Daily on Energy: White House considers extending Jones Act waiver, despite GOP pleas

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and happy Wednesday, readers! France suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Spain yesterday, ending Kylian Mbappé’s quest for another World Cup. England is facing off against Argentina this afternoon – could it be coming home? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽🇦🇷 Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner energy and environment […]

Trump's CDC nominee stumbles under GOP lawmaker's grilling: 'He's fed up'

Trump critic Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) on Wednesday pressed the president's nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asking if she would stand up to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Politico reported.Erica Schwartz, if nominated, would work under Kennedy, who previously fired Susan Monarez for pushing back on the Trump cabinet member's vaccine agenda, according to Politico. Schwartz apparently struggled to convince the senators that she would push back against Kennedy during the Senate committee for her confirmation."I feel like I’m having to go after this question a little bit more firmly than I feel like I should," Cassidy told Schwartz. "You can be CDC director and just take orders. We need a CDC director who will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization."Cassidy, a physician who lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, has become more vocal in criticizing the administration. "I’m here personally liking you, but feeling as if I’m having to represent the public health of the United States of America, so that it’s not taken over by people who are ideologically inclined and looking to file a lawsuit, not looking to prevent disease," Cassidy said.CNN anchor Dana Bash commented on Cassidy's comments."We haven't seen him in a while; he's clearly fed up with the vaccine decisions being made by Kennedy," she said.Schwartz's response to Cassidy in the hearing did not satisfy the lawmaker's questions.CNN medical correspondent Meg Tirrell described his reactions to Kennedy's leadership around vaccines."We also heard from Cassidy at the end of the hearing just how frustrated he is with some of the vaccine language out there, including from the other nominee," Tirrell added.

Jack Smith thrust back into spotlight at Blanche hearing over exposed senators’ messages

Sen. John Kennedy demanded answers on whether Jack Smith read his emails and shared them with Attorney General Garland during the confirmation hearing.

WATCH: Democrat Senator Mazie Hirono Loses it During Blanche Confirmation Hearing – Chuck Grassley Fires Back at Democrats’ Hypocrisy: “Spare Me the Outrage!”

Crazed Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) went on an angry tirade during Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, attacking Blanche and the Trump administration for the so-called weaponization of the DOJ.  Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) went on to destroy the Democratic Party's hypocrisy, slamming them for ignoring Biden's weaponization of government against conservatives. The post WATCH: Democrat Senator Mazie Hirono Loses it During Blanche Confirmation Hearing – Chuck Grassley Fires Back at Democrats’ Hypocrisy: “Spare Me the Outrage!” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Court reveals Trump gave Iranian regime access to asylum seekers ahead of deportations

President Donald Trump has resumed open hostilities with Iran, waging a war in apocalyptic terms and painting them clearly as an enemy. But behind the scenes, his administration was cooperating with Iran for one specific reason: deportations.According to The New York Times, sworn affidavits "provide a detailed account of behind-the-scenes contacts that led the United States to deport more than 100 Iranians to Tehran between September 2025 and January 2026, not long before the initiation of U.S. military action against Iran in February."The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund alleges that in the process, the Trump administration violated the law to share confidential information with the Islamic Republic, endangering the deportees' lives and subjecting them to persecution in their country of origin.All of this unfolded despite the fact that "the United States and Iran have had no formal diplomatic relationship since 1979, and America has generally welcomed people seeking refuge from persecution by the Iranian government," noted the report.Cyrus Mehri, a workplace discrimination lawyer who co-founded the IALDF last year, "described a phone call and meeting this March with an unnamed Iranian official" who claims to have been in long-term contact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "Mr. Mehri stated that the contact had started with an 'unsolicited and unexpected' call from the official, whom he had met previously, and who proceeded to share his views about the discussions to deport Iranians, even after Mr. Mehri informed him that they were working 'on opposite sides' of the issue."All of this comes as the Iran war continues to rage, with no end in sight and disastrous consequences for global energy markets.It also comes as ICE is under a fresh wave of mounting public outrage, after traffic stops in Houston and Maine ended in agents killing people who weren't even their targets. ICE briefly paused traffic stops in response to outcry, but resumed them again from orders on high given by Trump.

Swing-state poll spells trouble for far left as Schumer-backed candidate dominates with critical voting blocs

Haley Stevens leads Abdul El-Sayed by seven points in the Michigan Senate primary as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez head to the state.

Intrusive way California will target billionaires who fled hated wealth tax — as top 3 targets emerge

California will hound billionaires disgusted with the state over the tax.

House GOP Confirms Plan to Enact As Much of SAVE America Act 'As Possible'