3/24/2026

chump's last month's rose - faded and falling apart

hope you already saw this:


North Carolina Senate leader Republican Phil Berger, who touted President Donald Trump’s endorsement throughout his campaign, conceded defeat Tuesday in his primary election in a race he lost by just 23 votes.

Berger, a powerful figure in state politics, and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page were separated by just two votes when unofficial results first came in for the Greensboro-area seat on election night. A machine recount and a separate hand recount of ballots in some counties affirmed the 23-vote loss for the incumbent.

berger was the incumbent and he had chump's endorsement.  and this was a republican primary.  are you getting how unimportant chump is?   


if not, david w. chen ('new york times') notes another race that took place today  and this 1 was not a primary:

Democrats on Tuesday flipped a Florida legislative district that includes President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, pulling off another upset in a state house election but this time one with obvious symbolic power.

Emily Gregory, a first-time candidate with a public health background, became the latest Democrat to win a special election and claim a statehouse seat previously held by a Republican.

Across the state, another Democrat, Brian Nathan, a Navy veteran and electrical workers union leader, was leading a tight West Tampa race for a state senate seat vacated by Florida’s newly appointed lieutenant governor.

Since the 2024 presidential election, Democrats have flipped more than two dozen seats in Republican or battleground states — including ones in Arkansas and New Hampshire earlier this month — while the Republicans have not captured any Democratic seats.


chump better face facts, he is last month's rose.  press him in a book or toss him in the trash, all the life has gone out of him.  


'general hospital'?


nathan got rocco off the pier after rocco shot ross.  jason's going to take the blame for it.  jason told britt - when she came to - that she was to say he shot ross.

nathan took rocco home to lulu.  she wanted to know what had happened.  rocco can't really talk - he's dazed.  nathan said that no 1 can know what happened not even rocco's father (dante) and that if any 1 asks, rocco was home with lulu the whole time.  he tells her he'll be back as soon as he can to explain what happened.


lulu does try to talk to her son but rocco's not talking.


dante keeps trying to get jason to speak - without his attorney present.  jason refuses to.

danny calls 911 while alexis tries to stop marco's bleeding.  the police get there and then the techs.  they take marco to the hospital.


lucas is at the hospital when ross is brought in.  while he preps for surgery, he calls marco to make sure marco is ok.  he gets marco's voice mail and leaves a message asking marco to call him or text him asap because he's worried.

portia checks out britt.  britt's still coming to.  at 1 point she asks for her phone and portia tells her she had no phone when she was brought in and britt says she has to call marco.  that's when portia tells her that marco was stabbed repeatedly.  

carly and cassadine had it out before carly finally believed him that he wouldn't hurt her and that she could trust him.

danny, not knowing sonny's been picked up by the police, goes to charlotte and explains he has to find his father.  he thinks they should go to sonny.  charlotte says no because that's where every 1 would expect danny to go.  

let's close with c.i.'s 'The Snapshot:'


Tuesday, March 24, 2026.  Chump has no idea what he's doing with regards to the war on Iran, he has no concerns about how he's destroying the economy, ICE arrests a crying woman at an airport, Kristi Noem's boytoy is upset that the press is covering his dealings, and much more.


INDIA TODAY reports, "The longer the Iran war continues, the more complicated it becomes for US President Donald Trump, who is facing boiling criticism with no easy way out in sight. Leon Panetta, former US defence secretary and Central Intelligence Agency director, said that Donald Trump is stuck between 'a rock and a hard place' after weeks of conflict."  Chump changes the reason for the war near daily just as he changes the goal for it.  He has no idea what he's doing.  Akbar Shahid Ahmed (HUFFINGTON POST) reports on the mood of some service members:


Interviews with active duty soldiers, reservists, and advocacy groups focused on service members found some U.S. troops who are caught up in the war are reporting vulnerability, overwhelming stress, frustration and disillusionment to the degree they may leave the military. The reservists and active duty soldiers spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation or because they were not authorized to speak to the press. 

A military official who is treating service members evacuated from the Middle East to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany amid Iran’s retaliation said troops are suffering from “inadequate force protection and planning” and already reporting a severe, destabilizing toll from Iranian ballistic missiles and drones that have been repeatedly striking American military facilities. Thirteen troops have been killed amid the war so far, seven due to strikes, and at least 232 have been wounded.
A ground operation would be “an absolute disaster… we don’t have a plan for that,” the official said earlier this week. “We can’t even fully defend a single land base in the theater.”

A veteran and reservist who mentors younger officers told HuffPost her contacts are expressing a loss of faith to a new degree. 
“I’m hearing out of service members’ mouths the words, ’We do not want to die for Israel — we don’t want to be political pawns,” she said. Another reservist in touch with current troops separately reported hearing similar comments.

“I’ve shared conscientious objector information six times in the past two weeks and I’ve been in the military almost 20 years — I’ve never had people reach out this way,” the first reservist continued.
[. . .]
The lack of a clear, consistent narrative justifying the Iran war is a key source of discontent among troops, the reservists said, demoralizing those who believe a poorly planned conflict is placing them in unnecessary danger for no identifiable strategic benefit.


No one knows what Chump is doing -- and that includes Chump.  Martha McHardy (DAILY BEAST) notes:


His timeline for the conflict also grew increasingly muddled. Early on, Trump said the fighting could continue for “four weeks or so.” Not long after, though, he claimed the campaign was “very complete, pretty much,” before later walking that back and saying the war would not be over that week, though it would end “very soon.”
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has asked Congress to sign off on another $200 billion for the Iran conflict, a massive funding request that appears at odds with Trump’s repeated claims that the war is nearly over. The administration is also reportedly considering sending additional air and naval assets to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and keep the vital shipping lane open.

What is known?  THE NEW YORK TIMES notes:


Oil prices rose and global stocks ticked higher on Tuesday, a day after President Trump set off a drastic market reaction by backing away from a threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure.

On Monday, crude oil plunged and stocks jumped after Mr. Trump said the United States and Iran were in talks to end the war. Iran denied that negotiations were underway and accused Mr. Trump of issuing false statements to calm rattled energy markets.



Senior military officials are weighing a possible deployment of a combat brigade from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and some elements of the division’s headquarters staff to support U.S. military operations in Iran, defense officials said.

