Uncensored Free Speech Platform

Bill de Blasio says Democrats ‘should’ve understood’ voters want a secure border
This isn't complicated—it's willpower.

Former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said he thinks the Democratic Party “overcompensated” with its response to President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration in his first term.

Former President Joe Biden and his administration received major criticism for their handling of border security, as the United States’s illegal immigrant population reached an all-time high of 14 million in 2023. De Blasio said he didn’t like Biden’s handling of the border, but didn’t say anything at the time because he “didn’t think it was as bad as it was.”

De Blasio also noted how Biden was able to “reverse course” and “tighten” border security in 2024, asking, “Why did he wait until the final year” to do this?

“Listen: I think the American people were pissed off at the Democrats in Biden’s term because they did not see a secure border, and I say, ‘Shame on us,’ we should’ve understood that there were things – you didn’t have to be inhumane to have a secure border, right?” de Blasio said on Fox News’s Hang Out with Sean Hannity podcast Thursday.

“I think in Trump [term] one, with the detention facilities and everything else, there were legitimate concerns, right? But we, in a sense, overcompensated [and] went too far back the other way,” de Blasio said.

The former mayor also said he believes the U.S. needs a border agency, but added that Immigration and Customs Enforcement “has gone astray beyond repair.” Democratic lawmakers have heavily criticized ICE in Trump’s second term and its focus on deportations of illegal immigrants.

De Blasio questioned why ICE is going to a “Home Depot parking lot” to pick up illegal immigrants. Host Sean Hannity agreed, saying deportations should be prioritized for “rapists, murderers, cartel members.”

GEORGIA OFFICIALS THWART SOCIAL CIRCLE ICE FACILITY BY TURNING OFF WATER

In May 2025, the Washington Examiner learned that White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller “eviscerated” ICE officials during a private meeting, telling them, “You guys aren’t doing a good job.” One official said Miller “wants everyone arrested,” even asking them, “Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?”

Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York said on Monday that the 2020 Democratic Party’s presidential primary race was “essentially a bidding contest over who would be softest on immigration,” a contest that Biden won. Going forward, the 2028 election will see Democratic candidates “reckon” with Biden’s handling of …

Trump quips about Pearl Harbor when asked if Japan given advanced notice on Iran attacks: 'Wanted surprise'
Is this competence or optics?

President Donald Trump made a quip about Pearl Harbor Thursday when asked if Japan and other American allies were given advance notice about attacking Iran, saying the U.S. "wanted surprise." 
Trump made the comment while sitting across from Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi during a bilateral meeting at the White House. 
"Japan and the U.S. are very good friends, but one question, why didn't you tell U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before attacking Iran? So we are very confused about, we Japanese citizens," a reporter asked Trump. 
"Well, one thing, you don't want to signal too much," the president responded. "You know, when we go in, we went in very hard, and we didn't tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor? Okay? Right?" 
JACK KEANE CALLS OUT NATO'S WEAKNESS AS SHIPPING CRISIS GRIPS STRAIT OF HORMUZ
"You know, he's asking me, ‘Do you believe in surprise?’ I think much more so than us. And we had to surprise them. And we did," Trump continued. "And because of that surprise, we knocked out the first two days, we probably knocked out 50% of what we — and much more than we anticipated doing. So, if I go and tell everybody about it, there's no longer a surprise, right?" 
PENTAGON SEEKS AT LEAST $200 BILLION FROM CONGRESS FOR IRAN WAR
Earlier in the meeting, Trump told reporters, "We're doing this excursion. And when it's completed, we're going to have a much safer world. And the Prime Minister agrees with me on this."
"Iran is a serious threat to the world, to the Middle East and to the world. And everybody agrees with me," Trump said. "I think virtually every country agrees with me on that. So I wanted to put out that fire." 
Operation Epic Fury was launched by the U.S. on Feb. 28, and as of Thursday, is on day 20. 

Pritzker's $5M push for ally sparks fury from Congressional Black Caucus: reports
Same show, different day.

Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., emerged as a decisive kingmaker in Illinois’ primary elections Tuesday, but his efforts to boost his deputy, Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton, D-Ill., could create headaches for a future presidential run.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are sharply criticizing Pritzker for spending millions of his personal wealth to shore up support for Stratton in the state’s bruising Senate primary. 
Pritzker’s deputy beat out Rep. Robyn Kelly, D-Ill., the CBC’s preferred candidate, and a $30 million war chest from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., to advance to the general election.
"We don’t need to reach out to the governor," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said of Pritzker, according to a new Politico report. "Others are going to have to reach out to us," he said in a reference to Pritzker. Meeks helms the CBC's PAC, which backed Kelly's failed Senate campaign.
AS 2028 BUZZ BUILDS, PRITZKER DRAWS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER IN SHOWDOWN FOR ILLINOIS GOVERNOR
Stratton’s dominant win could have immediate ramifications for Pritzker, who is running for a third gubernatorial term and is rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential bid. The Black caucus remains an influential force in the Democratic Party after allying itself with former President Joe Biden in 2020 and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
For now, the group is holding Pritzker at arm’s length. 
"Keep in mind, the Democratic candidate for president that prevails has to go through [us]," Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said referring to the Black caucus, according to the report. "The CBC is very strategic and so if there is an issue … we will lay out our framework for what it will take" to earn the group’s support, the Ohio Democrat added.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, a longtime CBC member, did not hide his frustration with Pritzker, telling the outlet that the billionaire governor "has to justify what he did" by backing Stratton’s Senate campaign.
"As to whether or not it has merit or not, remains to be seen," he added, according to the report.
ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS FEND OFF FAR-LEFT INFLUENCER IN PRIMARY TO SUCCEED REP JAN SCHAKOWSKY
The billionaire governor contributed at least $5 million to a super PAC supporting Stratton’s candidacy. The donation helped Stratton overcome a torrent of attack ads from the cryptocurrency industry seeking to block her from the nomination.
Additional CBC members have also lambasted Pritzker's influence over the Senate race, with some voicing concerns that Stratton and Kelly’s dueling campaigns split the Black vote.
"Governor Pritzker’s …

Are US and Israel in lockstep in Iran war? Deciphering Trump's post after gas field attacks
Every delay has consequences.

The article says Trump publicly claimed the US knew nothing about Israel's strike on Iran's South Pars gas field, directly contradicting Israeli officials who said that the attack was coordinated in advance with Washington. It suggests the two allies may have diverging war aims, with Israel pushing for regime change while Trump appears increasingly worried about energy prices.
If your closest ally in the region is publicly saying you were told about an attack you claimed to know nothing about, that is an embarrassment, is a credibility problem and feeds the appearance that the administration's handling of this war is FUBAR.
This war could be what breaks trump's second term. Look at all the negative headlines. A lot of voters don't like any involvement in the middle east at all and they also don't like the appearance of chaos. Look at Biden and the Afghanistan pullout and the effect that had on his numbers. Oil hit $115 a barrel on March 19, the pentagon is seeking $200 billion that hasn't even been submitted to Congress yet, Israeli officials are publicly contradicting Trump's claim that the US knew nothing about the South Pars attack, and Saudi Arabia is warning its patience is limited.
Afghanistan was a withdrawal that looked chaotic. This is an illegal offensive war that's producing chaos, which is harder to spin. Biden could argue he was cleaning up a mess. Trump owns the decision to start this one.
The $200 billion request that's being drafted by the "War Secretary" who was confirmed by a 51-50 vote is potentially the most politically damaging. That number lands on every American taxpayer at the same moment gas is at $115 a barrel. The administration sold DOGE as saving money for ordinary taxpayers. The war is now costing us at the gas pump and potentially about to cost us in taxes too. We're about to pay way more money than DOGE ever "saved".

Trump boasts ‘a lot’ of military defections in Iran: ‘I don’t blame them’
Is this competence or optics?

President Donald Trump bragged that the military might of the United States against Iran had led to members of the Middle Eastern nation’s military abandoning it during a Thursday bilateral in the Oval Office.

