Washington Examiner

‘Biggest dilemma’ in homeland counter drone strategy is ‘how broad the threat exists’

Feb 23, 2026Center Right

The federal government, in conjunction with state and local governments, is desperately trying to catch up to the threat posed by drones, but needs to close the gap for U.S. defenses before it’s too late. The sheer scope and scale of what’s needed is hard to quantify. Any public event, airport, airplane, military installation, or […]

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Big Oil heads for biggest profits in years as Trump pushes for lower gas prices

New York Post

4 hours ago

Big Oil heads for biggest profits in years as Trump pushes for lower gas prices

President Trump is ramping up pressure on the industry to lower gas prices ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Right

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USMNT defense turns biggest question mark into World Cup strength

New York Post

23 hours ago

USMNT defense turns biggest question mark into World Cup strength

If no one truly knew how good the U.S. national team was before the World Cup started, then no one had even the slightest clue of how good its defense was.

Right

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Drone shows replace some fireworks displays for July 4

NewsNation

23 hours ago

Drone shows replace some fireworks displays for July 4

Kevin Prince, co-founder of Heads in the Sky, said drones are safer and quieter than fireworks.

Center

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The biggest Yankees concerns from an absolutely brutal week

New York Post

23 hours ago

The biggest Yankees concerns from an absolutely brutal week

Had a team ever needed an off day more than the Yankees?

Right

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Louisiana attorney general indicted over alleged threats; governor pledges swift pardon

The Hill News

Yesterday

Louisiana attorney general indicted over alleged threats; governor pledges swift pardon

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R) was indicted by a grand jury in connection with an investigation over alleged threats she made against New Orleans officials, former Judge Laurie White confirmed Thursday. “The grand jury has returned an indictment, it is now a criminal matter,” White, who was appointed as a special prosecutor in the…

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'I can do anything': Trump builds DC 'fortress' as experts fear heightened threats

Alternet.org

Yesterday

'I can do anything': Trump builds DC 'fortress' as experts fear heightened threats

With July 4th looming, the nation’s capital has become a “fortress” as the White House prepares for President Donald Trump’s much vaunted fireworks display amid what security experts say is a “heightened” potential for attack. Increasing the complexity of the situation is “Trump’s approach of making himself the star of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.”This is according to the latest from the Atlantic, which explained, “This year’s Fourth of July fireworks show on the National Mall is the first such event to be designated a ‘National Special Security Event,’ which requires the kind of screening procedures and police presence usually reserved for presidential inaugurations and Super Bowls. It’s a reflection of the logistical complexity and anticipated crowd size of America’s 250th birthday party, but also, unfortunately, its potential appeal to attackers at a time of rising threats.”That NSSE designation puts the Secret Service in charge of protecting the event, which Trump has declared will be “THE LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY.” With temperatures forecasted to soar as high as triple digits, “getting in may be more like going through an airport than going to a party,” writes the Atlantic. “That’s not least because the president has placed himself at the center of the festivities and has plans to give ‘a really long speech just to show that I can do anything.’”As a result of this and other events, D.C. has become a “fortress,” and “the normally wide-open expanse at the city’s heart has been ringed with security fences for weeks… ‘I’ve lived here most of my life, and I’ve never seen it look like this on the Mall,’ Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters on Monday.” According to the agent in charge of the Secret Service DC office, Trump has mobilized thousands of National Guard troops in the capital in addition to “unseen resources” readied to “disrupt any bad actor.”Said Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielimi, there is good reason for all the extra security. As the Atlantic explains, he “told us that the volume of threats that his agency is monitoring overall ‘has never been higher.’ Threat reports requiring Secret Service investigation so far this year have increased 40 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the agency. Security officials say there has been a particular uptick in threats from ‘nihilistic violent extremists,’ many of whom aim to use violence against law-enforcement personnel or symbols of government.”Trump’s war with Iran has only “heightened the threat.” Said Frank Figliuzzi, a former assistant director of the FBI, “I’m very concerned about a lone actor inspired by Iran, rather than an actual all‑out professional attack. That’s the hardest thing to detect — that lone actor who’s been inspired.” He says that a potential attacker may see the 250th celebrations as the perfect opportunity for “striking at the heart of what they think America stands for.” Further complicating the situation is the fact that “as the threats facing the country have grown, the law-enforcement and intelligence agencies tasked with keeping the country safe have been dealing with a shortage of man power and expertise. Many top officials have quit or been fired since Trump returned to office, and Figliuzzi described an FBI now staffed with what he believes is ‘the youngest cadre of special agents in charge and assistant directors in the modern history of the FBI.’ Some officials acknowledge — in private — that politically motivated purges have left the country’s law-enforcement and intelligence agencies understaffed and more prone to mistakes.”Law-enforcement officials also told the Atlantic that “the president’s central role in the July 4 events and the extending of their length late into the evening have added complexity — and risk.”“This year,” writes the Atlantic, “Trump will occupy the prime-time slot… The White House has not said whether he’ll deliver a written speech or make the kind of semi-improvised remarks more typical of a MAGA rally. But at some point, he’s planning to show off his new Air Force One jet — given to him by the government of Qatar — with a flyover of the crowd. Trump said on Wednesday that he will use the occasion to demonstrate his stamina despite the summer heat. It’s not customary for presidents to give a speech on the Mall for July 4, but it’s in keeping with Trump’s approach of making himself the star of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.”