The officials described the military’s actions as prudent planning, noting that nothing had been ordered by the Pentagon or U.S. Central Command, which declined to comment. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing planning.

The combat forces would come from the 82nd Airborne’s “Immediate Response Force,” a brigade of about 3,000 soldiers capable of deploying anywhere in the world within 18 hours. These forces could be used to seize Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.

Another possibility being considered, should President Trump authorize U.S. troops to seize the island, is an attack by about 2,500 troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is on its way to the region.

The airfield on Kharg Island was damaged by the recent U.S. bombing raids so former U.S. commanders said it was more likely to first bring in Marines, whose combat engineers could quickly repair airfields and other airport infrastructure. Once the airfield is repaired, the Air Force could start flowing matériel and supplies, as well as troops, if necessary, by C-130s.




A conservative media personality is sounding the alarm about President Donald Trump’s polling on key issues ahead of November’s midterm elections.

“November is a long way away, but if these numbers hold, we are going to get massacred in the midterms. That’s just reality,” Jesse Kelly, host of The Jesse Kelly Show, wrote on X, alongside the results of a new CBS News/YouGov poll that showed Trump underwater on issues including the Iran war, the economy and immigration.


But why look at just one poll?  Jasmine Laws (NEWSWEEK) looks at five:

Five new polls have suggested that President Donald Trump’s approval rating is falling in some cases to record lows, as America’s conflict with Iran in the Middle East continues, and concerns about the U.S. economy are growing nationwide.
[. . .]

One of the five new polls was a CBS News/YouGov survey, conducted between March 17 to 20. In total, 3,335 U.S. adults participated and the outcome revealed that 60 percent said they disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president.

This marked a net percentage point drop in approval of 20, according to RealClear Polling. Some 49 percent of participants also said they “strongly disapprove” of Trump’s actions as president, while 24 percent said they “strongly approve.”
For the economy, inflation and immigration, more participants disapproved than approved the way Trump was handling the policy areas.

Disapproval of how he was handling the situation in Iran was 62 percent, while 32 percent believed the U.S. economy would be in recession next year. Of those polled, 52 percent felt Trump’s policies were making them “financially worse off.” The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent.




And on the economy?  Jennifer Bowers Bahney (MEDIAITE) notes, "CNN data guru Harry Enten claimed Donald Trump was 'last in the pack' of all 21st century presidents when it comes to voter approval on the economy."  As Jill Lawrence (BULWARK) pointed out, "His top economic priority has been to enrich himself and the rest of the billionaire/(Jeffrey) Epstein class, while sharply cutting resources for programs that help low-income people."  Thomas Kika observes:

The odds that Republicans will lose both the House and the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections are increasing, and according to a new breakdown from a Fox News analyst, it will be entirely President Donald Trump's fault.

Democrats have been tipped to retake the House majority since late last year, when simmering voter resentment against Trump saw his approval rating tank and led to major Democratic victories in off-year elections. Due to an unfavorable slate of races, the Senate was seen as a long shot for the party initially, but as Trump and his agenda have grown more and more unpopular, the odds have slowly begun to break for Democrats, with some polls now putting the chamber as a toss-up.


Today on MS NOW's MORNING JOE, they noted how ICE at the airport is a bad look for Republicans heading into the mid-terms. 



And how poor of a look it is was made clear yesterday.   Malcolm Ferguson (THE NEW REPUBLIC) reports:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violently arrested a woman at an airport just one day after President Donald Trump called for them to help fill TSA staffing gaps.

Video of the incident on Sunday night showed two plainclothes agents dragging a sobbing woman away inside a boarding area of San Francisco International Airport. The reason for her arrest was not officially stated, and the agents refused to identify themselves or show an official badge. Meanwhile, airport authorities surrounded the agents to protect them while they kidnapped the woman—as a young girl traveling with her stood behind them crying during the arrest.



Immigration?  ICE destroyed Chump's reputation there.  Kristi Noem is out but not forgotten.  Laura Esposito (DAILY BEAST) reports:
 
Kristi Noem’s right-hand man—and alleged “loverboy”—had even more access to sensitive government secrets than previously known.

Corey Lewandowski, a top aide to the ousted Homeland Security secretary, wielded the full might of the Department of Homeland Security—sitting in on classified briefings and weighing in on contracts approved by the agency, The New York Times reported Saturday.
More than 20 current and former Trump administration officials told the Times that Lewandowski, who was brought on by Noem, 54, to serve only 130 days annually as a special government employee, built a system in which he was privy to all the department’s resources—and secrets.
Lewandowski, who is married, has been glued to Noem’s side since she stepped into her role last January. During that time, the former Trump adviser reportedly cast a powerful vote on most of the department’s ground operations and personnel decisions and was the driving force behind Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino’s ascension to power.

Bovino announced he was departing the agency this month following his leadership of immigration crackdowns across the country that saw two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis killed by federal agents.
Lewandowski also reportedly placed employees on leave on a whim over trivial matters, sources told the Times. Last month, the 52-year-old made headlines for reportedly firing a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after a blanket belonging to Noem was left behind on a different plane.

More insight into the vast power Lewandowski wielded at DHS comes from additional reporting alleging that he sought personal paydays by steering companies seeking highly lucrative government contracts.


Ariana Baio (INDEPENDENT) notes, "Corey Lewandowski, the unpaid adviser to outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is unlikely to return to the White House once he leaves his post this month after generating various controversies over the last year, according to a new report."  But you haven't heard the last of him, Congress is very interested in his dealings.  Laura Strickler (NBC NEWS) explains:

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have launched a new inquiry into outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s top aide, Corey Lewandowski, who allegedly sought personal payments from contractors, as was outlined in an NBC News investigation last week.
On Monday, House Oversight Democrats sent a letter to the private prison company GEO Group asking it to disclose details of meetings and conversations Lewandowski had with the firm both before the transition period after President Donald Trump was elected in 2024 and during 2025.

Lewandowski denied allegations he sought payments in exchange for favorable contract decisions. GEO Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

GEO Group is the largest owner of detention centers in the United States, and the company plays a major role in Trump’s mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants. The firm holds more than a billion dollars worth of contracts with DHS.


Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform issued the following:



Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, demanded answers from GEO Group after new NBC News reporting alleged Corey Lewandowski, a Special Government Employee at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), attempted a pay-to-play scheme with the private prison company over DHS contracts. Lewandowski allegedly demanded kickbacks based on the value of GEO Group’s new or renewed contracts with DHS. After Lewandowski rejected GEO Group’s counteroffer to put him on retainer, Lewandowski allegedly told a senior DHS official not to award the corporation any more contracts in an apparent act of retaliation.

 
“Corey Lewandowski appears to have engaged in deep-rooted corruption at the Department of Homeland Security, and this massive pay-to-play scheme should concern all Americans. We need answers directly from any companies Lewandowski was soliciting. Oversight Democrats are going to root out this corruption at DHS, and we won’t stop until there’s accountability,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.

In the letter to GEO Group Chairman and CEO George Zoley, Ranking Member Garcia wrote, “Mr. Lewandowski may have used his position in the Trump Administration and close relationships to President Trump and Secretary Noem to enrich himself while serving as a special government employee (SGE). If true, these allegations of Mr. Lewandowski shaking down contractors for kickbacks represent a clear violation of the law and a serious breach of public trust by DHS. We ask for your cooperation in our investigation.”

This letter is an escalation of Oversight Democrats’ investigation into Corey Lewandowski’s role at the Department of Homeland Security. This month, Ranking Member Garcia joined Rep. Rick Larsen, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, to demand an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General into Corey Lewandowski’s employment. Additionally, the Ranking Members wrote directly to DHS and demanded all communications and internal records regarding Corey Lewandowski’s involvement in DHS personnel and contracting decisions.

In August, Ranking Member Garcia wrote to then-Secretary Kristi Noem regarding Corey Lewandowski’s employment as a Special Government Employee, demanding a complete accounting of his service days (including records and logs), assessment on whether he has exceeded his 130 day limit as an SGE, all documents and communications regarding his role in personnel decisions (firing/hiring) and grant approvals in FEMA operations, and all documents and direct communications between Lewandowski and any lobbying firm, lobbyist, or government contracting consultant.

In September, Ranking Member Garcia wrote to the Office of Government Ethics and to then Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the public release of Corey Lewandowski’s financial disclosures, which they have illegally failed to produce. Lewandowski meets the qualifications to be a public filer, meaning that legally, his financial disclosures must be made public.

 
###

Corey is not taking the news well.  Laura Espisito also reports:

Kristi Noem’s alleged longtime lover is lashing out—threatening a legal showdown after a bombshell report accused him of trying to cash in on lucrative government contracts.

Corey Lewandowski, a top Trump attack dog and adviser to the ousted Homeland Security secretary, is threatening litigation against NBC News, which reported that multiple companies complained to the Trump administration that Lewandowski stood to profit from the DHS contracting process.



And what of Chump's friend Epstein?  


 Nicole Charky-Chami (RAW STORY) notes:


Former modeling agent and longtime ally to President Donald Trump, Paolo Zampolli asked a top ICE official for help "to settle a personal score" and have the mother of his child deported during a custody battle, according to The New York Times.

Zampolli, a now presidential special envoy, introduced Trump to the president's now wife Melania.

He found out that his Brazilian ex-girlfriend, Amanda Ungaro, had arrested on charges of fraud at her work and in custody at a Miami jail — and last year talked to a top official at ICE, David Venturella, to see if she could be placed in ICE detention, citing that she was in the country illegally, The Times reported.

The two had been going through a custody battle over their teenage son and "now he saw an opportunity" to try and get him back, Friday's report stated.

A source familiar with Zampolli's communications and records acquired by The Times revealed that Ungaro was picked up from a Miami jail by ICE agents before she could make bail and later deported. Although this could have happened without her ex-boyfriend's involvement, it raises questions about how members of the Trump administration have used the federal government during Trump's second term to pursue personal vendettas.



When Ungaro met Zampolli, she was still a teenager, and he was in his early 30s. While Zampolli insists that their courtship didn’t begin until Ungaro was 19, certain sources imply that Ungaro was much younger when her grooming by Epstein began.

“This is not family drama. This is a criminal operation,” Ungaro shared in a statement published by Bekah Day this January. “I have proof that me and my family have faced harassment, threats, and blackmail from Paolo for years. I have information and proof of government and public officials being bribed by Paolo.I have proof that Paolo began trying to date me when I was 15 years old, and it is true that I was on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane as a teenager. I was only 16 years old the first time I was put on his plane.”

Tr*mp and Zampolli’s longstanding ties feature a number of fellow Epstein associates, such as magician David Copperfield. In a 2013 email, Zampolli wrote to Melania: “As you know Donald changed my life w/ u That night at dinner w/ Copperfild.” 
During Tr*mp’s first administration, when he put Zampolli on the board of the Kennedy Center, Zampolli and Ungaro lived together in Washington with their son. But by 2023, Ungaro discovered that her partner was busy grooming other young girls, and left him. In June of 2025, he called ICE on her.

While this information has circulating since June when Day and other independent reporters got the intel about the ICE attack on Ungaro, the Times exposé marks the first case of a mainstream news source connecting the dots between Zampolli, Ungaro, Epstein, and the Tr*mps.


Donald Chump's late friend remains in the news.  Robert Davis (RAW STORY) reports:

A political analyst was taken aback on Sunday by a report that uncovered new details about the death of disgraced financier and convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein. 

On Friday, the Miami Herald reported that several bags of shredded documents were found outside of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, where Epstein was being kept. Investigatory documents obtained by the outlet revealed that at least one inmate was involved in disposing of the documents and raised questions about the extent of the prison guards' involvement in the ordeal.

Podcaster and owner of MSW Media, Allison Gill, was taken aback by the report as she discussed it on a new episode of her podcast, "The Breakdown," on Sunday. She called the report a "massive revelation."

"If there weren't already a million really weird coincidences surrounding the death of Jeffrey Epstein, if there weren't a mountain of odd coincidences, this story ... would still raise glaring alarm bells just on its own," Gill said.

Gill noted several facts presented in the report that seemed "pretty convenient." For instance, an inmate named Steven Lopez was interviewed by FBI agents about the document shredding, but was only asked yes-or-no questions. A prison lieutenant was also present during the interview.

"That's pretty intimidating," Gill said.


 Olivia Salamone (RADAR) notes:


Donald Trump's Justice Department is facing renewed scrutiny after a newly surfaced report claimed officials destroyed large volumes of documents in the days following Jeffrey Epstein's death, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The explosive allegation, buried in a batch of records released earlier this year, suggests key materials may have been discarded while federal investigators were still trying to piece together what happened inside the New York jail where the disgraced financier died.

