What will the Iranian government look like after this military conflict? This question is being asked across the media. And, we are told, it could be a disaster, depending on who or what replaces the current Islamic dictatorship.
Well, this is interesting.
So, I will answer this apparently complicated question: We have no idea what it will look like. In fact, since we have no desire to be involved in any kind of postwar “democracy project,” how can we know?
We have declared to the Iranian people that once most hostilities have ended, it is up to them to overthrow the government. And, logically, it will be up to them to determine what replaces it — especially if we have no intention of getting involved in a postwar project.
Of course, hostility to “democracy projects” stems largely from our experience in Iraq, where the word “democracy” was used constantly as justification for fighting that war. It did not turn out well, and we suffered significant casualties.
The question before us is not what a postwar Iran will look like, but whether it is in our best interest, for a variety of reasons, to get involved in shaping that outcome — and, if so, to what extent and in what way.
But every case is unique. Not all conflicts are Iraq. Post-World War II, we played a significant role in establishing governments in Japan and Western Europe. We followed with the Marshall Plan in Europe, and that effort proved successful.
But if one is going to ask about postwar Iran — if we have no intention of playing a role in establishing a new government, even though noninvolvement carries consequences — then the question is either unserious or unknowable. Most of those asking it do so out of concern about what might happen.
The more important question, it seems to me, is whether we will play any role at all in postwar Iran, especially if the nature of the new government is a matter of serious consequence. It clearly is. I am not arguing for a “democracy project,” but I am suggesting that a hands-off approach can be problematic, if not disastrous.
Thus, the question before us is not what a postwar Iran will look like, but whether it is in our best interest, for a variety of reasons, to get involved in shaping that outcome — and, if so, to what extent and in what way.
The truth is that if we are completely hands-off, we risk a rerun of the regime we have destroyed. There will undoubtedly be remnants of the existing regime, or even a sizeable population hellbent on sabotaging the establishment of a democratic or nonauthoritarian government. If they are not disarmed, they may well succeed in a power struggle for control.
Moreover, let us not pretend that China, Russia or Turkey — and perhaps others — will not see our absence as an opportunity to influence or impose their will on Iran. In short, to do nothing would be a potentially dangerous and grave mistake.
I am concerned that not enough thought has been given to this, particularly if our position is to leave the matter entirely to others. This is not to say that we should commit troops to impose democracy on the country. But there are other options well short of that.
Again, Iran is not Iraq. The Persian people share many, if not most, of our Western values. Persian culture has been among the most advanced of any civilization. Its roots are ancient, and its history is marked by accomplishments in education, science and the arts.
Of course, the immediate matter at hand is the total defeat of the regime that hijacked the Iranian government, enslaved its people and has been an existential threat to our country and the world for nearly half a century. But we can walk and chew gum at the same time. The nature of a postwar Iranian government is a crucial issue for both the Iranian people and our country, lest the battle we are fighting today be for naught.
The stakes were stratspheric for the High Roller. He believed in Allah, but the annointed one was holding the proverbial dead man’s hand. Typically, when a novice, who BTW did not learn his lesson months ago, now finds himself in a high stakes game with the House. Didn’t he know that you can’t beat the house; a gamble he took and lost large. Now, travel plans await as he takes a magic carpet to the almighty Allah who promised him 72 Virgins.
The High Roller was the loser, his game of Russian Roulette came to an abrupt end, similar to the wheel chair bound high priest Yassan.
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Time now for the Sweeper Crew to arrive.
Thank you Mr. President for defending thr United States of America against all threats both domestic and foreign.
n the dark of the night, 10 minutes before President Donald Trump even announced that the U.S. and Israel had attacked Iran, a network of U.S. nonprofits aligned with China, Russia and Tehran activated foot soldiers to hit America’s streets.
Groups funded by Neville Roy Singham, a Shanghai-based, American-born tech tycoon, which regularly parrot messaging from America’s adversaries, swung into action even as the initial bombs were dropping. The nearly instantaneous response was the latest salvo in an information war on the U.S., with foot soldiers called upon to converge in protests and echo anti-U.S. talking points.
At 2:34 a.m. ET, the ANSWER Coalition, a nonprofit project whose leaders describe themselves as Marxist and communist, announced, “EMERGENCY NATIONWIDE DAY OF ACTION TODAY, SAT. FEB 28 — STOP THE WAR WITH IRAN!”
Map of US strikes on Iran (Fox News)
It announced its network of groups that have long supported the regime in Iran, including the National Iranian American Council, 50501, American Muslims for Palestine, the People’s Forum, Palestinian Youth Movement and CodePink. The organizations haven’t responded to requests for comment. Singham did not respond to a request for comment.
The network set the language for its anti-U.S. messaging, calling the war an “unprovoked, illegal bombing of Iran.” It even set up a website domain for the coordinated actions at http://ANSWERCoalition.org.
Ten minutes later, at 2:44 a.m., Trump posted a video, confirming the attack on Iran, telling the world, “A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran.
Eight minutes later, at 2:52 a.m., the People’s Forum, a New York-based activist hub funded by Singham as an “incubator” for socialist groups, issued an “emergency” call to action for a protest in Times Square.
