White House Continues to Attribute Record DHS Shutdown to Democrats
During her opening remarks today, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that Democratic lawmakers are responsible for the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. Both chambers of Congress remain deadlocked over passing a funding bill to reopen part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Leavitt highlighted ongoing issues such as extended security lines at airports nationwide and a significant decline in morale among Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents.
Although President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to pay TSA employees during the shutdown, Leavitt did not provide further details on how the administration is securing the funds to issue these paychecks. TSA officers are expected to receive their first full paycheck today, following the president's directive to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to issue payments immediately on Friday.
Congress is currently on a scheduled two-week recess, with many members having left Washington for their districts. The press secretary stated that the president is urging lawmakers to return to Capitol Hill to finalize a deal after negotiations collapsed last week.
Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro of San Antonio reported that a two-year-old child detained in a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, is ill and not receiving adequate care. The child, Kaleth, has a fever and refuses to eat the food served at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, which detainees have complained contains mold and worms.
“When his mother asked for help, the staff said it was all ‘mental,’” Castro wrote in a statement. “A vulnerable child at the Dilley trailer prison was suffering and ICE denied their reality and their needs. It’s shameful and must stop.”
The Dilley facility has faced criticism for inadequate care and poor food quality. In February, the detention center reported multiple complaints. This is the same facility where five-year-old asylum seeker Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were detained for a week after being apprehended in Minneapolis.
Castro has called for the immediate closure of the detention center and has long condemned former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies as inhumane. He has also advocated for the release of several immigrants held at Dilley, stating:
“I am calling for ICE to provide proper medical care to Kaleth and to release him and his mother Joani immediately.”
Daily Recap: Senate Republicans Forego Stopgap Vote Amid Record Shutdown
Senate Republicans did not attempt to pass a stopgap funding bill during today’s pro forma session. Senator John Hoeven, a Republican from North Dakota, told reporters that the continuing resolution failed to pass by unanimous consent due to an objection from Democratic Senator Chris Coons. This impasse occurs amid a partial government shutdown lasting 45 days, the longest in U.S. history.
Karoline Leavitt reiterated the administration’s position blaming Democratic lawmakers for the funding lapse, as both congressional chambers remain deadlocked on reopening part of the DHS. With Congress on recess, many members have returned to their districts. The press secretary emphasized the president’s encouragement for lawmakers to return to Capitol Hill and reach an agreement.
While President Trump signed an executive order to pay TSA employees during the shutdown, Leavitt did not elaborate on the funding source. TSA officers are expected to receive their first full paycheck today after the president directed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to issue payments immediately on Friday.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a lawsuit against Minnesota’s education department and the state’s school athletics body for permitting transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. The DoJ alleges that Minnesota’s policies violate Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded programs, by allowing transgender girls to compete against female student athletes and share locker rooms and bathrooms with them.
The DoJ asserts:
“Minnesota’s policies and practices create unfair competition, deny girls equal educational opportunities, and expose girls to a hostile educational environment with heightened risks of physical injury and psychological harm.”
Currently, 27 states restrict transgender athletes from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the Williams Institute.
Trump Justice Department Sues Minnesota Over Transgender Athlete Policies
The Department of Justice has initiated legal action against Minnesota’s education department and school athletics body concerning policies that allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. The lawsuit claims these policies violate Title IX by subjecting female student athletes to unfair competition and exposure to a hostile environment.
The DoJ’s complaint states:
“Minnesota’s policies and practices create unfair competition, deny girls equal educational opportunities, and expose girls to a hostile educational environment with heightened risks of physical injury and psychological harm.”
The suit was filed on Monday. The Williams Institute reports that 27 states currently have restrictions on transgender athletes participating in sports consistent with their gender identity.
Senate Republicans Decline to Pass House GOP Stopgap Bill to End DHS Shutdown
Senate Republicans chose not to use today’s pro forma session to attempt passage of a stopgap funding bill. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) informed reporters that the continuing resolution could not pass by unanimous consent due to Democratic Senator Chris Coons’ objection.