According to the document, seen by The Daily Beast, a Bureau of Prisons review team was sent into the Metropolitan Correctional Center shortly after Epstein was found dead in August 2019.

But instead of simply examining procedures, witnesses described a steady stream of shredded paperwork being hauled out of the facility.

"[Redacted] has never seen this amount of bags of shredded documents coming out to be put in the dumpster at the rear gate of the MCC," the report stated.

The activity reportedly unfolded while multiple agencies, including the FBI and inspector general officials, were present amid the ongoing investigation.


For those who've forgotten, Donald Chump was president in 2019 when Epstein was jailed and died.  It was his Justice Dept that was in charge.  Bill Barr and others back then told a story that honestly doesn't hold up anymore.   Samantha Ibrahim (OK!) notes:


At least one inmate was reportedly used to help discard the files, according to the DOJ. ​​“[Redacted] was bringing back bags of shredded papers, around 4 or 5 bags, and caller brought them into the gate to throw into the dumpster. [Redacted] told caller that the after-action team is shredding huge amounts of paperwork,” the files said.

“Caller found it suspicious that an after-action team charged with investigating would be shredding huge amounts of paperwork with all of the officials from the AIG, FBI and BO[P] in the building in the middle of an investigation. Those giving instructions to [redacted] said, ‘Make sure you get that box too,’” the document read, also referring to the Assistant Inspector General.


Chelsie Napiza  (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES) reminds: 


A CBS News investigative review of 90 post-mortem photographs, conducted in October 2025, found that evidence markers were absent, items had been moved, and the FBI did not arrive at the cell until 1:35 p.m., more than seven hours after Epstein's body was found. Forensic analyst Nick Barreiro, who reviewed the photographs for CBS News, said, 'The FBI literally has all of the best tools. They have every tool you can imagine. And they used none of it as far as we can tell.'

Nearly two years elapsed before investigators formally interviewed the two corrections officers on duty the night Epstein died. Epstein's brother Mark told CBS News, 'This was never properly investigated as a proper homicide, it was never investigated.' His attorneys said DNA tests were never confirmed as having been carried out, while former Attorney General William Barr told investigators in a deposition that he could not remember whether they had been performed.

Political pressure to release Epstein-related government files intensified throughout 2025. In November of that year, the US House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which the Senate unanimously approved and President Donald Trump signed into law. The legislation required the attorney general to release all unclassified records related to Epstein, with the explicit instruction that no document be withheld on the basis of 'embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.'


Allison Gill (MEIDASTOUCH NEWS) reviews the details on the shredding of documents following Epstein's death.






Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:


Construction of these facilities threatens to waste billions of taxpayer dollars; does not advance U.S. national security or improve the military’s readiness

Migrant detention centers have been likened to “concentration camps for immigrants”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, launched a new investigation into the diversion of military resources as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is funnels billions of dollars through a Navy contract vehicle to build a network of migrant detention centers — some of which have been likened to “concentration camps for immigrants.” In a new letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the senators call for the Pentagon to end its agreement with DHS.

“Diverting military resources to assist the development of ICE’s new detention facilities does not advance U.S. national security — nor the quality of life for our troops — and does nothing to improve the military’s readiness for conflict,” wrote the senators.

The Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC) vehicle was created in 2021 as a tool to support naval expeditionary forces “in austere and remote locations across the globe.” The contract initially supported U.S. national security efforts in Afghanistan, Sudan, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Since September, the Pentagon has allowed DHS and ICE to use the program to award 120 contracts to build and maintain a network of migrant detention centers. One recent award went to The GEO Group, a massive private prison company with a history of unsafe and inhumane conditions.

The Pentagon has also increased the WEXMAC contract ceiling sixfold, from $10 billion to $65 billion, since DHS and ICE began using the program, raising concerns that the Department of Defense (DoD) is funneling or preparing to funnel more resources from the military toward immigration enforcement. A previous investigation led by Senator Warren and Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.) found DoD had diverted more than $2 billion of military funds—originally meant for fixing military barracks, training service members, and schools for military children—toward immigration enforcement. Pentagon officials have admitted that the military won’t be reimbursed by DHS for those funds.

“We are [also] concerned about the lack of transparency and financial risks associated with this contract vehicle…[which allows] DHS to sidestep the full federal acquisition process and fast-track the construction of migrant detention centers,” said the senators.

The WEXMAC program is structured such that it allows DHS — through DoD — to award construction and maintenance contracts to a small set of contractors under one large contract. After the large contract is awarded, Pentagon officials can quickly approve work by any of these contractors without further competition, increasing risks of taxpayer waste. DHS officials are also reportedly attempting to quickly award contracts and avoid federal competition rules, which are specifically designed to avoid political favoritism. The Pentagon also appears to be relying on uncertain legal authority to allow DHS to use this contracting vehicle.

“We are concerned that [WEXMAC] is only the latest example of a systemic pattern of diverting DoD resources to support DHS missions, and that this diversion threatens military readiness,” concluded the senators.

The lawmakers asked Secretary Hegseth to end DoD support for these programs, writing that DoD should not allow DHS to “bypass federal acquisition procedures and fast-track the construction of migrant detention facilities throughout the United States.” They also asked DoD to provide clarity on its agreement with DHS, detail what actions it’s taking to prevent the waste of taxpayer funds, and provide an accounting of the funds and resources spent supporting DHS for the building of detention centers by March 31, 2026.

###






The following sites updated:


Posted by at

valerie perrine passed away and 'general hospital'

alex williams ('new york times') reports:


Valerie Perrine, an Oscar-nominated actress who both capitalized on and transcended her bombshell image as a former Playboy Playmate, winning critical acclaim for sassy yet vulnerable performances in 1970s films like “Slaughterhouse-Five” and “Lenny” and a memorable turn in “Superman,” with Christopher Reeve, died on Monday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 82.

Her death was confirmed by her close friend Stacey Souther, who directed a 2019 documentary film about Ms. Perrine. He said the cause was complications of Parkinson’s disease, which was diagnosed in 2015.

