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‘War on Poverty’ May Have Created a Permanent Underclass, Economists Say
We're watching the same failure loop.

America’s “War on Poverty,” launched by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, has expanded into a vast array of federal social welfare programs that today exceed $1 trillion per year.

Upon signing the Economic Opportunity Act, Johnson stated: “This is not in any sense a cynical proposal to exploit the poor with a promise of a handout” but rather a means to “help our people find their footing for a long climb toward a better way of life.”

While poverty has declined significantly over the past half century, however, recent reports indicate that these programs simultaneously reduced the share of private income for America’s poorest, locking them into long-term dependency and limiting their ability to move up into the middle class.

A recent study by economists Kevin Corinth and Richard Burkhauser, which analyzed poverty rates before and after America embarked on the War on Poverty, concluded that, while poverty decreased substantially since 1964, this was achieved largely by welfare supplanting “market” income such as wages, investments and profits. In addition, before the 1960s, market income had succeeded in reducing poverty at similar rates to what the War on Poverty achieved.

“Our new research shows that the United States made strong progress in reducing poverty during the quarter century before the War on Poverty began, and that this progress was entirely accounted for by increases in market income, not government transfers,” Corinth told The Daily Signal. “In other words, there was a lot of benefit and not much cost during this earlier period.”

Before the War on Poverty, poverty reduction was achieved across racial groups. Economist Thomas Sowell wrote in 2004 that the poverty rate among black families fell from 87% in 1940 to 47% in 1960, without government assistance.

According to Corinth and Burkhauser, “During that 1939–1963 period, it was the growth of market income rather than government transfers net of taxes that reduced poverty rates. In fact, poverty fell no faster in the 24 years after the War on Poverty was declared than in the 24 years before, even when applying the same initial poverty rate to both periods.”

And while some claim that government spending has reduced poverty by as much as 90% since 1964, it may have also built a barrier to upward mobility for America’s poorest.

A 2007 study of income mobility by the Internal Revenue Service that tracked individual earners (rather than income aggregates) found that Americans who occupied rich or poor income categories usually didn’t stay there long. The report found that between 1996 and 2005, 55% of taxpayers in the lowest income quintile had moved up to a higher group within 10 years.

Similarly, only 25% of those in the top (1/100 of one%) income category remained there a decade later. The IRS found similar results during the prior decade.

However, more recent studies indicate that income mobility is declining in America and that expansive welfare programs appear to be trapping more people in government dependence.

A January report by the Congressional Budget Office found that, for the poorest 20% of Americans, government payments increased from 26% of total income in …

ODU gunman who killed ROTC instructor had prior ISIS conviction, was released early
Equal justice apparently isn't equal anymore.

The suspect authorities say killed an ROTC instructor at Old Dominion University had previously been convicted of providing material support to ISIS but received a shorter prison sentence than federal prosecutors sought before his release in 2024, according to court records.
Mohamed Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone, entered a classroom Thursday at the Norfolk school and opened fire after confirming it was an ROTC class, killing Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, authorities said. The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office said ROTC cadets physically subdued Jalloh and ended the attack, adding that their actions "rendered [him] no longer alive."
"The horrific tragedy that occurred today on ODU’s campus never should have happened," Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va., said.
Court records show Jalloh was arrested in 2016 for providing material support to ISIS.
MAMDANI AVOIDS ‘RADICAL ISLAMIC TERROR’ PHRASE AFTER ISIS-INSPIRED NYC ATTACK, ECHOING OBAMA-ERA DEBATE
Federal prosecutors sought a 20-year prison sentence, but Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady sentenced him to 132 months — roughly 11 years.
According to prosecutors, a now-deceased ISIS member overseas arranged contact between Jalloh and an individual he believed to be a fellow supporter but who was actually an FBI confidential human source. Investigators said Jalloh also traveled to Nigeria as part of the plot.
The overseas terrorist wanted an attack carried out, while Jalloh told the FBI source he decided not to renew his enlistment with the Virginia Army National Guard after listening to lectures from al Qaeda terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, a New Mexico native against whom President Barack Obama ordered a fatal drone strike in 2011.
"The defendant was fully aware of what he was doing and the consequences of those actions. His only misgivings seemed to be a fear that he would waver at the critical moment," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum obtained by The Associated Press.
FBI DISRUPTS ALLEGED ISIS-INSPIRED NEW YEAR’S EVE ATTACK PLOT TARGETING NC GROCERY STORE
O’Grady later handed down an 11-year sentence that included mental health treatment and substance abuse testing, according to the wire service, and Jalloh was released in 2024.
Jalloh’s release also required he have no contact with any terrorist organizations and computer monitoring during probation.
"Jalloh was sentenced in 2017 to 132 months in prison for providing material support to ISIS. The [government] had asked for a sentence of 240 months, the statutory maximum," former federal prosecutor William Shipley wrote on X. …