“There’s a lot of military defections. You have a lot of military defections in Iran,” Trump said while seated next to the visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. “I don’t blame them.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent prompted Trump’s comments, saying during the bilateral meeting that the U.S is “seeing defections at all levels” in the Iranian military and that the regime will probably “collapse” into itself.

Trump went on to praise the U.S.’s demolition of Iran’s navy and air force after the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28.

“In literally two weeks, we’ve demolished their navy, their air force, all technology is gone, all communication is gone, and all of the leaders are gone,” Trump said. “Other than that, they’re doing quite well.”

But while Iran has been greatly weakened since the war began, it has still been able to close the Strait of Hormuz, leading to higher oil and gas prices globally.

Japan’s prime minister denounced Iran’s attacks in her first visit to the White House since the war began.

“Japan condemns Iran’s actions, such as attacking the neighboring region and also the de facto or effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Takaichi said, according to a translator.

Trump called upon Japan to “step up” in protecting the Strait of Hormuz after NATO allies had demurred on aiding the U.S.

“Honestly, we don’t need anything from Japan or from anyone else. But I think it’s appropriate that people step up,” he said. “In the case of Japan, I hear they get more than 90% of their oil through the strait. So that’s a big business.”

UK, FRANCE, JAPAN, GERMANY, AND OTHERS VOICE READINESS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SECURE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Before the bilateral, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands issued a joint statement signaling readiness to secure the critical sea lane.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,” the statement reads.

Thune says Trump ‘absolutely’ needs Congress for NATO withdrawal
Same show, different day.

EXCLUSIVE — Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said Thursday that any effort to leave NATO would require approval from Congress, pushing back on President Donald Trump’s assertion that he could withdraw unilaterally.

“Yeah, absolutely, I don’t think you can make that kind of a decision unilaterally,” Thune told the Washington Examiner in a sit-down interview.

“Congress is definitely — on something like that, there isn’t any question Congress is gonna want to be heard from,” he added.

On Tuesday, Trump said in the Oval Office that he was “disappointed” with NATO over its unwillingness to help the United States secure the Strait of Hormuz and that leaving the alliance is “certainly something we should think about.”

Under a law passed in late 2023, the president is prohibited from withdrawing from NATO without a two-thirds vote by the Senate or separate legislation severing the relationship. But Trump said that he could “work with some very smart people” should he decide the alliance is no longer useful.

“I don’t need Congress for that decision, as you probably know. I can make that decision myself,” Trump said, before caveating that he’d “always deal with Congress anyway.”

In the interview, Thune called NATO “probably the most effective alliance in history” and said that senators were “heavily invested” in its success. It was created to counter Soviet-era aggression and today serves as a bulwark against Russian expansion into Europe.

Thune added, however, that he believed Trump “rightly” has tested that relationship by requiring member nations to contribute more to their own collective defense.

“I mean, the United States has been carrying way too much of that burden through the years, and I think the president, to his credit, has successfully persuaded a lot of NATO countries that they’ve got to do more, and they’ve got to be more responsible,” Thune said. “They’re the front line on a lot of these issues in that region of the world.”

Trump’s comments come as the U.S. attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran shut down after the president ordered military strikes more than two weeks ago. The passageway carries 20% of the world’s oil supply, and Trump argued that other countries should shoulder some of the responsibility of protecting vessels from Iranian attacks.

TRUMP SAYS HE NO LONGER WANTS NATO ALLIES INVOLVED IN IRAN WAR

He fumed on Tuesday that the U.S. had spent tens of billions helping Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion, but …

Acting DOJ antitrust chief denies Paramount-WBD merger will be approved for political reasons
This looks less like justice and more like strategy.

The acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division denied on Wednesday that politics will play a role in the federal review of the pending merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Democrats have raised concerns about the perceived political ties between President Donald Trump and Paramount CEO David Ellison. His father, Larry Ellison, is a close Trump ally who’s heavily backing the merger with his own money.

In a new interview with Reuters, acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi said Paramount will “absolutely not” receive a pass during the approval process for political reasons.

