the ground, that moment marks the beginning of the most difficult phase in the rescue.PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BRIEFED ON DOWNED F-15 FIGHTER JET IN IRAN”If I’m calling ‘jackpot’ on the radio, that means that my team and I are still behind enemy lines. We just happen to now have our package with us. Getting home is often the harder part,” Stern explained.He continued, “My blood pressure always spikes as soon as we call a ‘jackpot’… because I know everyone’s very excited and not paying attention. I’ve got to get the team… back on track to remind them we still have to get home.”US PILOT RESCUED FROM DOWNED F-15E FIGHTER JET IN IRAN, SEARCH FOR SECOND CREW MEMBER ONGOINGStern’s remarks come after forces rescued a missing U.S. weapons systems officer from a downed F-15E in Iran following a multi-day search inside enemy territory as Iranian forces simultaneously searched the area.The pilot, who also ejected from the jet in Khuzestan province, was rescued Friday morning.President Donald Trump touted the recovery mission as an “Easter miracle.”

Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and President Trump (Credit: White House)
The Trump administration has secured a new agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to take in deported illegal aliens.
Deportees will begin arriving in the troubled African nation this month under the new arrangement, according to the country’s Ministry of Communications.
The arrangement is described as temporary, with the U.S. covering all logistical costs.
The DRC said the agreement reflects its “commitment to human dignity and international solidarity” and confirmed each case would be reviewed individually.
Their statement read:
This initiative is established in accordance with the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo regarding the management of access to and residence of foreigners on its territory, and is part of its international and regional commitments regarding the protection of migrants’ rights.
It also reflects the Congolese State’s unwavering commitment to human dignity and international solidarity. A country deeply affected by humanitarian realities and already hosting populations of diverse nationalities, the Democratic Republic of Congo remains committed to the values of hospitality and shared responsibility among nations.

New: The Democratic Republic of Congo to receive ​third-country nationals deported from the U.S. under a new deal with the Trump administration. pic.twitter.com/1Mbqe60BYA
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) April 5, 2026

The DRC is one of the most unstable countries in the world, with ongoing violence in parts of the country, weak central authority, and long-running security challenges.
Armed groups continue to operate in eastern regions, with attacks regularly killing dozens of civilians.
Despite that backdrop, Congo is the latest country to join a growing list of nations working with the United States to accept deportees who cannot be returned to their home countries.
At least seven other African nations, including Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Eswatini, have already entered into similar agreements.

The talks with Congo are coinciding with an effort by the Trump administration to implement a peace deal between Congo and Rwanda and an agreement ensuring U.S. access to Congolese critical minerals. https://t.co/9V7S9EyC4z
— Reuters Africa (@ReutersAfrica) April 3, 2026

Uganda has also started receiving deportees under a recently agreed deal.
The program targets migrants who cannot be deported to their countries of origin, often due to legal or logistical barriers.
U.S. officials have framed the policy as a practical solution to long-standing gaps in immigration enforcement, allowing removals to continue even when direct repatriation is not possible.
The agreement also comes as Washington increases its diplomatic engagement in central Africa, including efforts to broker a peace deal between Congo and Rwanda and secure access to key mineral resources.
The post War-Torn Congo Agrees to Take U.S. Deportees Under Latest Trump Crackdown appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

US Satellite Firm ‘Indefinitely Withholds’ Iran War Images Per Government Request

Authored by Alan Mosley via AntiWar.com,

Planet Labs says it will “indefinitely withhold” satellite visuals of Iran and the wider Middle East war zone after a request from the US government and the Trump administration. In an email to customers, the firm said it is shifting to a “managed distribution” model, releasing imagery only case-by-case for “urgent, mission-critical requirements,” or when release is deemed “in the public interest.” Planet also said it will withhold imagery dating back to March 9, and it expects the policy to remain in effect until the conflict ends.

On March 6, Planet Labs announced a mandatory 96-hour delay on new imagery collected over the Gulf states, arguing that near-real-time pictures could be exploited to “endanger allied, NATO, and civilian personnel.” That measure later expanded into a 14-day delay, described by Planet as an extension of the earlier hold. By March 30, Al Jazeera’s Digital Investigations unit was reporting that independent verification had become harder as commercial providers restricted satellite imagery.
A satellite image shows Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS

Satellite imagery matters because, unlike press briefings, it can corroborate damage, assess patterns of targeting, and check narratives that would otherwise be accepted on authority.