Democrats organize censure of Fine and Ogles over Islamophobic posts
Who's accountable for the results?

House Democrats are moving to censure Reps. Randy Fine (R-FL) and Andy Ogles (R-TN), both of whom have made statements heavily criticizing Islam in recent days after violent incidents.

Democrats are seeking to formally punish Fine for making statements they regard as Islamophobic and racist, according to Axios. The report came after Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) called for censuring him over comments he made shortly after attacks in Michigan and Virginia at a synagogue and a university on Thursday.

In response to those attacks, Fine said the United States needs “more Islamophobia, not less” and that “fear of Islam is rational.”

“Randy Fine’s vile racism should have already resulted in censure,” she wrote on X. “I’ve asked before and I’m asking again: [House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)], will you reprimand Rep. Fine? Strip him of his committee assignments? Anything? Or does the Republican caucus condone racism?”

Fine responded to the congresswoman, calling her an “idiot” for ignoring Islam-related attacks in the past two weeks.

The suspected attacker in Michigan, who used a car to ram into a Detroit-area synagogue, reportedly lost four relatives in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon last week amid the war with Iran. In Virginia, the perpetrator who fatally shot one person at Old Dominion University was a former National Guard member convicted in 2017 for trying to support ISIS. Each suspect is now dead.

Meanwhile, the censure process for Ogles has already started after Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) introduced a two-page resolution that condemns his “Islamophobic, racist, and anti-immigrant rhetoric” on social media.

“Muslims don’t belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie,” Ogles posted on Monday.

The statement generated widespread backlash, coming not long after two pro-Islam protesters were arrested in New York City for throwing improvised explosive devices at anti-Islam demonstrators in a rally led by pardoned Jan. 6 rioter Jake Lang. No one was killed or injured.

The NYPD has been on heightened alert since the incident. In the first three days after the attempted attack, officers searched a suspicious device left in a vehicle and a package found near Gracie Mansion.

The recent events motivated Ogles to prepare a bill to repeal the Hart-Cellar Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which ended selective immigration quotas for entry into the United States.

Separately, Ogles is pushing legislation to ban the entry of immigrants from predominantly …

(What’s Left of) Our Economy: More (Pre-Iran and Pre-Supreme Court Ruling) Evidence that Tariffs Weren’t Fueling Much Overall Inflation
Law enforcement shouldn't be political.

More official U.S. economic reports came out today predating the Iran conflict and the Supreme Court’s decision striking down many of the Trump 2.0 tariffs – meaning that they provide almost no insights into how the economy will perform going forward.  But they do represent more evidence on how the important experiment represented by Trumponomics, and these latest data were mixed.

The new downward revision to fourth quarter economic growth was stunning – and tougher to interpret than usual, given the uncertainties acknowledged by the Commerce Department in judging the effects of the October-through-mid-November government shutdown.  More on that in a separate post.

But the new report on the inflation gauge favored by the Federal Reserve – the U.S. government’s main inflation-fighting agency – strengthened the case that, on the trade and tariff front, that Trumpian experiment had been faring pretty well.

Principally, the January numbers for “Price Indexes for Personal Consumption Expenditures” (PCE) made clear that although tariff-induced inflation warmed slightly, there was no bleed-through to the entire economy – one of the main concerns generated by rising prices.