Ms. Perrine amassed nearly 70 film and television credits over more than four decades, playing opposite some of the biggest male stars of her day, including Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman and Jack Nicholson.


lisa de los reyes ('hollywood reporter') notes:

  The actress did comedy and drama with equal fervor, also starring as the love interest of Jeff Bridges‘ NASCAR driver Junior Johnson in Lamont Johnson’s The Last American Hero (1973) and as the soon-to-be ex of champion rodeo rider Robert Redford‘s character in Sydney Pollack’s The Electric Horseman (1979).

Perrine, unfortunately, also starred with The Village People and Caitlyn Jenner in the lamentable disco-themed Can’t Stop the Music (1980), one of the two films that inspired the Worst Picture Golden Raspberry Award show (The Razzies). 

“It ruined my career — I moved to Europe after, I was so embarrassed,” she said.


i've read many other pieces and no 1 wants to note 1987's 'maid to order.'  that comedy starred ally sheedy and she doesn't appreciate what she has so it's taken from her and she becomes a maid of a well off amily.  valerie played the wife in that family, married to dick shawn.  she was very good in that film - as was every 1 in the cast - ally, tom skerritt, beverly d'angelo, merry clayton, etc. 

  as for 'can't stop the music,' valerie and steve guttenberg were the only 2 in the cast who didn't have to be embarrassed by their work.  her nomination for a razzie was about attacking the film, not a real reflection on her work.  


'general hospital'?


alexis got on my nerves.  danny comes out when dante is trying to arrest jason and alexis is like, 'i'll call diane for you.'  instead of trying to be jason's lawyer.  and how is jason being hauled off without being told why?  


you arrest some 1, you tell themw hat for.

marco was stabbed by ross.  in alexis' office.  


at the end of the episode, she's there with danny.  she hasn't opened the door yet.  in the preview for tomorrow's episode, she's opened the door and sees marco on the floor soaked in blood.

lucas and britt were still on the pier.  she told him that he and marco needed to be careful, that sidwell wasn't the only person that they had to worry about.  rocco was watching - rocco is britt's child in a surrogate manner.  we'll lever it at that.  

as he watches, ross shows up.  he pulls  gun on britt and makes her hand over the 2 vials of medicine that lucas had given to her.   he then tried to force her to  go back with him and started fighting with her.  when she fell to the ground, he planned to shoot her.  rocco's wtching but no 1 knows.  jason comes running up and he and ross fight.  after a long fight, ross prepares to kill jason when he is shot in the back - it's rocco who shot him.


sidwell visits laura and threatens her family.   she notes she's done what he says and would some 1 threatening marco make him more eager to help them?

cassadine surprised carly with a candle light dinner.  she was angry at 1st because what if some 1 showed up and - then she went ahead and had dinner with him.  until lucas pulled up.  she told lucas that she was pretending to have a dinner for 2.  he bought it.  he told her about marco and him moving out on sidwell tonight and how he and marco were going to be so happy.  




let's close with c.i.'s 'The Snapshot:'


Monday, March 23, 2026.  Chump bellows over the weekend at Iran and makes threats which he then retracts an hour ago this morning, his war is destroying the US economy, his buddy Epstein might as well be alive for all the attention his late pedophile buddy continues to garner, and much more.



In the video above, Ben (MEIDASTOUCH NEWS) brings us up to date on Chump and Netanyahu's war on Iran.   The war has been a failure, a tragedy and a crime.  Instead of admitting this, Chump attacks the media.  It really has gotten old   Daniel Dale (CNN) notes Chump's baseless attacks on US media:

CNN inquired about Trump’s claim on social media that media outlets worked “in close coordination” with Iran to spread fake videos showing a US aircraft carrier on fire and should be charged with “TREASON.” Asked which outlets disseminated these videos, spokesperson Anna Kelly’s reply began, “President Trump is right – global news outlets quickly amplified the Iranian regime’s false claims about the USS Lincoln.” The three examples Kelly provided as supposed proof, though, were all to foreign news outlets – one Israeli, one Saudi and one Turkish – that quoted Iran’s baseless claims to have struck the Lincoln; these outlets couldn’t possibly have committed “TREASON” against the US, since they don’t owe allegiance to the US, and none of the examples included fake videos.

Declaring that the president is right about things he is very obviously not right about would be a highly unusual communications tactic from any other White House, including Trump’s own first administration.

Each White House communications team tries to put the best possible spin on the falsehoods of the president it is serving. Under Biden, though, aides tended to demand anonymity to address the falsehoods, then claim Biden had merely misspoken, that the inaccuracy in question was unimportant, or that there was broader context worth considering. They wouldn’t make an on-the-record declaration that Biden was correct when he was transparently incorrect.

Trump’s communications aides during his first presidency, meanwhile, tended to simply ignore media inquiries about Trump lies they knew they couldn’t convincingly defend.

So why do his second-term aides habitually put their names on “President Trump is right” quotes when he plainly isn’t right? When we asked the White House for an explanation in early March, Desai replied, “President Trump has been right about everything, and CNN struggles to accept this. Sad!”

Funny. But we have more plausible theories.

Trump’s second-term administration is staffed with loyalists who are willing to risk their reputations with the mainstream media to go out on shaky limbs for him. Trump demands public praise and devotion. The president’s never-back-down, never-admit-error ethos permeates this White House. And since the president has himself publicly declared as recently as January that “Trump is right about everything,” the people around him don’t exactly feel free to concede he was wrong about even the most obscure of subjects.

“They know he expects a robust PR team that does nothing but praise him,” said Stephanie Grisham, who served as Trump’s White House communications director and press secretary in 2019 and 2020 before becoming a sharp critic of him.


President Donald Trump’s chest-thumping ultimatum against Iran is looking like a misfire.

On Saturday evening, the 79-year-old commander-in-chief threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the country did not end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

Tehran’s answer came sooner—but it wasn’t the climbdown Trump had hoped for.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Sunday that Iran would “irreversibly” destroy critical infrastructure of its neighbors in the Middle East—including energy and oil facilities—should Trump follow through on his threat to hit the country’s electricity grid, Reuters reports.

Qalibaf said such an attack would keep the price of oil elevated for the long haul. 




President Trump said on social media that the United States and Iran have held “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” and that he had instructed the Pentagon to postpone any attacks on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. It is unclear who was handling the diplomacy between the United States and Iran, which have traded increasingly bellicose threats to escalate the conflict in recent days.