Reporting by the Global Investigative Journalism Network describes how open-source teams used satellite imagery and videos to probe contested incidents during this war, quoting Bellingcat’s head of research warning that a “two-week delay” slows verification and reduces the certainty investigators can reach while events are still developing. It also quotes the Defense Secretary saying, “Open source is not the place to determine what did or did not happen.”

Despite the insinuation that open source investigative journalism is less credible, even mainstream news organizations utilize such tools in their reporting. For example, Reuters has also used satellite imagery in its war coverage, including sharing said imagery and post-strike visuals with a munitions researcher in reporting on the strike on a girls’ school in Minab which killed over 170 people, mostly children. While later reporting added that the strike may have involved outdated targeting intelligence, it is worth noting that the president claimed “without evidence” that Iran was responsible.

One can concede that operational security is real and still recognize that “trust us” is an unsafe substitute for public evidence. In mid-March, the White House claimed Iran’s ballistic-missile capacity was “functionally destroyed,” with “complete and total aerial dominance,” while reporting in the same period described continued missile incidents and interceptions. But the Trump administration’s claim of total control over Iranian airspace seems dubious when countered with reports of military losses, such as the downing of multiple aircraft just since the start of April.

Just got this from Planet Labs:
Dear Tyler Rogoway,
Due to the conflict in the Middle East, the U.S. government has requested all satellite imagery providers voluntarily implement an indefinite withhold of imagery in the designated Area of Interest (AOI). Effective… https://t.co/JCJiTodRv0
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) April 4, 2026
The blackout of satellite imagery from the region is not a story about one firm’s products or customer service. It is a reminder that foreign intervention tends to produce domestic control, often without the drama of a formal censorship order. The same state that wages war can narrow the evidence available to judge that war. The predictable result is that the public is pushed to take the word of the administration’s spokesmen at face value, without timely means to verify or falsify their claims.