Starting from the broadest perspective, the headline monthly PCE inflation rate actually eased a bit in January – from December’s 0.4 percent to 0.3 percent.  That’s squarely in the range that it’s been since last February (the first full month of President Trump’s second term), as shown below:

February      0.4 percent                                                                        

March          0.0 percent                                                                   

April            0.2 percent                                                                 

May             0.2 percent       

June             0.3 percent  

July              0.2 percent  

August         0.3 percent

September    0.3 percent

October        0.2 percent

November    0.2 percent 

December    0.4 percent

January        0.3 percent

Headline PCE inflation on a yearly basis cooled, too, in January – from December’s 2.9 percent (the highest since last February) to 2.8 percent.  That’s toward the higher end of its range since last February: 

February      2.7 percent

March         2.3 percent 

April           2.2 percent

May            2.4 percent

June            2.6 percent

July             2.6 percent

August        2.7 percent

September   2.8 percent

October       2.7 percent

November   2.8 percent

December   2.9 percent

January       2.8 percent

Moreover, the headline PCE figures show that the Trump post-Liberation Day record has been catching up  to the final pre-tariff-y Biden performance on this inflation front. 

Between April (“Liberation month”) 2025 through January, 2026, headline PCE rose by 2.23 percent.  During the final comparable Biden period (April, 2024 through January, 2025), the increase was 1.63 percent.  

But as of the previous PCE release (for December), those numbers were 2.08 percent during Trump 2.0 and 1.34 percent under Biden.  So the gap has narrowed in favor of Mr. Trump and tariff supporters (like me).

Core PCE, as known by …

WATCH LIVE: Vance gives speech on Trump agenda in North Carolina
Who benefits from this decision?

Vice President JD Vance is giving a speech in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

The speech is set to begin at 2 p.m.

His speech is set to focus on the economy, affordability, and other issues central to President Donald Trump’s midterm election message, as the election season gears up.

The roughly 150 seats for the event were filled two hours before the speech was set to begin, according to 6abc. Laurie Buckhout, a Trump-endorsed Republican running for the state’s 1st Congressional District, was among those in attendance.

FOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM THE FIRST PRIMARY ELECTION OF 2026

Vance has been less in the spotlight after Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28. The subject of the war with Iran will likely be included in Vance’s speech as well, as concerns that a prolonged war could harm the economy swirl.

Comer Calls Epstein Guard to Testify After Records Raise Questions
Law enforcement shouldn't be political.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer sent a letter Friday to Tova Noel, one of the guards in Jeffrey Epstein’s prison unit, seeking her testimony on March 26.

Noel, a guard at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, was accused of failing to complete regular checks on Epstein before his death. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a prison cell in what was determined to be a suicide. 

“Due to public reporting, documents released by the Department of Justice, and documents obtained by the committee, the committee believes you have information that will assist in its investigation,” Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, wrote. 

Noel was one of the prison guards fired for allegedly falsifying records to say they checked on Epstein. The other guard was also charged, but a federal judge dismissed the charges in January 2022 after the guards completed a deferred prosecution agreement.

According to a 2019 release by the Justice Department, the initial indictment stated that the two guards “repeatedly failed to complete mandated counts of prisoners under their watch in the MCC’s Special Housing Unit,” and instead “sat at their desk, browsed the internet, and moved around the common area of the SHU.”  

The indictment added that “as a result of the defendants’ conduct, no correctional officer conducted any count or round of the SHU from approximately 10:30 p.m. on August 9 until approximately 6:30 a.m. on August 10,” when the guards said they discovered Epstein’s body.

After the 2022 dismissal, Noel’s lawyer Jason Foy said: “The shortcomings and mistakes made by Ms. Noel were a result of inexperience, lack of proper and sufficient training, and being put in a position to fail by the leadership of MCC and the Bureau of Prisons.”

The Daily Signal left phone and email messages with Foy for this story. He did not respond by publication time. 

The committee has investigated alleged mismanagement of the Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein and associate Ghislaine Maxwell. It has also reviewed the subsequent investigations of Mr. Epstein’s death. 

Further, the committee has investigated how Epstein and Maxwell sought to curry favor and exercise influence to protect their illegal activities.

The committee has notably interviewed former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, as well as Maxwell. The panel also interviewed businessman Les Wexner, and Epstein accountant Richard Kahn. 