Oh, look at TACO making his big statement and then backing down.  No, there was no "very good and productive conversation" regarding the war on Iran.  Chump just realized he'd stepped out too far and was about to lose face on the world stage so he lies an hour ago that Iran and the US just had "very good and productive conversations."  Oh, Chump, you look like a chump because you are one. 



Three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the uncomfortable truth is settling over Washington like a storm cloud: air power alone cannot win this war.

Despite destroying over 8,000 targets, sinking most of Iran’s navy, and killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening hours of the February 28 strikes, the Islamic Republic continues to fight back with a ferocity that has caught the Trump administration off guard. Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint for one-fifth of the world’s oil — using missiles, armed drones, and reportedly sea mines.

Now, according to multiple reports from CBS News, Reuters, and Axios, the Pentagon has drawn up detailed plans to deploy ground forces into Iran, including a potential amphibious operation to seize Kharg Island, the offshore hub that processes 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.


Three weeks of disaster with no end in sight, no clear reason given for the war (none that's stuck), and clues that it's not going well, that's the Iran war that Chump joined Netanyahu in starting.  Matt Spetalnick and Nandita Bose (REUTERS) explained on Saturday:


President Donald Trump ends the third week of the Iran war confronting a crisis that seems to be slipping out of his hands: Global energy prices are surging, the United States stands isolated from allies and more troops are preparing to deploy despite his promise the war would be only a "short excursion."

A defensive Trump called other NATO countries "cowards" for refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and insisted the campaign was unfolding according to plan. But his declaration on Friday that the battle "was Militarily WON" clashed with the reality of a defiant Iran that is choking off Gulf oil and gas supplies while launching missile strikes across the region.

Trump, who took office promising to keep the U.S. out of "stupid" military interventions, now appears to control neither the outcome nor the messaging of a conflict he helped to initiate. The lack of a clear exit strategy carries risks both for his presidential legacy and his party's political prospects as Republicans scramble to defend narrow majorities in Congress in the November midterm elections.


And the American people watch as this war of choice that was started in the middle of the night and announced by a video Chump posted to his Truth-Social cesspool continues.  Despite Chump declareing it a victory several times already, the war continues.  And he's sending troops in.  He has no clue what he's doing.  He has no idea how to end this war.  He only knows how to destroy -- including destroying the US economy.   Sam Stevenson (NEWSWEEK) reports:


A new national poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating collapsing among independent voters, marking his weakest showing with the political middle since returning to office in that particular series.

[. . .]

Independent voters often decide close elections, and their sharp move away from Trump comes as the 2026 midterms approach. 

At the same time, the Iran war and its knock-on effects on gas prices and everyday costs are keeping economic anxiety front and center for voters.


Also noting polling is Aaron Blake (CNN):


A new Reuters-Ipsos poll, for instance, shows 21% of Republicans disapprove of the war. (Americans overall disapprove 59%-37%.)

And a Yahoo News-YouGov poll conducted over the weekend showed not only did 17% of Republicans disapprove of Trump’s handling of Iran, but so did 24% of people who say they voted for him in 2024.

Chump has destroyed the economy -- again.  People are trying not to panic as they watch the prices of gas and food soar.  Chump launched this illegal war and he is being held accountable for it.  Lee Moran (HUFFINGTON POST) notes:


Economist Henrietta Treyz warned this weekend not to expect prices — which have already been driven up by President Donald Trump’s Iran war — to fall anytime soon.

Even if the Strait of Hormuz, the vital channel off Iran’s coast through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, fully reopened tomorrow, it would still take around 200 days for prices to return to normal, she said on MS NOW.

But that scenario of the Strait reopening so soon is unlikely, the Veda Partners co-founder and director of economic policy told anchor Erielle Reshef.

It means higher prices are here to stay, she said, with soaring crude oil costs rippling across the economy to drive up prices in multiple sectors.

“So, if you’re trying to buy an airline flight, if you’re trying to do anything, the costs of this war are going to trickle down across the entire economy and it’s going to cascade for literally years to come,” she said.

She later warned consumers should brace for “higher interest rates, higher gas prices, higher food prices, jet prices, semiconductor prices. I mean, you name it, it’s across the economy now,” she added.


Now let's turn to Chump's dead friend Jeffrey Epstein.  Alexander Willis (RAW STORY) reports:


In 2007, Ex-Trump official Alexander Acosta, then the top federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida, was pressed by his subordinate to pursue a 60-count indictment she had prepared against Jeffrey Epstein.

Acosta, according to a new report, dismissed the plan.

That subordinate was then-federal sex-crimes prosecutor Marie Villafaña, who Bloomberg reported Friday had “begged” Acosta – who would later go on to become President Donald Trump’s labor secretary during his first term – to “urgently” arrest Epstein, but to no avail.

“I’m having trouble understanding – given how long this case has been pending – what the rush is,” wrote Matthew Menchel, Acosta’s chief criminal prosecutor, in a 2007 email to Villafaña that was released recently by the Justice Department. “This is obviously a very significant case and [Acosta] wants to take his time making sure he is comfortable before proceeding.”


Acosta still can't explain why he negotiated the sweetheart deal he did with Epstein.  In his first term as president, Chump worried more about his Epstein connections and how they might look.  That's why, when Epstein got arrested in 2019 and Secretary of Labor Acosta was suddenly facing questions, Acosta suddenly resigned as Secretary of Labor.  Contrast that with Chump in his second term and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnik.  Last fall, Lutnick went on Miranda Devine's podcast and announced that Epstein was a neighbor but that he and his wife broke off all communication with him after visiting his residence and the chills that they had while they were there.


Lutnick was a visionary or something.  To hear him tell the tale.