Tyler Durden
Mon, 04/06/2026 – 09:30

You get a text message. It says Amazon is hiring. The pay sounds great. The work is easy. It feels like a lucky break. Then you read it again. That is when things start to feel off, and you realize it could be a scam. Let’s break down the exact text message scammers are sending and call out every red flag so you know what to watch for next time.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com –  trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.  YOUTUBE JOB SCAM TEXT: HOW TO SPOT IT FAST Here is what stands out right away in this message.The message opens with “Hi” and does not include your name. Legitimate recruiters usually personalize outreach, especially for a job opportunity. A generic greeting suggests this message was sent to many people at once.The message shows up out of nowhere, which should immediately raise concern. In this case, there was no application submitted and no prior contact with a recruiter. Because of that, the outreach feels unexpected and unverified. Legitimate companies do not randomly text people with job offers, especially without any previous interaction.The message comes from a random Hotmail email address, not an official Amazon domain. Real recruiters from Amazon use corporate email accounts tied to Amazon. They do not text you from a generic email or personal number. That alone should stop you in your tracks.The role description sounds broad and generic. “Supporting Amazon sellers” and “online tasks” could mean anything. There are no clear responsibilities, no team, no department. Scammers keep things vague on purpose. It helps them reach more people.The message promises $100 to $600 per day for about an hour of work. That is not how legitimate jobs work. When you see high pay for very little effort, that is often bait designed to pull you in fast.It mentions a base pay of $1,000 for every four working days. That conflicts with the daily rate listed earlier. Inconsistent details are a common scam signal. Real job offers are clear and consistent.The message asks you to text “Interested” to a phone number instead of applying through a formal process. There is no application, no interview and no verification. Because of that, the urgency is intentional and designed to get a fast response before you have time to think it through.The message tells you to text a number like +14482009251. At first glance, it may look like a U.S. number because of the +1 country code. But scammers often use internet-based numbers that can be routed from anywhere. Legitimate recruiters rarely ask you to move a job conversation to a random phone number. If the number feels off, trust that instinct. It says, “If you are 25 or older.” That is not a standard hiring requirement for most roles. Random restrictions like this are another sign that something is off.There is no mention of:Legitimate companies follow structured hiring steps. They do not skip straight to texting.SSA IMPERSONATION SCAMS ARE GETTING MORE PERSONAL These messages hit a sweet spot for many people. They promise flexible work while also offering remote roles and quick income. As a result, that combination is hard to ignore, especially if you are job hunting. Because of this, scammers design messages that feel like an opportunity rather than a risk.You are likely to see more messages like this. Job scams have moved from email to text because people respond faster on their phones. That means you need to slow down and question anything that feels too easy or too good. A real opportunity will still be there tomorrow. A scam depends on speed.We reached out to Amazon about this text message scam, and a spokesperson told us:”Scammers that attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk. We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”Start with a quick gut check. Then take these steps. Go to the official website of Amazon and check their careers page. If the job is real, it will be listed there. Instead, ignore the message completely. Do not text back, click any links or call the number. Even a quick reply can confirm your number is active, which may lead to more scam attempts.Scammers often find your number through data broker websites that collect and sell personal information. Using a trusted data removal service can help reduce your exposure by removing your information from hundreds of these sites and lowering the chances of being targeted. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.comIf a scam message leads you to a link, your device could be exposed. Strong antivirus software helps block malicious downloads before they cause harm. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.comHigh pay for minimal work is one of the biggest warning signs. If it sounds easy, assume there is a catch.TECH GIANTS UNITE TO FIGHT ONLINE SCAMS Look at the email or phone number. If it is not tied to the company, treat it as suspicious.Never share sensitive details like your Social Security number, banking information or ID through text. Real employers use secure systems, not text messages. After you spot the red flags, delete the message right away. In addition, use your phone’s “Report Spam” option to flag it. This helps your carrier and messaging apps identify similar scams and block them for others. lso, Amazon recommends visiting its help pages to find additional information on how to identify scams and report them at amazon.com/ReportAScam.At first, the message looks polished. It uses a name and references a well-known company while laying out pay and benefits. However, once you slow down, the problems become clear. For example, the greeting is generic, and you never applied. In addition, the sender does not match the company, and the phone number feels off. On top of that, the pay is unrealistic, and the hiring process is missing entirely. This is how most scams work. They depend on speed instead of accuracy.Have you ever received a job text like this, and what tipped you off that it was a scam? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.comSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com –  trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