“The idea that somehow enforcement has been politicized is ludicrous,” he said without sharing specific details of the ongoing review.

“I think even Ted Sarandos has been very vocal about the fact that he had a very open and ​fair and thorough review under us,” the antitrust official added, referring to the Netflix co-CEO.

The streaming service ultimately backed out of the WBD bidding war, letting Paramount take the win. Ellison is now focused on getting his company’s bid across the finish line.

The DOJ is currently probing the merger for anticompetitive issues, specifically whether the deal will raise streaming prices for consumers. That was a major concern for federal lawmakers and state attorneys general regarding Netflix’s now-failed bid to acquire WBD.

If finalized, the Paramount-WBD merger is expected to raise streaming prices through market consolidation. In a recent interview with CNBC, Ellison declined to comment on pricing but confirmed that Paramount+ and HBO Max will combine into one streaming service.

He expects the deal to close by the third quarter of 2026, but that depends on whether it is held up by the DOJ review or state-level litigation. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is currently investigating the merger and exploring the possibility of an antitrust lawsuit.

HEGSETH WISHES PARAMOUNT CEO WILL OVERHAUL CNN IN WARNER BROS. MERGER

Adding to the perception of the Trump administration’s favoritism toward Paramount, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said at an unrelated press conference last week that he hopes the Paramount CEO will take over and overhaul CNN as part of the acquisition. WBD owns the news outlet.

Assefi assumed the DOJ antitrust role after his full-time predecessor, Gail Slater, resigned last month for undisclosed reasons. Slater’s office was in the middle of the merger review …

House oversight committee greenlights bill to ditch DC speeding cameras
This is performative politics again.

A House committee voted along party lines to advance a bill that would repeal Washington, D.C.’s authority to use traffic cameras and prohibit right turns at red lights.

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform advanced the “Stop DC CAMERA Act” by a vote of 21 to 19, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats voting against. The bill would get rid of D.C.’s contentious traffic cameras that automatically clock speeders, cars that run red lights and stop signs, and violate bus and truck restrictions, while also generating lots of revenue.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), will now head to the full House floor for a vote, where it will need a majority to pass.

Washington, D.C., has over 530 traffic cameras across the district, installed at intersections where there’s a demonstrated need, such as areas with high crash rates or school zones. The cameras generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year for the district, but critics have argued that the cameras unfairly rake in revenue from impoverished residents who cannot afford the hefty fines and have magnified racial inequities across the district.

Perry called the system a “shameless money grab” and said the cameras “generate millions of dollars of revenues from the people that can likely least afford it.”

“The residents and commuters of Washington are both sick and tired of being fleeced for hundreds of dollars of petty, automated traffic fines, all in the name of alleged safety,” Perry said.

D.C.’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer said in January that, over the last three years, the traffic cameras have generated over $620 million in revenue. Fines for violations caught on camera range from $100 to $500. The Trump administration’s Department of Transportation is also supportive of dismantling the traffic cameras, according to Politico.

Several studies have shown that traffic cameras have reduced speeding where they have been installed. A 2024 Washington Post report showed that speeding infractions dropped from 7,556 citations to 316 in under two years after cameras were installed.

But Perry pointed to road fatalities across the district to bolster support for the bill.

“According to public traffic data, DC traffic fatalities for 2023 were 52 and in 2024 were 52, were the highest they’ve been since 2007, which was 54. So it’s not getting safer out there, folks,” Perry said.

Democrats and D.C.’s representative Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) have …

Mystery drones fly near DC-area military base as Iran tensions escalate
This feels like a quiet policy shift.