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Fate: Mother Nature shuts down Trump's biggest crowd yet

Alternet.org

Yesterday

Fate: Mother Nature shuts down Trump's biggest crowd yet

It has been one of the most popular days thus far at President Donald Trump's state fair, but now it's over. Washington, D.C., has reached a level of heat that it is becoming dangerous, and organizers of the fair decided to shut things down until this evening after 5 p.m., the digital signs read. The timeline raised questions from some folks who know the hottest time of day is likely around 5 p.m. "However, it’s going to be hotter at 5pm," said White House correspondent Wid Lyman. The hourly forecast shows temperatures will begin to fall around 7 p.m."It is miserably hot and humid today, genuinely feels like a sauna when you step outside," Fox congressional correspondent Bill Melugin wrote on X.July 3 is the federal holiday being observed for Independence Day, so many people in the area have off work, making it a perfect day for activities. After lackluster crowds, thousands came to the fair on Friday, only to be told it had to be shut down. Friday was also the day that some of the Trump heirs attended. First son Donald Trump Jr. was on hand with his new wife and Tiffany Trump was also there with her husband. Tourists were angry about it, saying they'd never heard of something as absurd as closing a state fair due to heat. "I've never heard of the fair closing bc it's hot and I live in SW MO where they do the fair mid August," said one person. One reason for heat fears is that the biggest attraction, the Ferris wheel, has gondola seats that are largely enclosed, and it isn't air-conditioned. There are also restrictions about what can be brought into the fair, including water bottles. Only clear bottles can be brought inside. Still, those who have spent the week mocking another of Trump's 250 failures were filled with jokes. "All 21 people at Trump’s state fair please go to the nearest exist the fair is closing," quipped democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko. "Hearing that the "Great American State Fair" may be closing until July 5. Supposedly, an announcement on site," joked Joel Siegel of Spectrum News. As one former Washington, D.C. resident explained, "As a former D.C.-er, let me explain a few things: D.C. is built on a swamp. Humidity even in the 70's F is unpleasant. In the 90's, you feel as if you are being melted into a puddle. In the 100's? Your brain capacity will be low. Is it as bad as Arkansas? Not quite, but it's sticky dehydration. Other than the D.C. National Zoo, which is built inside a small, steam-oven like canyon (but at least has some shade trees), the Mall in D.C. is the hottest spot in the city. It is a long, open trek, getting from 1 building to another. On the 4th, many buildings will be closed by Trump's fools."

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Kyiv hit by massive Russian drone and missile attack, killing at least 18

NPR Topics: News

Yesterday

Kyiv hit by massive Russian drone and missile attack, killing at least 18

Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine's capital overnight into Thursday, with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, killing several people.

Center

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‘Biggest dilemma’ in homeland counter drone strategy is ‘how broad the threat exists’

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‘Biggest dilemma’ in homeland counter drone strategy is ‘how broad the threat exists’

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