In recent months, ISIS and ISIS-inspired groups have carried out attacks in Africa, the United States, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, and now ISIS has called on Muslims around the world to launch more.
In its April 3, 2026 edition of al-Naba, its Arabic-language weekly newsletter, ISIS called on Muslims worldwide to set fire to churches and synagogues across the United States, Europe, Russia, and India, naming specific targets in Tunisia, Morocco, the UAE, and Syria.
The group cited Israel’s closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount as justification, a site Israeli authorities closed to Muslim worshippers in late February citing security risks.
The newsletter called for attacks on “Jewish gatherings” and instructed supporters to emulate what it called the “Sydney Heroes,” a reference to the December 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack, and claimed, without independent verification, to have inflicted 60 casualties across 15 operations in the preceding week.
The Bondi Beach attack, which ISIS invoked as a model, occurred on December 14, 2025, when a father and son killed at least 15 people at a Hanukkah gathering in Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the attack was inspired by ISIS ideology, and ISIS flags were found in the attackers’ vehicle.
On December 18, 2025, ISIS released al-Naba issue 526 featuring an editorial titled “The Pride of Sydney,” praising the attackers and calling for further attacks, singling out specific countries including Belgium.
While the casualty figures ISIS claimed cannot be verified, the group and ISIS-inspired individuals carried out attacks across multiple continents in the months preceding the Easter bulletin.
In the Middle East, ISIS ambushed a U.S.-Syrian joint patrol near Palmyra on December 13, 2025, killing two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian interpreter, triggering Operation Hawkeye Strike, a sustained U.S. retaliatory airstrike campaign across Syria.
In February 2026, ISIS declared war against the Syrian government, criticizing its alignment with the U.S. and Turkey, and reportedly killed ten government forces members.
ISIS cells continued attacking army checkpoints, SDF positions, and security personnel in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa.
A northeastern Syria offensive by the Syrian transitional government against the Kurdish-led SDF created a security vacuum in January 2026, resulting in the escape and mass transfer of thousands of ISIS detainees from facilities including al-Shaddadi prison.
In Iraq, an ISIS suicide bomber detonated explosives at a hideout in Al-Qa’im District during an attempted arrest, killing himself and injuring two security officers.
In Africa, ISIS-affiliated groups carried out a sustained campaign of mass casualty attacks.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Allied Democratic Forces, which pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2019, executed approximately 70 civilians in a Christian village in North Kivu in February 2026, beheading men, women, children, and elderly victims, as documented by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in its March 31 report.
ADF fighters attacked the villages of Muchacha and Babesua on March 11 and 16, killing 50 people and forcing more than 31,600 inhabitants to flee.
On the night of April 1–2, ADF fighters attacked Bafwakoa in Mambasa territory, Ituri province. Regional army spokesperson Lieutenant Jules Tshikudi Ngongo confirmed that at least 43 civilians were killed and 44 homes burned, while human rights activists put the toll at 70 deaths.
Between 2018 and July 2024, ISIS-DRC carried out 1,506 documented attacks resulting in 8,130 fatalities, making it the most lethal violent extremist group in the DRC.
In Nigeria, ISWAP killed nine soldiers in a landmine attack on January 5 and 15 Christians in raids across northeastern Nigeria on January 8.
On February 4, IS-affiliated Lakurawa gunmen killed at least 162 people in attacks on two villages in Kwara State. ISIS-Pakistan Province claimed responsibility for the 2026 Islamabad mosque bombing, which killed at least 31 people and injured more than 169.
In the United States, on December 31, 2025, federal authorities arrested 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill, North Carolina, charging him with attempting to provide material support to ISIS after recovering written plans titled “New Year’s Attack 2026” targeting a grocery store and fast-food restaurant.
On January 1, 2026, Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a vehicle into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 14 people. The FBI described him as “100 percent inspired by ISIS,” having self-radicalized online with no prior known ties to extremist networks.
On March 7, Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, both U.S. citizens from Pennsylvania, attempted to detonate two TATP-based improvised explosive devices at a protest outside Gracie Mansion in New York City, telling investigators they were inspired by ISIS.
On March 12, a gunman who had previously pleaded guilty to providing material support to ISIS killed one person at Old Dominion University in Virginia.
The same day, a naturalized Lebanese American citizen attacked a synagogue outside Detroit; security personnel shot and killed him.
In Asia, ISIS-Khorasan Province attempted to bomb the Israeli embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, in January 2026, a plot foiled by the State Security Service.
Seven people were killed and 20 were injured in a bombing at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul in January.
Six people were arrested on terrorism charges linked to ISIS in Malaysia on March 6. In South America, an ISIS member was arrested in Brazil for allegedly planning a suicide attack.
Arson attacks and bombings targeting Jewish institutions were reported in Belgium and the Netherlands following the U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran launched on February 28, an explosion struck the U.S. embassy in Oslo on March 8 and four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire in north London. None of these incidents have been confirmed as ISIS-directed.
The Atlantic Council noted in March 2026 that ISIS portrayed the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran as a “divinely sanctioned” conflict, and the group appeared eager to exploit regional instability to attract followers and inspire attacks.
A senior threat intelligence analyst at Tech Against Terrorism told the Daily Express that ISIS editorial messaging “weaves together conflicts in Iraq and Palestine with apocalyptic imagery that frames all opposition as part of a single cosmic battle,” adding that the decentralized, internet-based strategy poses risks in Western settings where online radicalization can translate into violence.
The post ISIS Calls For Attacks Around the World appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin on NBC’s ‘Today,’ Monday, April 6, 2026
Savannah Guthrie, co-host of NBC’s “Today,” returned to the airwaves Monday after releasing an emotional message Sunday concerning the resurrection of Jesus, even as her mother Nancy Guthrie remains missing after being abducted from her Arizona home.
“We are so glad you started your week with us, and it is good to be home,” the anchor said after a two-month hiatus since the unsolved disappearance of Nancy took place on Feb. 1.
“Well, ready or not, here we go. Let’s do the news,” she continued as she got into the latest events with Operation Epic Fury in Iran.