U.S. officials detected unidentified drones near a military installation in Washington, D.C., where top administration officials reportedly have been housed, as security concerns mount amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and with Iran. 
Multiple drones were spotted in recent days near Fort Lesley J. McNair, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth are living, The Washington Post reported, citing people briefed on the situation. The origin of the drones has not been determined.
The base, located in Southwest Washington, D.C., houses the National Defense University and senior military leadership. It also reportedly has been used to accommodate high-level administration officials amid elevated security concerns.
Officials with Joint Task Force–National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington said they are aware of the reported drone sightings. 
US DIPLOMATIC FACILITY IN IRAQ STRUCK BY DRONE
"We are aware of the reported drone sightings near Fort McNair and the surrounding areas," Heather Chairez, media chief for Joint Task Force–National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, told Fox News Digital Thursday. "We are working with our law enforcement and interagency partners to monitor and investigate the reported sightings." 
"Our top priority is the safety of our service members and civilian personnel that work and live on the base," she added. "Currently there is no credible threat to Fort McNair, but we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust force protection measures as needed." 
A growing number of top officials, including Rubio and Hegseth, have moved into military housing in the Washington area, according to multiple reports, a shift that is unusual and has few modern precedents for civilian political appointees.
Fox News has not independently confirmed Rubio and Hegseth live at McNair. 
The reported sightings come as the United States has heightened security measures at military installations and diplomatic posts following ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, raising concerns about potential retaliation and attacks on U.S. troops. 
Iran increasingly has relied on drones as a central component of its military strategy, deploying unmanned systems and supporting proxy forces across the Middle East in attacks on U.S. and allied targets.
During the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury, an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait killed six U.S. service members, underscoring concerns among defense officials about the growing threat posed by unmanned systems. …

Schumer keeps public guessing on how long Dems will refuse to fund DHS amid terror attacks
This is performative politics again.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., remained silent earlier this week when asked how long Democrats intended to hold out on funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amid a recent string of suspected terror attacks.
Fox News Digital approached Schumer with a pair of questions in the basement of the Senate.
"Is it time to fund the DHS after four domestic suspected terror attacks have occurred?" a Fox News Digital reporter asked.
"If the Republicans don’t agree to the ICE reforms that you guys want, all of them, what’s the next step? How long are you willing to leave DHS unfunded?"
SCALISE ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF REVIVING 'DEFUND THE POLICE' PUSH WITH DHS FUNDING GAMBIT
Schumer deflected the questions.
"Ask the Republicans," Schumer answered.
Funding for DHS originally lapsed on Feb. 14 when Democrats refused to advance spending legislation for DHS that didn’t also include a set of demands to reform ICE. Among other changes, Democrats have conditioned their support on a ban on masks for ICE agents, stiffer warrant requirement for apprehending suspects in public and a ban on roaming patrols.
Republicans have rebuffed the demands, arguing they would handcuff President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement goals.
Republicans need at least seven Democrats to reach the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster in the Senate, where they hold just 53 seats.
DEM SENATORS IN THE HOT SEAT AS REPUBLICANS RIP THEIR DHS VOTE AMID TERROR THREATS: 'UNDER ATTACK'
The standoff has overlapped with a series of domestic attacks, raising alarm among Republicans that DHS’s closure may be reducing the country’s preparedness to counter similar threats.
A vehicle ramming at a synagogue in Michigan, a university shooting in Virginia, the detonations of explosives in New York and another shooting in Texas have left Republicans like Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., calling for Democrats to abandon their demands.
"Democrats have shut down the very department charged with defending our nation from terrorism while our nation is on high alert," Barrasso said in a post to X.
In addition to ICE, DHS also manages the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Secret Service and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Barrasso, the Senate GOP Whip, was echoed by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
DEM SENATORS CALL TO FUND DHS AFTER VOTING TO BLOCK IT 4 TIMES AMID SHUTDOWN FIGHT
He stressed the urgency to fund the department amid the U.S. conflict with Iran.
"I urge my Democrat colleagues to make the …

For Iran, Hegseth Wants Billions From Congress. Can He Get It?
Same show, different day.

The Pentagon appears to be seeking hundreds of billions of dollars from Congress for the War with Iran.

However, with slim majorities in both chambers and a partisan divide over the conflict, will Republican leaders be able to squeeze that sum out of Congress?

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported the Pentagon “has asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to Congress to fund the war in Iran.”

When asked about the Pentagon requesting $200 billion for an Iran war supplemental, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said "that number could move, obviously. It takes money to kill bad guys."

