Trump criticizes Democrats over partial DHS shutdown; Jeffries pushes separate funding vote
President Donald Trump today criticized Democrats amid the ongoing deadlock over funding for parts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Funding for several DHS agencies has lapsed for over a month as lawmakers negotiate new limits on federal immigration enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remains funded due to billions of dollars guaranteed under a sweeping bill signed by Trump last year.
Thousands of employees at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Coast Guard have been affected and are working without pay.
Trump stated the ongoing shutdown is
"causing chaos at the airports", labeling Democrats as
"lunatics"and describing their demands as
"totally unreasonable in their Radical Left asks".
On Tuesday, a White House official confirmed Senate Democrats sent a counteroffer on Monday aimed at resolving the budget standoff. An official told the Democratic offer was under review, although Republican lawmakers quickly dismissed the proposal.
Democrats have previously demanded that federal officers obtain judicial warrants before entering private property. They have also pushed for immigration enforcement agents to no longer wear masks while patrolling and making arrests. These demands follow incidents in January where agents fatally shot US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, in Minneapolis in separate cases.
Today, Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, will launch a discharge petition to force a vote on a separate funding bill for the TSA, FEMA, CISA, and the Coast Guard. This is a long-shot effort, as he would need 218 signatures to proceed.
Donald Trump issued a brief statement on his Truth Social platform, speculating about the consequences if the US "finished off" what remains of Iran. He suggested it would prompt
"non-responsive allies", presumably in NATO, "in gear and fast".
European countries, including the UK, have opposed Trump's demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force after Iran shut down the majority of shipping through this critical trade route.
Several events on Capitol Hill are scheduled today, including the confirmation hearing of Trump's nominee to lead DHS, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, at 9:30 a.m. ET. Concurrently, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel will face questions from Senate lawmakers. They will be joined by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, with expected inquiries about the administration's first major defection over the war—former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent.
Joe Kent resigned in a letter claiming Iran posed no imminent threat and blamed Israel for pressuring the US to initiate the conflict. The White House has rebuked Kent's allegations, with the president describing him as
"a nice guy" who is "weak on security".
Donald Trump will begin the day with meetings in Washington before traveling to Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of fallen US service members in the ongoing war on Iran. He is expected to speak to reporters before departure, and updates will be provided accordingly.
Illinois lieutenant governor Juliana Stratton wins Democratic primary for US Senate
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary race to succeed US Senator Dick Durbin, defeating US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi.
With nearly 90% of votes tallied, Stratton led Krishnamoorthi by more than six percentage points on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
Stratton said of her upset victory:
"We did it. Tonight we showed what’s possible when you listen to the people and give the people what they want.
Courage inspired me to run. Courage powered this campaign and courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trump’s front door."
The crowd in Chicago responded with enthusiastic applause.
Stratton, a progressive supported by Governor JB Pritzker, had trailed Krishnamoorthi in polls until recent weeks when an infusion of cash from the governor and a hardening sentiment on immigration shifted momentum. She also faced competition on her left from Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who drew less than 20% of the vote, according to the Associated Press.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Scott Brown's political relationship revealed
When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat in 2023, he found an unexpected ally in Scott Brown, a former Republican senator. Brown had established a tradition of hosting Republican presidential candidates for barbecues in his New Hampshire backyard, providing a platform for votes and media attention ahead of the state's crucial primary.
Kennedy became Brown's first Democratic invitee. His September 2023 appearance drew hundreds of attendees. Kennedy held Brown in high regard and, after deciding to run as an independent, sought Brown's support, though Brown declined.
Brown, now running for Senate in New Hampshire, said he helped Kennedy prepare for his Senate confirmation hearings for the position of US Health Secretary.
Newly released records obtained by shed light on their relationship and Brown's response to a controversial trip Kennedy took to Samoa in June 2019. Months later, Samoa experienced a measles outbreak that killed 83 people, mostly children under five. Kennedy, then head of a US anti-vaccine organization, was said to have bolstered the credibility of local anti-vaccine groups ahead of the outbreak.
Kennedy has stated he had
"nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa"and that he never advised anyone there against vaccination.
US senators to question Trump intelligence officials at 10 a.m. ET
Senators will publicly question top aides to President Trump today regarding national security, nearly three weeks into the Iran war, during the Senate Intelligence Committee's annual hearing on worldwide threats to the United States.
The hearing is expected to focus on the Middle East conflict. Lawmakers, including some Republicans and Democrats, have requested more information about a war that has killed thousands, disrupted millions of lives, and impacted energy and stock markets, according to .
Democrats have criticized the administration for insufficiently informing Congress about a conflict that has cost US taxpayers billions. They have demanded public testimony rather than the classified briefings held over the past two weeks.
Testimony from officials including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe is also expected to address the recent resignation of a top aide to Gabbard over the war.
Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Center, is the first senior official in Trump's administration to resign over the conflict. The Office of the DNI oversees the counterterrorism center, and Kent was close to Gabbard, who has maintained a low profile since the war began.
Trump nominee Markwayne Mullin expected to be swiftly confirmed as DHS chief
Welcome to the US politics live blog.
A Senate committee is expected to quickly confirm Markwayne Mullin, a first-term Republican senator from Oklahoma, to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later today.
Mullin was nominated by President Trump after Kristi Noem was removed amid criticism of the administration's aggressive mass deportation agenda, which resulted in the deaths of two US citizens by immigration agents in Minneapolis.
Democrats have forced a partial DHS shutdown until their demands for immigration enforcement reforms are met.
These issues will be addressed during Mullin's confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, beginning around 9:30 a.m. ET.
Mullin stated on social media earlier this month:
"I am grateful to President Trump for nominating me to lead the US Department of Homeland Security.
I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the Senate and carrying out President Trump’s mission alongside the department’s many capable agencies and the thousands of patriots who keep us safe every day."
Republicans have praised Mullin's nomination, and their Senate majority provides the votes to confirm him despite Democratic opposition. Democrats have remained quiet about Mullin, maintaining that their demands for immigration reforms will persist regardless of DHS leadership.
A top counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, resigned over the ongoing war on Iran. Reporting to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Kent stated in his resignation letter that he
"cannot in good conscience"support the conflict.
Gabbard responded in a statement that did not mention Kent directly but asserted that Trump
"is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat".
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to appear for a deposition regarding the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
The Senate passed a measure to begin debate on legislation restricting voting in US elections by a vote of 51-48, largely along party lines, with only Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski crossing party lines.
During the annual St. Patrick's Day Shamrock ceremony at the White House, Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin advocated for free trade and a rules-based order before presenting Trump with a bowl of shamrocks.
While Trump and his aides spent much of Tuesday criticizing Kent, administration critics highlighted Kent's ties to right-wing extremists, arguing he was never fit for his role.