BREAKING: Savannah Guthrie says “it’s good to be home” as she returns to Today for the first time in over two months after her mother’s abduction
Guthrie, 54, returned to the desk at Rockefeller Center just before 7 a.m. during a short handoff with affiliates
She wore bright… pic.twitter.com/JwoCaLY15B
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) April 6, 2026

Savannah Guthrie also went outside the studio to read signs from supporters while sobbing, saying: “These signs are so beautiful, you guys have been so beautiful. I’ve received so many letters, so much kindness to me and my whole family. We feel it, we feel your prayers.”
Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy
On Sunday, Savannah Guthrie posted a lengthy video on social media in which she discussed the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus.
WATCH:

NEW: Savannah Guthrie releases emotional Easter message amid the disappearance of her mother, says she still believes.
Guthrie says she has questioned if Jesus ever experienced the specific pain she feels regarding the disappearance of her mother.
“Perhaps this is too dark a… pic.twitter.com/45VbmgmjfS
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 6, 2026

Savannah Guthrie said:
Good morning, everybody. Happy Easter. And Easter is happy. It is flowers and pastels and baby bunnies. It is sunshine and joy and hope.
It is rebirth and second chances and new life and fresh starts. It is the most important day of the year for all of us who believe, even more than Christ’s birth. More than his death, his resurrection, his second birth into a permanent life. That is what is most crucial to us. His revival and resurrection mean the same for us.
We celebrate today the promise of a new life that never ends in death. But standing here today, I have to tell you There are moments in which that promise seems irretrievably far away, when life itself seems far harder than death. These moments of deep disappointment with God, the feeling of utter abandonment. For most of us, there will come a time in our life when these feelings hold sway.
In our tradition, we are taught to take comfort in the fact that our friend Jesus, in His short life, experienced every single emotion that we humans can feel. That His taking on the form of humanity made Him not a distant observer to our pain but a hands-on experiencer of it. Recently, though, in my own season of trial, I have wondered. I have questioned. Whether Jesus really ever experienced this particular wound that I feel, this grievous and uniquely cruel injury of not knowing, of uncertainty and confusion and answers withheld.
In those darkest moments, I have thought bitterly and perhaps irreverently that I have stumbled upon a feeling that Jesus did not know. After all, don’t the Gospel stories recount Jesus informing His disciples of His destiny – that He had been sent to die to ultimately be raised up? They didn’t get it, but He did. He at least knew His fate. And yes, it grieved Him deeply, to the point of shedding tears of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane.
But still, He knew the ending. He knew the plan. There would be suffering, but then resurrection.
Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy Guthrie
It isn’t wrong to think such thoughts, to challenge our God with questions. God does not ask us to be stoics with standards of pain with Zen-like remove or shallow sloganeering about the hard battle God gives to His toughest soldiers. Our questions to God, our wrestling with God – this is his opportunity. For through our authenticity and vulnerability comes a portal of revelation, the imparting of truth and wisdom.
And so it went for me, this portal opening as I stared at yet another incongruently luminous desert sunset. Amidst my spirit’s utter darkness. Suddenly I remembered the grave. I remembered 3 days in the grave. No one talks much about that.
We focus mostly on Easter. Of course we do. We cut to the happy ending and the joy of Sunday morning. And yes, we do observe the Friday before, the agony of crucifixion. We mourn by candlelight that darkest night.
But after Jesus died, after he breathed his last, what did he actually know? On the cross, he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” That is the anguished cry of someone who does not know the answers. Where did his soul and his spirit go in those days in between? And what was he thinking? Did he think his time in the grave would be a day or two or 1,000 years?
In the grave, did his agony seem indefinite to him? That torment of uncertainty, the way indefinite pain can feel eternal? Perhaps he did know this feeling after all.
Savannah Guthrie, right, and her mother Nancy Guthrie
As humans living on this earth now, We are all suspended in that moment of uncertainty, not 3 days, but thousands of years between his cross and our resurrection with him. Our faith gives us a spiritual conviction that we will be reborn, that God will redeem this pain, that every tear will be wiped away, that our Easter is coming. But we live viscerally In the meantime, the mean time of feeling unsure, lost, abandoned, disappointed, enraged, forgotten, our comfort is that our God has felt those feelings from a perspective of humanity, that He has compassion on us, and that He promises, if not immediate answers, His sweet presence. He promises closeness to the brokenhearted. Somehow, miraculously, his loving and gentle presence that makes the mean time less mean.
Perhaps, perhaps this is too dark a message to share on Easter morning, but I have long believed that we miss out on fully celebrating resurrection if we do not acknowledge the feelings of loss pain, and, yes, death. It is the darkness that makes this morning’s light so magnificent, so blindingly beautiful. It is all the brighter because it is so desperately needed.
So I close my eyes this morning and I feel the sunshine. I see a bright vision of the day when heaven and earth pass away because they are one on earth as it is in heaven. When we celebrate today, this is what we celebrate. And I celebrate too. I still believe.
And so I say with conviction, Happy Easter.
Is the news we hear every day actually broadcasting messages from God? The answer is an absolute yes! Find out how!
Follow Joe on X @JoeKovacsNews