Hoeven indicated that Republicans plan to advance a DHS funding bill for the remainder of President Trump’s term via reconciliation, a process requiring only a simple Senate majority and not subject to filibuster. He argued this approach would prevent further funding standoffs, stating:
“We’re taking this off the table, that that’s enough of this with the Democrats.”
Reconciliation was the method used last year to pass Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Leavitt was also questioned about a “massive complex” reportedly being constructed by the military beneath Trump’s ballroom, referencing plans discussed on Air Force One on Sunday. She declined to comment on specifics but noted the military is making facility upgrades at the White House.
Regarding Cuba, the press secretary stated that the administration allowed a Russian oil tanker to dock amid Cuba’s worsening energy crisis and frequent blackouts. However, she clarified this does not represent a formal change in U.S. sanctions policy, explaining:
“These decisions are being made on a case by case basis. Cuba’s non-functional economy cannot be fixed unless they undergo dramatic political and leadership change.”
Trump Interested in Asking Arab States to Fund Iran War, White House Says
Karoline Leavitt indicated that former President Donald Trump is interested in requesting Arab countries to help finance the costs of the war on Iran. She added that Trump may provide further comments on the matter.
When asked if Arab nations would contribute financially, Leavitt responded cautiously but confirmed that Trump has considered the idea:
“I think it’s something the president would be quite interested in calling them to do. It’s an idea that I know that he has and something that I think you’ll hear more from him on.”
Regarding the timing of emergency payments to TSA agents amid the ongoing shutdown, Leavitt attributed the delay to Senate Democrats’ failure to pass a comprehensive funding bill to reopen the entire DHS.
Lawmakers failed to advance a GOP-backed measure seven times before passing a bill funding only the TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), while withholding funds for ICE and border patrol. The House rejected the Senate-passed bill, instead passing a continuing resolution to fund DHS for two months, which Senate Democrats refuse to consider.
Leavitt also provided an update on Operation Epic Fury, now in its fifth week, describing it as:
“moving ahead successfully and according to plan.”
She noted that remaining elements of the Iranian regime are reportedly:
“increasingly eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table, while they still can.”
However, Iranian officials have disputed Trump’s claims of “very good and productive conversations” about ending the conflict. The press secretary maintained that talks are ongoing and progressing despite public posturing and false reports from the regime.
Will Trump Deploy Ground Troops in Iran? - Podcast
As thousands of U.S. soldiers and Marines deploy to the Middle East, Iran accuses Washington of secretly planning a ground assault while publicly promoting ceasefire talks.
Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s energy infrastructure and expressed a preference to seize Iranian oil, including the export hub on Kharg Island. He also claimed to be in discussions with a new “reasonable regime.”
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi forces have joined the conflict, raising concerns about further global economic disruption.
In today’s edition of The Latest podcast, Lucy Hough interviews columnist and Politics Weekly America host Jonathan Freedland.
Judge Questions Pentagon Over Press Access Restrictions
A U.S. federal judge sharply questioned the Pentagon regarding whether it defied a court order protecting journalists’ access, reports, in a significant case involving press freedom and executive authority.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman expressed concern during a hearing in Washington that the Defense Department’s revised restrictions for journalists covering the Pentagon may be more restrictive than previously blocked rules.
He remarked:
“Is this Kafka? What’s going on here?”
Judge Friedman did not issue a ruling but requested the government respond to a declaration by The New York Times describing reporters’ difficulties accessing Pentagon areas.
Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon announced in October that journalists could be deemed security risks and have their press badges revoked if they solicited unauthorized military personnel to disclose classified or some unclassified information.
Of the 56 news outlets in the Pentagon Press Association, only one agreed to sign an acknowledgment of the policy, with reporters who did not sign losing access to the Pentagon.
On 20 March, Friedman ruled that the policy violated the U.S. Constitution and issued an injunction requiring immediate restoration of reporters’ credentials.
The New York Times, the lead plaintiff challenging Hegseth’s policy, informed the judge last week that the Pentagon had not complied but instead issued a new “interim” policy. This policy bars reporters with press passes from entering the building without an escort, sets rules on granting source anonymity, and prohibits reporters from knowingly inducing sources to share unauthorized information.