The post Comer Calls Epstein Guard to Testify After Records Raise Questions appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Mamdani’s Rent Freeze Proposals Ice Out New York City’s Housing Market
This affects the entire country.

Zohran Mamdani met with the “Dealmaker in Chief” during an unexpected visit to the White House in late February to discuss a massive housing project. While plans to increase housing supply could lower rents if implemented, achieving broad affordability might just be an empty promise if socialist ideology prevails in New York City.

Solving the housing crisis is a bipartisan issue, but the mayor’s campaign promise of rent control is not the silver bullet. And ever since he stacked the Rent Guidelines Board with a likeminded leftist majority that has the power to freeze rent for nearly 1 million units, disastrous rent-stabilized apartments may come to fruition.

Aggressive government intervention does the opposite of making housing more affordable. Instead, market-based solutions such as prudent deregulation, streamlined permitting, and removing barriers to housing construction would drive supply up and stabilize rents.

Take the case of Argentina’s rental market after implementing the 2020 Lipovetzky Law. This law mandated rent controls and housing regulations that extended minimum lease terms, regulated annual rent adjustments, and required rents to be paid in pesos.

From June 2020 to December 2023, long-term rental listings on Zonaprop, one of Argentina’s largest real-estate platforms, fell 53%. The dramatic decrease in the supply of available long-term units caused real rental prices to rise by approximately 50% in the Buenos Aires metro area.

Socialist rent control policies created a housing shortage, upwards of 200,000 vacant units, and through-the-roof prices.

But when Javier Milei was elected in 2023 and repealed the Lipovetzky Law, it took just seven months for rental supply to increase by 212%. Rental listings on Zonaprop rose by 15,300 units, a 180% increase as of February 2025. And not only did rental supply increase, but the real price of renting decreased by nearly 27%.

Eradicating rent control and onerous housing regulations empowered Argentinian landlords to set rents at competitive rates and allowed the “invisible hand” of free-market supply and demand to dictate housing price and quantity. This, in turn, produced rental agreements that were beneficial for both tenants and landlords.

Mr. Mamdani’s plan of imposing a four-year rent freeze on approximately 1 million rent-stabilized apartments would, akin to Lipovetzky Law outcomes, lower housing supply, reduce housing quality, and push uncontrolled unit prices up.

A 2022 survey by the National Association of Home Builders and the National Multifamily Housing Council found that 87.5% of landlords would avoid building in jurisdictions with rent control policies in place.

Reduced or even negative profit margins discourage development in controlled areas, exacerbating housing shortages. So, landlords may convert rentals, sell their properties, or withdraw units from the market to avoid regulations and the low returns that result from price ceilings.

With lower housing supply, rents for New York City residents rise.

Across America, an estimated 40.6% of total development costs can be attributed to regulations and compliance at all levels of government, with the highest …

James Talarico trained at seminary that teaches social justice activism
The headline tells the story.

Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico, a rising star in the Democratic Party who often cites Scripture when pushing liberal positions, trained at a seminary that teaches prospective pastors to preach about social justice.

The relatively little-known seminarian turned Senate candidate pulled off a decisive victory in last week’s Democratic primary against Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX).

Since then, the press has dug up old footage and social media posts of Talarico asserting some rather sensational statements about God being “nonbinary,” the Bible explicitly endorsing abortion, and that there are actually six biological sexes existing on a gender spectrum.

In one podcast appearance, for example, Talarico said that the angel Gabriel asked Mary for her permission to carry Jesus through a virgin conception and thus Scripture teaches that “creation has to be done with consent,” therefore, “You cannot force someone to create.”

While opposing a 2021 state bill to ban biological males from competing in female sports, Talarico said on the Texas House floor that “trans children are God’s children, made in God’s own image. There’s nothing wrong with them. Nothing at all. They are perfect. They are beautiful and they are sacred.”

DOES JAMES TALARICO HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO FLIP THE TEXAS SENATE SEAT

Talarico, who is running to flip the deeply religious and reliably red state’s Senate seat, is a longtime vocal champion of social justice causes that many critics, mainly conservative Christians, see as ideologically at odds with Christian doctrine.