Trump Admin Appeals Order Halting White House Ballroom Construction, Citing Security Concerns

Authored by Ryan Morgan via The Epoch Times,

The Trump administration on April 3 appealed a judge’s order to halt construction on a new White House ballroom, elevating security concerns associated with the project.

On March 31, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued an order declaring the president lacked the authority to order the $400 million addition on the presidential residence.

Leon’s ruling came as a win for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, a congressionally chartered nonprofit for the preservation of U.S. monuments and historic sites, which has challenged the White House renovation.

The U.S. National Park Service filed an emergency motion before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on April 3, arguing that halting the construction in progress exposes a construction site with highly sensitive security features.

Beyond simply building an expanded facility to host guests, the National Park Service said the ongoing construction includes the installation of new protective features to withstand attacks from high-powered rifles, drones, missiles, and other unspecified “emerging national-security technologies and threats.”

Supporting the National Park Service in the case, U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn described the open construction site as a “managed safety hazard” that creates added challenges for the president’s security detail. The National Park Service argued the project should be finished quickly, writing, “Time is of the essence!”

In his ruling enjoining the construction project, Leon said that as president, Trump is the steward of the White House, but not an owner who can do with the residence as he chooses. The district judge wrote that the true authority over federal property rests with Congress, not the president.

In its appeal, however, the National Park Service argued that presidential authority covers security-related renovations at the residence.

“The district court took the erroneous, sweeping view that Congress did not authorize the ballroom construction at the White House—yet correctly allows construction ‘necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House and its grounds, including the ballroom construction site, and provide for the personal safety of the President and his staff,’” the National Park Service wrote.

Leon acknowledged security issues in his March 31 order to halt the construction.

In a separate order, the district judge said construction could not proceed on the development of the ballroom, but left room for the Trump administration to proceed with construction actions “strictly necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House and its grounds, including the ballroom construction site, and provide for the personal safety of the President and his staff.”

Leon’s order calls for a halt to the ballroom construction by April 14.

The district judge’s order of injunction was issued in the same week that the National Capital Planning Commission approved plans for the ballroom construction project.

The commission voted 8–1 in favor of the project, while two commissioners voted present, and another abstained from voting.