"We're going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we're…
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 19, 2026

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the reporting at Thursday morning’s press briefing.

“$200 billion, I think that number could move, obviously,” Hegseth said. “It takes money to kill bad guys. So we’re going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we’re properly funded for what’s been done, for what we may have to do in the future, [to] ensure that… everything’s refilled.”

A Costly War

On Sunday, Kevin Hassett, the director of the White House’s National Economic Council, said the “latest number I was briefed on was $12 billion” for the war’s price tag, according to CBS News.

The move to request more funding from Congress comes after legislators budgeted nearly $1 trillion for defense in fiscal year 2026.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in July 2025, also injected nearly $160 billion into defense outside of the typical appropriations process.

The federal debt surpassed $39 trillion for the first time this week, after passing $38 trillion in late October 2025. 

When asked if the Pentagon needs to ask Congress for additional funding for the war with Iran, Trump’s top economic advisor Kevin Hassett says “right now, we’ve got what we need.”

“This is something that we've got the weapons that we've already got in place to do this, and so,…
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 15, 2026

If Congress follows the typical process, 60 votes in the Senate will be necessary to advance a funding bill to the president’s desk. 

Any such bill would have to start in the House.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., told reporters he had not seen a funding request yet, but was ready to consider one.

“I would suspect some of this is backloading things that they would have in the [fiscal year 2027] bill anyway,” Cole said. 

“You might as well get that done early, as it might take Congress a long time to come to an agreement… It doesn’t surprise me that we’re hearing these numbers.”

Before the Iran War, President Donald Trump called for a $1.5 trillion defense budget.

A large number of Democrats would likely vote against a funding package.

“We should be spending it on child care and health care here at home,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told The Daily Signal.

Budget Reconciliation

If they wish to forgo Democrats’ support, Republicans could choose to pass another budget reconciliation bill, like the One Big Beautiful Bill …

Slotkin presses DHS pick on ICE at polls, says she can’t trust Trump to allow ‘free and fair’ election
Every delay has consequences.

Homeland Security Secretary-designate Markwayne Mullin was challenged Wednesday over concerns that the Trump administration could position ICE agents near polling places this November.
The back-and-forth with Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., comes amid warnings from some on the right that many blue states’ election security policies are potentially allowing illegal immigrants to cast ballots for races they are prohibited from participating in.
Illegal immigrants are allowed to vote in certain local elections, starting with Takoma Park, Maryland, in 1993, but are federally banned from voting for congressional and presidential candidates.
When asked by Slotkin whether the feds or the states run elections, Mullin cited the Constitution in responding that they are a state responsibility that includes some federal oversight.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON CALLS FOR GOP TO 'NATIONALIZE' VOTING AS CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS BALK
"So if you're talking about the SAVE America Act requiring you, which is within the Constitution, by the way… to be citizens of the United States, I don't think it's too much to ask somebody to prove they're a citizen of the U.S. to vote in a federal election," he said.
Slotkin said she was not inferring any controversy over the SAVE Act, which remains held up in the Senate, but instead was raising concerns about immigration enforcement activity on Election Day.
"If you are secretary of Homeland Security, do you feel you have the authority to put uniformed officers at polling locations in 2026?" she asked. Mullin replied he had discussed the subject with her in her office and confirmed he would only dispatch ICE if there was a "specific threat" and "not for intimidation."
Slotkin countered by questioning the type of threat that could arise, adding that such agents were not dispatched during dangerous periods in history, like World War II or the War on Terror.
DHS SAYS ICE AGENTS WILL NOT BE AT POLLING PLACES DURING MIDTERMS
Mullin said he couldn’t engage in hypotheticals other than to reiterate that if there was a threat to a group like the Jewish community – which Slotkin brought up in a previous exchange about the threat landscape – that the public would understand why DHS needed to be in a certain area.
"I think the reason you're here and not Kristi Noem is because Americans trust their local law enforcement now way more than they trust ICE. So I would just say, if we ever get to the point where you are being asked to put armed ICE officers at polling locations, we have lost the plot as a country," Slotkin said.
"And until I hear someone tell me …