Good morning.
Between a resignation over the Iran war, a sweeping fraud investigation, and a high-stakes loyalty test in Congress—today’s headlines reflect a government under pressure from both within and without.
Counterterrorism Chief Resigns Over Iran War
A sharp break inside the administration is now out in the open.
Joe Kent, the Trump-appointed head of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned Tuesday, citing deep opposition to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
In a public letter to Donald Trump, Kent argued the war was unnecessary and contradicted the “America First” principles that defined Trump’s earlier foreign policy.
Kent, a combat veteran and Gold Star husband, warned against repeating what he described as past mistakes in the Middle East. He pointed to earlier conflicts like the Iraq War, framing the current situation as another potentially costly entanglement.
His resignation marks one of the most high-profile internal objections to the administration’s Iran policy to date—and underscores growing divisions over the direction of American involvement abroad.
Lawmakers Accuse Minnesota Leaders in Massive Fraud Probe
On Capitol Hill, a different kind of battle is playing out—this one over billions in taxpayer dollars.
The House Oversight Committee has released a sweeping report accusing Tim Walz and Keith Ellison of failing to act on, and allegedly misleading the public about, widespread fraud in federally funded programs.
Lawmakers say as much as $9 billion may have been lost or put at risk across social service programs in Minnesota, including funds meant for food assistance, housing, and healthcare.
According to the committee, whistleblowers warned state officials for years about irregularities. Yet payments continued—even in cases where fraud concerns had already been flagged.
The report also disputes claims that federal investigators required the state to keep funds flowing, alleging instead that state agencies had the authority to intervene but failed to do so.
Committee Chairman James Comer called it one of the most significant oversight failures his panel has examined.
Federal prosecutors have already charged dozens of individuals in related cases, as the investigation continues to expand.
Trump Pressures GOP Ahead of Key Election Bill Vote
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is turning up the heat on members of his own party.
The president warned he will not endorse any Republican who votes against the SAVE America Act—a sweeping election reform bill that would require proof of American citizenship to vote and impose stricter voter identification rules.
Trump has called the legislation one of the most important in American history and is making it a central test of loyalty within the GOP.
The bill has already passed the House but faces an uncertain path in the Senate, where divisions within the Republican Party—and the threat of a Democratic filibuster—could stall it.
READ NEXT: Republicans Send SAVE Act-Style Voting Bill To DeSantis’ Desk
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