Tyler Durden
Mon, 04/06/2026 – 09:10

NBC’s Savannah Guthrie largely kept the focus on the news during her highly anticipated return to “Today” on Monday after a two-month absence as the search for her missing mother continues. Guthrie was poised during her return, which came 64 days after her mother, Nancy, went missing from her Arizona home. At 8:30 a.m. ET, 90 minutes into her return, Guthrie went outside to join the crowd gathered in the plaza outside the show’s Rockefeller Center studio.”These signs are so beautiful. You guys have been so beautiful, I received so many letters, so much kindness, and my whole family, we feel it, we feel your prayers. Thank you so much,” Guthrie said as she teared up. Guthrie then acknowledged a fan wearing a shirt that said, “Welcome home Savannah,” and took selfies with members of the crowd. She never mentioned her mother by name during the show. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE RETURNS TO NBC’S ‘TODAY,’ SAYS IT’S ‘GOOD TO BE HOME’ AS SEARCH FOR MOTHER CONTINUESNancy Guthrie went missing on Feb. 1, prompting her daughter to step away from NBC’s flagship morning show. The nationwide search for her mother has made national headlines but so far elicited few clues about her whereabouts or fate.Guthrie treated her return like business as usual at the opening, teasing stories on the war with Iran, President Donald Trump’s Easter morning social media post, rising gas prices and the Artemis II mission to space.”Good morning, welcome to ‘Today’ on this Monday morning. We are so glad you started your week with us, and it is good to be home,” Guthrie told viewers to kick off the program.SAVANNAH GUTHRIE BREAKS DOWN OVER POSSIBILITY HER MOM WAS TARGETED BECAUSE OF HER FAME, APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY”Here we go, ready or not, let’s do the news,” she added, alongside co-anchor Craig Melvin.Once Guthrie said she was happy to be home,” NBC’s morning show did the news as usual until the 7:30 am ET hour kicked off and Guthrie noted the “love” from fans. “Some beautiful signs out there,” Guthrie said. “I’m excited to see them, give them all a hug,” she continued, teasing her eventual trip outside. “I’ve been really feeling the love so much.” SAVANNAH GUTHRIE’S EASTER MESSAGE REVEALS ANGUISH AS MOM MISSING 63 DAYSNancy Guthrie is believed to have been taken from her home against her will and was last seen when her son-in-law dropped her off at home around 10 p.m. the night before she went missing.Investigators and the family have repeatedly appealed to the public for help. There is a combined reward of more than $1.2 million in connection with the case — a million of it from the Guthrie family for their mother’s recovery. The family has asked anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is a committed Christian, and his convictions have led him to renew the U.S. military’s orientation toward God.
As part of that effort, Hegseth has hosted several optional Christian services in the Pentagon, providing senior defense officials the chance to be exhorted and encouraged by various pastors.
But one secular advocacy group is displeased by the services, claiming they violate the First Amendment.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed two lawsuits pertaining to the services at the War Department, as well as the Labor Department.

Lawsuit filed over Hegseth’s Christian nationalism. He’s “abusing the power of their government positions and taxpayer-funded resources to impose their preferred religion on federal workers,” said CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and Statehttps://t.co/hwI665lsUy
— Nancy Levine Stearns (@nancylevine) March 26, 2026

The group claimed that the agencies denied Freedom of Information Act requests about the services.
“AU sought records that document communications with department employees, contractors and other agencies; the cost; the amount of time department employees spent; invited speakers and guests; transcripts or recordings; and any complaints from employees relating to the prayer services,” a news release from the group said.
“The requested documents will help AU determine whether the departments are upholding their obligation to remain neutral about religious matters and respect the religious freedom of federal workers.”
Because neither of the departments purportedly offered a “substantive response within the time frame required by FOIA,” the two lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C.”
“They argue that the departments unlawfully withheld records they are required to disclose under FOIA,” the release added.
Rachel Laser, the chief executive of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, asserted that “the federal government’s role is to serve the public, not to proselytize.”

Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed has filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Labor demanding public records related to monthly prayer meetings hosted by both agencies.https://t.co/3djnC5p56p
— Baptist News Global (@baptist_news) March 24, 2026

“Even if these prayer services are presented as voluntary, there is pressure on federal employees to attend in order to appease their bosses – especially since these services occur amidst the Trump administration’s campaign to punish anyone who doesn’t comply with its Christian Nationalist agenda.”
The release indeed linked to another webpage decrying the dangers of “White Christian Nationalism” — saying that so-called “Christian Nationalists” actively deny “equality for people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities, and the nonreligious.”
“This resurgent movement is part of the backlash against the changing demographics in America and the struggle to retain traditional white Christian power structures,” the group claimed.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Hegseth’s Prayer Service Targeted by 2 Lawsuits over So-Called ‘White Christian Power Structures’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