The Pentagon claims compliance with the court order.
Justice Department lawyer Sarah Welch stated at the hearing that the department crafted a materially different policy that should be upheld. She noted the relocation of the Pentagon press corps to a separate annex was part of a prior workspace plan announced last year and requested permission for additional written arguments defending the revised rules.
The Pentagon Press Association argued in court filings that the new rules violate the letter and spirit of Friedman’s ruling.
Trump Declares Victory in Iran Amid Growing Conflict and Economic Concerns
President Donald Trump continues to declare victory in Iran, but experts caution that repeated assertions do not equate to reality. Despite Trump’s insistence that his military campaign in the Middle East is historic, the global community braces for a conflict that could severely impact the world economy.
The war challenges Trump’s longstanding approach of constructing narratives and compelling acceptance. This method has succeeded in business, television, and politics but faces obstacles in the complex realities of war.
According to a cofounder of the Seneca Project, a women-led political action committee:
“This is war and you can’t just will a win into existence in war. The American people are not on board with what’s going on because he cannot articulate an argument for why we’re there or what victory actually looks like.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the global oil market is well supplied, with increased vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
He told Fox News:
“Over time, the US is going to retake control of the straits and there will be freedom of navigation, whether it is through US escorts or a multinational escort.”
Iran has effectively halted shipping through the strait, using the vital waterway as leverage. Its near closure has pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel.
Iran has allowed “non-hostile vessels” to transit if coordinated with Iranian authorities, resulting in a trickle of cargo ships and tankers, mostly Iranian but some from Thailand and China, passing through since the war began.
Earlier this month, Trump called on other countries, including France and the UK, to send warships to help unblock the strait, despite global governments facing surging energy prices.
The U.S. has eased oil sanctions on Russia and Iran to contain rising energy costs, but concerns remain that the war’s economic fallout could trigger a global recession.
US Vice President Calls Aliens 'Demons' Amid Ongoing Crises
Amid the Iran conflict, rising petrol and grocery prices, and ongoing airport chaos due to the partial government shutdown, U.S. Vice President JD Vance appeared on the conservative Johnson show, released Saturday, to discuss his interest in unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life.
Johnson, who promotes his show as providing behind-the-scenes insights into the global freedom conflict, asked Vance if he had reviewed files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), which President Trump has publicly addressed.
Vance responded with more enthusiasm than on previous Middle East war questions:
“I actually haven’t. I have not been able to spend enough time on this, but I am going to. Trust me, I’m obsessed with this.”
Vance further revealed his views on extraterrestrial beings and their relation to religion:
“I don’t think they’re aliens, I think they’re demons anyway, but that’s a longer discussion. Well, look, I think that celestial beings who fly around, who do weird things to people. I think that the desire to describe everything celestial, everything is otherworldly, to describe it as aliens.”
Trump’s 'Border Czar' Affirms ICE Presence at US Airports
Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s “border czar,” told CBS News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will remain at U.S. airports until TSA agents feel fully operational.
This follows President Trump’s directive to DHS to immediately pay TSA agents as the partial government shutdown, now the longest in history, enters its 45th day. The TSA has reported that over 480 workers have resigned since the shutdown began.
Negotiations collapsed last week to fund TSA, the U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA, and CISA. The House passed a short-term funding bill to keep DHS running through 22 May, but Senate Democrats are expected to reject it. Congress is also on a two-week recess, leaving a potential deal uncertain.
Homan stated on Sunday:
“If less TSA agents come back, that means we’ll keep more ICE agents there. The president has been clear. He wants to secure those airports … ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in TSA. We’ll be there as long as they need us, until they get back to normal operations and feel like those airports are secure.”
Since ICE received $75 billion through the president’s sweeping policy bill last year, it has largely been insulated from the funding lapse affecting the rest of DHS and has continued operations.
The White House has updated its daily schedule, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt scheduled to brief reporters at 1 p.m. ET. Updates will be provided as the briefing begins.