That a self-described devout Christian would be fully in favor of abortion and transgender affirmation is an anomaly of sorts to some on the religious Right and in evangelical circles. They consider Talarico’s political stances spiritually dissonant, undercutting scriptural imperatives to protect the unborn and live by God’s intended design.

Where Talarico went to school offers insight into what has helped form — or at least fortify — his worldview as a progressive Presbyterian espousing all things equity.

Talarico attends seminary keyed into social justice

While a member of the Texas House, Talarico enrolled at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a liberal graduate-level school that offers courses teaching a form of theology with a strong social justice component.

The school’s community newsletter, Faces of Austin Seminary, has featured Talarico, spotlighting how he balanced classes on campus between his …

Hegseth cranks up pressure on US war colleges
Notice what's missing.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a task force to evaluate senior service colleges to ensure they are not tainted by woke ideology and offer quality education.
"Professional Military Education should produce warfighters and leaders—not wokesters," he asserted in a post on X.
"That’s why we are establishing a Task Force to evaluate our Senior Service Colleges and ensure the focus is where it belongs. No distractions. Just warfighting," the post adds.
HEGSETH SCOLDS CNN'S ‘UNSERIOUS’ REPORT ON IRAN CONFLICT, SUGGESTS PARAMOUNT OWNER SHOULD OVERHAUL NETWORK
Hegseth's post includes a video message in which he said, "I'm directing the undersecretary of war for personnel and readiness to establish a task force effective immediately."
"The mission of that task force is to evaluate our senior service colleges, where we educate our own: Think places like the Army War College, or National Defense University, the Naval War College, Marine Corps University or the Air War College, where our senior officers go to continue their education," he explained.
TRUMP SAYS US ‘TOTALLY DESTROYING’ IRAN AND TO ‘WATCH WHAT HAPPENS’ FRIDAY
He indicated that the War Department will "make sure that what we've seen in our civilian institutions never surface in our military education institutions. Trust me. I've heard the stories. I know some of our own senior service colleges … have similar courses and similar ideologies. We need to rip ‘em out. And we’re going to. This task force will have 90 days to assess whether our Senior Service Colleges … are actually effective."
"And if we're pulling officers out of civilian universities because they're too woke, then we better make sure our own universities are prepared to do the task properly," he said.
NEW IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER ‘LIKELY DISFIGURED,’ HEGSETH SAYS
Hegseth's message came as the U.S. continues waging war against the Islamic Republic of Iran in conjunction with Israel.

Top Iranian officials stroll Tehran streets at rally before midday explosion
Notice what's missing.

Multiple high-ranking leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the president, walked about the streets of Tehran for a pro-Palestinian rally before explosions erupted at the event.

President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani were among the half-dozen officials who poked their heads out for the al-Quds Day march on Friday before the festivities were interrupted by attacks.

Larijani blamed the explosion on the United States, telling state media: “[President Donald] Trump doesn’t understand that the Iranian nation is a mature, strong, and determined one. As American pressure grows, the nation’s determination will strengthen. The Zionist regime’s attacks towards the march is a sign of its hopelessness.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends the Quds Day march in Tehran, Iran, on March 13, 2026. (Photo by Hassan Ghaedi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The origin of the explosion and the casualties of the attack are not yet known, but no high-ranking officials have been reported as harmed.

Chief of Police Ahmad-Reza Radan, who was present for the march, considered the attack and Iranian bystanders’ responses a testament to the regime supporters’ commitment.

“The people came today to tell the enemy — we are not afraid of you. The people responded to the sound of the explosion with shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar.’ Before the eyes of the frustrated enemy, the nation will not leave the site, and victory nears.”

Notably absent from the march was Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who was elected to the position to replace his assassinated father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The new ayatollah has not appeared in public or produced proof of life since his ascension. Iranian officials have acknowledged that he sustained injuries in a strike but assert that he remains in good health.

He issued his first address as supreme leader on Thursday, read by a state media newscaster.

“Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why? His father’s dead, he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run, and he lacks legitimacy. It’s a mess for them,” U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speculated on Friday morning.