California’s delayed, over-budget high-speed train from Los Angeles to San Francisco is running fast only in one direction: Rising costs to even get rolling, which are now estimated to be $126 billion.”Today, we estimate with the right optimization just over $125 billion,” California High Speed Rail Authority board member Anthony Williams told CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday. “I think $126 billion is the current estimate for that.”That is nearly four times the $33 billion price tag presented to voters in 2008, making the long-delayed project a black eye for Democrat-run California, derided as the latest political example of “waste” in deep-blue America and a “train to nowhere.””We’re now in 2026: There are no trains; there’s no track laid; it was a complete bait and switch,” Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., told “60 Minutes,” saying the project “needs to stop.”NEWSOM TOUTS CALIFORNIA’S NUMEROUS LEGAL FIGHTS WITH TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IN FINAL STATE OF THE STATE”The California High-Speed Rail nightmare is the probably quintessential example of government waste and mismanagement.”California’s long-troubled high-speed rail project is facing renewed scrutiny after state Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin acknowledged that many of its critics have a point.”There were mistakes made,” Omishakin told CBS. “Some of the criticism on this project I think are very fair.”TRUMP ADMIN UNCOVERS ‘STAGGERING’ $8.6 BILLION IN SUSPECTED CALIFORNIA SMALL BUSINESS FRAUD”I don’t think the voters fully understood and neither did we in the public sector what it was going to take to actually get this project delivered,” Omishakin added.Taking aim at California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, President Donald Trump called California’s project “the worst cost overrun, I’ve ever seen,” a statement he he has in the past reserved for Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell’s Federal Reserve Building in Washington, D.C.”This administration is working to usher in a Golden Age of Transportation,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS in a statement. “That vision includes high speed rail and we’re exploring opportunities to efficiently build that infrastructure in America.NEWSOM’S FAILED LEADERSHIP HAS LET CALIFORNIA BECOME A LAND OF FRAUD AND SCAMS”What this administration won’t stand for is boondoggle projects like Newsom’s Train to Nowhere that wasted billions in taxpayer dollars yet delivered nothing to the American people,” Duffy said. “Under President Trump, America is building again. We defunded Newsom’s disaster and created the first Trump Infrastructure Dividend. Those dollars will now actually fund critical projects that enhance safety on rail networks across America.”Newsom himself cast doubt on the full San Francisco-to-Los Angeles plan in 2019, and the project now faces a funding gap of roughly $90 billion.”For $10 billion, Elon Musk put 300 rockets in orbit; for $11 billion, the state of California has built 1,600 feet of elevated rail with no rail,” Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar said in 2024.State officials say they remain confident more money can be found to dump into the project, but for now California’s high-speed rail stands as a costly symbol of ambition, delay, and deep public skepticism.’THE DAILY SHOW’ ROASTS GAVIN NEWSOM ON HOMELESSNESS, HIGH-SPEED RAIL IN SATIRICAL ‘LEADING MAN’ VIDEO”The ultimate 494 miles of building this out without the federal government’s help will be challenging: There’s no doubt about that,” Omishakin said.Nearly two decades since the start of the project, no track has been laid, and the only major visible progress is on a Central Valley segment between Bakersfield and Merced, according to the report.The project’s earliest projected opening is now 2033, far later than originally promised. Critics, including Bakersfield’s Fong, a member of the House Transportation Committee.CALIFORNIA IS BROKE, BUT IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR THE REST OF US”The business plan that was put out in 2008 was very theoretical,” Fong said. “You know, ‘This is what we think is gonna happen.'”And it became very clear that they didn’t have the specifics worked out.”Fong has sought oversight and accountability on the waste, including 597 change orders that have cost more than $2.3 billion alone as of November 2025, which is nearly 7% of the initial $33 billion project estimate.”Taxpayers deserve full transparency and accountability,” Fong wrote in a statement in February. “The high-speed rail nightmare is a glaring example of structural mismanagement.”Reckless, repeated contract amendments have squandered resources and precious tax dollars. Hardworking California taxpayers cannot afford to let this continue. This project should be canceled before even more money and time are wasted.”