But there are nursey rhymes with more truth in them than Lutnick's tale.  As WIKIPEDIA notes:


In January 2026, newly released Epstein files showed extensive contact between Lutnick and Epstein over several years. A longtime Epstein aide reached out to Lutnick in November 2012 to arrange a meeting while Lutnick was in Saint Thomas; Lutnick, accompanied by his wife Allison and their four children, agreed to a lunch on December 23 on Epstein's private island. Emails showed Lutnick and his wife coordinating logistics, including where to dock their yacht at Little Saint James. The day after the scheduled meeting, BBC News reported that Lutnick "received an email from a redacted sender that said Epstein wanted to pass a message to him, which said: 'Nice seeing you'—suggesting that at least one visit did happen."[99] The two also had drinks together on another occasion in 2011 according to Epstein's schedule. In November 2015, Epstein received an invitation from Lutnick to a fundraiser at his financial firm for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. In 2017, the two men discussed plans about the construction of a building across the street from both of their homes. The next year, Epstein contributed to a philanthropic dinner hosted by Lutnick.[100][101]

When asked about the emails, Lutnick told The New York Times "I spent zero time with him" and hung up. A Commerce Department spokesman said Lutnick had "limited interactions" with Epstein "in the presence of his wife" and has never been accused of wrongdoing.[101] On February 10, 2026, Lutnick testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on his relationship with Epstein. Here, Lutnick admitted that in December 2012, four years after Epstein's conviction, Lutnick and his wife and children visited Little Saint James where they had lunch with Epstein.[102] The hearing led to bipartisan criticism, and calls for Lutnick's resignation.[103]


Of course, Lutnick's not the only one who lied in 2025 about his relationship with Epstein.  Others would include, obviously, Donald Chump.  In 2025, Chump announced he had kicked Epstein out of Margo Lard-Ass but that wasn't true as we've now discovered.  Sarah K. Burris reports on the revelation this week that Chump has lied repeatedly about his relationship with Epstein and how Pam Bondi's Justice Dept tried to cover that up by redacting a document: 


Under the law passed by Congress, the only redactions the Justice Department can make are the names of the survivors of Epstein's abuse. But Wilson has a copy of one document that was redacted by the DOJ and doesn't mention survivors. It mentions Trump.

Wilson said that he was given the document by Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who obtained the full copy from another source.

"In it, Trump's attorney at the time, Alan Garten, I believe, is the name, revealed a few small things," Wilson said. "One of which is that Trump never threw Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago."

Trump has said for years that he and Epstein got into a fight over a real estate matter. Then it was reported that Trump was actually mad that Epstein was taking girls from his country club to work for him. It isn't clear which one or if both are true, but Trump maintains that he and Epstein fell out and he banned the trafficker from Mar-a-Lago.

A more recent report cites Trump telling a local Palm Beach County police officer that he was grateful Epstein was finally arrested, saying, "everyone has known he's been doing this." It flagged Trump's continued denials that he never knew about Epstein's crimes.

Wilson said that Epstein was never a member of Mar-a-Lago and that Trump never threw him out.

"That even after that, he went to Epstein's home, flew on his plane," Wilson said. "This is material that the FBI and the Department of Justice have absolutely no reason to redact, and yet it is still redacted in their official version, even the one they will provide for members of Congress."


The lies just fly out of Chump's mouths.  Henry Giardina (QUEERTY) notes:


In the interview notes, Tr*mp appears to confirm that not only was Epstein never a member of Mar-a-Lago, he was never expelled or asked to leave, which runs contrary to Tr*mp’s oft-repeated story about personally kicking out Epstein after he allegedly tried to recruit women from the spa into his own trafficking empire. In the same interview, Garten states that he spoke to the manager of Mar-A-Lago at the time, who confirms that Epstein was never asked to leave the property.

We know that Tr*mp and Epstein did fall out sometime in 2004, but the cause had nothing to do with Epstein’s creepy behavior. That would become Tr*mp’s story in after Epstein’s trial and conviction, but in reality, the two sparred over an oceanfront property bidding war that Tr*mp eventually won.

Again, it’s nothing we don’t know. Tr*mp lies, and he gets away with it consistently. But there’s another bombshell that could, in combination with this uncovered lie and what we know about the activity at Zorro Ranch, end up being impossible for congress to ignore.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, a longtime critic of Tr*mp, uncovered something else in the files that speaks to the DOJ’s massive cover-up. Wyden has been trying to read files from a past DEA probe into Epstein’s activity, and according to Wyden, Tr*mp apointee Todd Blanche, the current Deputy Attorney General, keeps mysteriously blocking him from access.

“By withholding this unclassified document from the U.S. Congress, you are covering up for pedophiles and obstructing my investigation into the financing of Epstein’s criminal sex trafficking organization,” Wyden wrote to Blanche in a recent public letter.

As with most of the unredacted bombshells we’ve seen, the reason certain files are still being black barred has nothing to do with protecting Epstein’s victims and everything to do with keeping Tr*mp’s million mentions out of the press.   


  Robert Davis (RAW STORY) reports:

A political analyst was taken aback on Sunday by a report that uncovered new details about the death of disgraced financier and convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein. 

On Friday, the Miami Herald reported that several bags of shredded documents were found outside of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, where Epstein was being kept. Investigatory documents obtained by the outlet revealed that at least one inmate was involved in disposing of the documents and raised questions about the extent of the prison guards' involvement in the ordeal.

Podcaster and owner of MSW Media, Allison Gill, was taken aback by the report as she discussed it on a new episode of her podcast, "The Breakdown," on Sunday. She called the report a "massive revelation."

"If there weren't already a million really weird coincidences surrounding the death of Jeffrey Epstein, if there weren't a mountain of odd coincidences, this story ... would still raise glaring alarm bells just on its own," Gill said.

Gill noted several facts presented in the report that seemed "pretty convenient." For instance, an inmate named Steven Lopez was interviewed by FBI agents about the document shredding, but was only asked yes-or-no questions. A prison lieutenant was also present during the interview.

"That's pretty intimidating," Gill said.


 Olivia Salamone (RADAR) notes:


Donald Trump's Justice Department is facing renewed scrutiny after a newly surfaced report claimed officials destroyed large volumes of documents in the days following Jeffrey Epstein's death, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The explosive allegation, buried in a batch of records released earlier this year, suggests key materials may have been discarded while federal investigators were still trying to piece together what happened inside the New York jail where the disgraced financier died.

According to the document, seen by The Daily Beast, a Bureau of Prisons review team was sent into the Metropolitan Correctional Center shortly after Epstein was found dead in August 2019.

But instead of simply examining procedures, witnesses described a steady stream of shredded paperwork being hauled out of the facility.

"[Redacted] has never seen this amount of bags of shredded documents coming out to be put in the dumpster at the rear gate of the MCC," the report stated.

The activity reportedly unfolded while multiple agencies, including the FBI and inspector general officials, were present amid the ongoing investigation.


Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

Warren: “Now, more than ever, we need strong, independent military lawyers.”