The Friday explosions occurred on the 14th day of “Operation Epic Fury,” the U.S. campaign to overthrow the Islamic Republic. Simultaneously, Israel is coordinating strikes with the U.S. military as part of its own “Operation Roaring Lion.” …

Stephanie Bice passes on run for Markwayne Mullin’s Oklahoma Senate seat
What's the endgame here?

Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) will not run for Senate in Oklahoma to replace Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), the congresswoman announced Friday.

Bice said in a statement she is “truly overwhelmed” by the support and encouragement she received from her home state to run for the open seat being vacated by Mullin, who was tapped by President Donald Trump to become the next secretary of Homeland Security.

“After prayerful consideration, I remain committed to serving the Fifth Congressional District, a place that I proudly call home,” Bice said. “As a fourth generation Oklahoman, I look forward to continuing to deliver results. President Trump needs strong allies in the House and it is my honor to champion policies that better the lives of everyday Oklahomans.

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“In the next few weeks I will file for re-election, and I’m excited to continue traveling across the district to share our strong America first agenda,” Bice added.

Bice’s decision paves the way for Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) to receive support from their House Republican colleagues. Hern announced earlier this week he would run for the open seat to serve a full term. The Washington Examiner previously reported that both Bice and Hern were eyeing a run for the seat rather than seeking an appointment from Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK).

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Stephanie since she joined the House in 2021,” Hern said in a post to X. “She’s been a strong voice for Oklahoma and a leader for the people of the 5th District, and I know we will continue to serve them well.”

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Stephanie since she joined the House in 2021.

She’s been a strong voice for Oklahoma and a leader for the people of the 5th District, and I know she will continue to serve them well.
— Kevin Hern (@krhern) March 13, 2026

DEMOCRAT JIM CLYBURN, 85, TO RUN FOR 18TH HOUSE TERM

Stitt met with Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) this week to discuss Mullin’s pending resignation and who he would appoint to serve out the rest of his term. Whoever is appointed would add significantly to Republicans’ push against Democrats to end the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

The governor reportedly has two candidates in mind to serve out the rest of Mullin’s stint in Congress, and he is also weighing a bid for the full six-year term against Hern, …

Iran war enters next phase of destroying entire missile supply chain: Hegseth
Who benefits from this decision?

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the war with Iran was entering a new phase, as the United States was focusing on destroying Tehran’s defense industrial base.

At a Friday Pentagon briefing, Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined the progress of “Operation Epic Fury.” After boasting of the destruction of Iran’s air force, navy, and ballistic missile capabilities, Hegseth said the air campaign had switched to preventing Iran from rebuilding its missile forces through the systematic targeting of its defense infrastructure.

This satellite image provided by Vantor shows damaged buildings following airstrikes on the optical industries factory on March 8, 2026, in Isfahan, Iran. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)

“But it’s not just that Iran doesn’t have a functioning air force, or that their entire navy is at the bottom of the Persian Gulf, or their missile force is shrinking daily. Even more importantly, they also don’t have the ability to build more. That’s the most important component I’d like to emphasize today,” he declared.

“Soon, and very soon, all of Iran’s defense companies will be destroyed. For example, as of two days ago, Iran’s entire ballistic missile production capacity, every company that builds every component of those missiles, has been functionally defeated. Destroyed buildings, complexes, and factory lines all across Iran, destroyed,” Hegseth added.

This meant that while the U.S. continued to shoot down and destroy missiles Iran still had in stock, it was now focusing on “their production lines, their military plants, their defense innovation centers.”

IN FOCUS: TRUMP CLOSED THE GAP BETWEEN RHETORIC AND ACTION ON IRAN

As of Friday, Hegseth said that over 15,000 targets in Iran had been struck, a number securing its status as the most intensive air campaign since the 1991 Gulf War. This strategic bombing campaign was set to have its most intensive day on Friday, with strikes up by roughly 20%, he said. These strikes would be even more effective as well, he argued, as intelligence kept getting “better and better” with each round of strikes.

Iran’s missile industry has been one of the primary targets of Operation Epic Fury, alongside its nuclear program. After its isolation from the U.S. and Soviet Union, and acknowledging the unlikelihood that its dated air force could stand a chance against the U.S. and Israeli air forces, Iran made a calculated decision to cede the air and focus its efforts …