Thursday, March 18, 2026
Good morning, and welcome to RedState’s “Morning Minute” — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day.
TOP O’ THE MORNIN’
Red-Hot at RedState
Trump Calls Reluctant Allies’ Bluff on the Strait, Gets Big Response From NATO Chief
Gee, what happened to “We didn’t start it”? Sounds like Trump shamed them into movement. Rutte gets Trump, so he knows they have to pony up.
Investigative Arm of IRS, FBI Reach Major Turning Point, Dig Into Nonprofits That Fund Domestic Terror
This is the kind of news you love to hear, when government seems to be doing something many Americans say they voted for when returning President Trump to another round in the White House: getting rid of the potential noxious collusion between far-leftist progressive nonprofit organizations and the homegrown terror entities like Antifa they bankroll.
Report: FBI Has Been Investigating Joe Kent for Months Over Classified Leak Allegations
That back-and-forth is happening under the shadow of a federal investigation, raising the stakes well beyond a typical Washington dispute. Kent is no longer just a former official airing grievances. He is a former intelligence official whose actions were and are being scrutinized for potential legal and national security implications.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Bearing Arms — Trump Administration Opposes Pro-Gun Bill in Wyoming
I’m more than a little annoyed how it only seems to matter when it comes to enforcing gun control laws and not immigration laws, of course, but I’m also not in a position to do more than gripe about that little discrepancy.
Hot Air — Illinois Had Some Surprises in Last Night’s Primary Elections
It looks as if the rest of the state is starting to stir a bit from progressive madness, even as Chicago surprisingly shuffles off some of its CTU coils.
PJ Media — Top Democrat Accidentally Reveals What Her Party Really Fears in the SAVE Act
Democrats aren’t worried that eligible American citizens will be turned away. They’re worried about the illegitimate voters who would be turned away — the ones who, under current lax standards, might have slipped through. The SAVE America Act closes that door, and for Democrats, that’s the real problem hiding behind all the noise.
Townhall — New Investigation Exposes Gavin Newsom’s $114M Butterfly Bridge
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is being ridiculed after an investigation found that he spent $114 million on a butterfly overpass that’s over-budget and at least a year late.
Twitchy — Newsom Press Office Crotch-Kicks Themselves Attempting to Own Critics of the Latest Calif. Boondoggle
Are we actually sure the Newsom Press Office account isn’t really just a GOP operative trying to make the possible Democrat 2028 nominee look as clownish as possible?
WHAT’S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill…
Wednesday was quite the busy day on the Hill, so Thursday looks to be a bit tamer by comparison — but it’s all relative, right?
- House Intelligence (Permanent Select) — Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment Hearing (OPEN) — DNI Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel to testify
- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — Business meeting to consider the nomination of Markwayne Mullin, of Oklahoma, to be Secretary of Homeland Security
- Senate Energy and Natural Resources — Hearings to examine Department of Energy’s implementation of President Trump’s May 2025 nuclear energy executive orders
- Senate Armed Services — Hearings to examine the posture of United States Northern Command and United States Southern Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2027 and the Future Years Defense Program
ALSO SEE: Elissa Slotkin, Other Dems Turn Up the TDS Meter at Markwayne Mullin’s DHS Confirmation Hearing
Gabbard Shrugs Off Joe Kent Drama, Appears Before Intelligence Committee to Talk Sharia, Border, and Iran
White House What’s Up
If it seems like I note that President Trump has a busy day almost every day…it’s because he does:
- 8:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Executive Time — The White House
- 11:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Greeting with the Prime Minister of Japan — The White House
- 11:15 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Bilateral Meeting — Oval Office
- 3:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
- 7:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Greeting with the Prime Minister of Japan — The White House
- 7:15 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Dinner with the Prime Minister of Japan — State Dining Room
ALSO SEE: Vance Casts the Midterms As a Choice in MI Speech: Biden Wrecked the Economy—Trump Is Fixing It
Trump Calls Reluctant Allies’ Bluff on the Strait, Gets Big Response From NATO Chief
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
Sec. War – Pete Hegseth — Hegseth is holding another Pentagon press conference alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine on Thursday morning regarding Operation Epic Fury.
Full Court Press…
The courts were a touch quieter on Wednesday, though there was one decision of note:
- ✅* In Immigration Advocates Response Collaborative v. DOJ (immigration enforcement), Judge Trevor McFadden (D.C.) GRANTS in part admin’s motion to dismiss (Counts III – VII).
*This wasn’t a complete win, as several counts survive the motion to dismiss — still, it’s a partial win.
ALSO SEE: SCOTUS Takes Up High-Stakes TPS Fight Over Executive Authority
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Look for some SCOTUS decisions on Friday. We’ll be watching!
MORNING MUSING
I like Rand Paul. I don’t always agree with Rand Paul. But overall, I like him. I like Markwayne Mullin, too, but Rand Paul sure doesn’t. And, in fairness to him, that may be warranted. But none of that has — or should have — any bearing on whether or not Mullin gets confirmed as DHS Secretary.
READ MORE: ‘You Fight Republicans More Than You Work With Us’: Mullin, Rand Paul Clash in DHS Confirmation Hearing
The president has nominated him for the gig. The role of Paul — and any other senators — is to determine whether there’s something disqualifying about Mullin that should prohibit his confirmation. And saying something mean or insensitive about Paul — or any one of their colleagues — oughtn’t be the determining factor.
Paul knows that. I’ll be interested to see whether he can set aside his personal feelings on the matter when the committee takes its vote today. 🍿
LIGHTER FARE
That is NO sandworm!
DUNE PART THREE..😅 pic.twitter.com/NAP2AiGeqO
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) March 17, 2026
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