Warren: “Our enemies might not care about civilian casualties, but the US military always has.”

Video of Exchange (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised her concerns to the commanders of United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) about the Trump administration’s sidelining of the military’s Judge Advocate General Corps (JAGs), who are responsible for providing independent legal advice to commanders. This sidelining risks increasing the chances of civilian harm as the war against Iran continues.

Under this Trump Administration, JAGs have been systematically sidelined in spite of federal law providing that no one at the Department of Defense (DoD) may interfere with the TJAGs’ ability to “give independent legal advice to commanders." In February 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired The Judge Advocate General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to avoid “roadblocks” to the President’s orders. On March 12, Hegseth announced a “ruthless” review of JAGs to overhaul the Department’s legal offices.

“JAGs can't give their best advice if they fear losing their job just for raising legal concerns with an operation,” said Senator Warren.

Senator Warren questioned General Gregory M. Guillot, NORTHCOM Commander, on whether he witnessed NORTHCOM sidelining any JAGs. General Guillot assured Senator Warren that the JAG corps is included in all battle rhythm meetings at his command. However, Senator Warren pointed out that across the department the Trump administration has reassigned hundreds of JAGs to work on the president's immigration agenda, as well as concerns about the chilling effects of the Secretary’s review.

“For decades, military lawyers have worked side by side with officers to make sure that strikes are lawful and that they minimize civilian casualties," said Senator Warren. “That doesn't make us weaker. It saves innocent lives and it prevents fueling terrorism.”

Since the start of the Iran War, Secretary Hegseth has shown a complete disregard for the laws of war. On March 3, Secretary Hegseth remarked that Operation Epic Fury would have “no stupid rules of engagement.” On March 4, while describing U.S. military operations in Iran, Secretary Hegseth announced, “death and destruction from the sky all day long.” This rhetoric could endanger civilians, including American citizens, in the region and around the globe. Already, a preliminary investigation from the Department of Defense found the U.S. was likely responsible for the strike on a girls’ elementary school that reportedly killed at least 175 people – mostly children – in Minab, Iran.

Senator Warren pressed Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan, SOUTHCOM Commander, on whether he would inform the Senate Armed Services Committee if SOUTHCOM is directed to do something that the Lieutenant General or his JAGs believed to be illegal. Lieutenant General Donovan refused to commit to directly informing the Senate Armed Services Committee, insisting on working through his chain of command.

Senator Warren raised her concern over Lieutenant General Donovan's response and emphasized the need for nonpartisan military leaders to commit to following the law.

“We need our nonpartisan military leaders to double down on their commitment to following the law and speaking up when they are asked to break it, and Congress needs to be able to step in and rein in this lawless commander-in-chief and his self-styled Secretary of War,” concluded Senator Warren.

Transcript: 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.
Senate Armed Services Committee
March 19, 2026

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are repeatedly dragging the US military across both legal and moral lines. Trump and Hegseth have plunged us into an illegal war with Iran, where a US airstrike appears to have killed 150 schoolchildren. And it's not just in Iran. Under Trump and Hegseth, the military fired on civilians and shipwrecked survivors in the Caribbean. And now, Secretary Hegseth is threatening to give "no quarter" to adversaries. This is not who we are. Our enemies might not care about civilian casualties, but the US military always has. And that is why Secretary Hegseth’s attacks on the guardrails that prevent civilian harm and civilian casualties is so dangerous.

So, take the JAGs. Now, more than ever, we need strong, independent military lawyers, but there are serious concerns that JAGs cannot give honest legal advice right now.

General Guillot, let me ask you, have you seen any evidence of the JAG corps being sidelined, whether at NORTHCOM or elsewhere in the department?

General Gregory M. Guillot: Senator, I have not seen any evidence of the JAGs being sidelined in our command. I'll point out that our JAG is included in all of our battle rhythm meetings, and in fact, our JAG is sitting behind me right now.

Senator Warren: Yeah, and I just want you to know I'm glad to hear that. Glad to hear it's not happening in your command. But we know that this is a problem across the department. Secretary Hegseth fired TJAGs because he thought they were "roadblocks," and he installed his personal lawyer to retrain military lawyers to water down constraints. He reassigned hundreds of JAGs to work on Trump's radical immigration agenda. And last week, the Secretary said he's starting a quote, "ruthless overhaul of the JAG system."

Look, for decades, military lawyers have worked side by side with officers to make sure that strikes are lawful and that they minimize civilian casualties. That doesn't make us weaker. It saves innocent lives and it prevents fueling terrorism. But Secretary Hegseth has blamed JAGs for what he calls, quote, "stupid rules of engagement."

General Donovan, let me ask you, if a JAG or a civilian harm advisor says to distinguish between a military base and an elementary school in an airstrike. Is that a stupid rule of engagement?

Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan: No, Senator.

Senator Warren: Look, JAGs can't give their best advice if they fear losing their job just for raising legal concerns with an operation. One way we protect the integrity of legal advice in our military is by creating for-cause removal protections for our JAGs. Commanders also need to be able to speak up when they're being asked to break the law.

General Donovan, your predecessor, was reportedly ousted because he raised concerns about the legality of the Caribbean boat strikes. Will you commit to informing this committee if SOUTHCOM is directed to do something that you or your JAG think may be illegal?

Lieutenant General Donovan: Senator, my first obligation if I face what I believe is an unlawful legal order is to obviously seek legal counsel, discuss that with my higher headquarters, and then move forward and not carry out an illegal order.

Senator Warren: Yeah, maybe you didn't hear my question. My question was, will you commit to informing this committee if SOUTHCOM is directed to do something that you or your JAG thinks is illegal?

Lieutenant General Donovan: If I reported that to this committee, Senator, it would be through my chain of command.

Senator Warren: But you would make sure that we got the information?.

Lieutenant General Donovan: I would report to my chain of command.

Senator Warren: And you would not take any responsibility for making sure we got that information? You do realize we have oversight responsibilities here.

Lieutenant General Donovan: Senator, I would work that information through my chain of command.

Senator Warren: All right, that's a very concerning answer here. Look, what's happening right now is very dangerous. We need our nonpartisan military leaders to double down on their commitment to following the law and speaking up when they are asked to break it and Congress needs to be able to step in and rein in this lawless commander-in-chief and his self-styled Secretary of War. Thank you.

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