“🚨 EMERGENCY DAY OF ACTION IN NYC TO STOP THE WAR WITH IRAN: TODAY, 2/28 at 2PM in Times Square,” the People’s Forum announced.
The ANSWER Coalition runs operations out of the People’s Forum headquarters in midtown Manhattan. The People’s Forum statement mirrored the messaging in a new video released overnight before the attacks by the Chinese Communist Party, framing the U.S. as an imperial and colonial power.
The People’s Forum said, “This war serves no one but a tiny elite and oil executives and is a continuation of more than two years of genocide in Palestine and US-Israeli aggressions throughout the region.”
The same network has mobilized rapidly in past high-profile national security incidents. It previously rallied in support of Nicolás Maduro after U.S. authorities arrested him and his wife, Sylvia Flores, Jan. 3 for alleged involvement in narco-terrorism.
Earlier this month, when the State Department sent a report to the U.S. Congress raising concerns about this network, it stated, “Organizations like Code Pink and the People’s Forum denigrate the United States, whitewash the violence of Marxist regimes, and run cover for narco-terrorists like Maduro while enjoying an influx of cash from a donor network with connections to the Chinese Communist Party.”
A person holds an image of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iranian demonstrators protest against the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 28, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters)
Last summer, the same coalition, including the People’s Forum, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the ANSWER Coalition and CodePink, rallied outside the White House under the banner “Hands Off Iran.” That protest was coordinated alongside the National Iranian American Council and amplified by BreakThrough News, which broadcast images of children holding anti-war signs at the White House fence.
Through the night of the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, field marshals immediately readied printed signage, standardized messaging and coordinated media amplification, according to people familiar with the organizations. They linked anti-Israel activism, anti-ICE protests and anti-Trump messaging into a single narrative framework opposing what organizers call the U.S. “empire.” Their messages aligned with the messages of pro-regime protests in Iran.
By 4:31 a.m., BreakThrough News, a project of BreakThrough BT Media, a nonprofit funded by Singham, promoted the day of “emergency” protests as “BREAKING” news. It shares the same address as the People’s Forum, and its editor-in-chief, Ben Becker, is the son of Brian Becker, a co-founder of the ANSWER Coalition.
Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the ANSWER Coalition arrive minutes before the start of a protest to support the regime running the Islamic Republic of Iran. (Asra Nomani/Fox News Digital)
At 7:19 a.m., BreakThrough News circulated a video of an alleged U.S. strike on a school, which the network’s organizations repeated and amplified to portray the U.S. as an unbridled aggressor. The U.S. hasn’t commented yet on that alleged strike.
By 9:09 am., China’s Foreign Ministry called for an end to the strikes, its language aligning with the rhetoric of the U.S. protest infrastructure, calling for the defense of Iran’s “sovereignty” and “territorial integrity.”
By then, as many Americans were just awakening to the news, the protest infrastructure was fully engaged with social media graphics circulating, local chapters alerted and Times Square positioned once again as a stage for the rapid mobilization of foot soldiers who would have their images broadcast around the world with the predictable language of Americans mobilizing a “grassroots” campaign against the U.S. war on Iran.
At 11 a.m., the protests had spread to 16 hubs for the ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation: Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Akron, Cincinnati and Cleveland in Ohio; Asheville and Charlotte in North Carolina; Boston; Burlington, Vt.; San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Davis and Los Angeles in California; Providence, R.I; Tucson, Ariz.; and Eugene, Ore.
A network of pro-regime organizations in Chicago issued its own press release, parroting the messaging against “the U.S. empire.”
The joint US-Israeli military operation against the Iranian regime is just and imperative. After drawing clear red lines over the continued mass execution of Iranian civilians, the pursuit of nuclear weapons and continued support for global terrorism, President Donald Trump has made the judicious decision that the Ayatollah could no longer be permitted to act with impunity. With God’s help, our troops will be able to fulfill this mission safely and secure an outcome that keeps all Americans safe.
This action by itself is an important step towards removing the threat posed by this evil regime, and a natural follow up to the joint US-Israeli mission to degrade Iran’s nuclear program, Operation Midnight Hammer. However, kinetic strikes alone are not sufficient. America will never be safe as long as this fundamentalist, anti-American dictatorship remains in power.
President Trump understands this, and has called on the Iranian people to take advantage of this unique chance to take back their country: “The hour of your freedom is at hand… For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it… Now you have a president who is giving you what you want.” It’s difficult to understate the historic implications of that statement — a move that is as strategically necessary as it is morally appropriate. It affirms the central truth that there will be no chance for peace or stability in the region until the Ayatollah and his entire rotten regime are gone for good, and the Iranian people are given the chance to determine their own future.
We have nearly five decades of experience to confirm that the Islamic Republic is an entirely irredeemable governing entity. Terrorism, oppression and vicious hatred of America, Israel and the West are part of its DNA; and its fundamentalist, millenarian vision is incompatible with peaceful coexistence with the civilized world. America — and the world — will never be safe if this regime survives in any form.
For those who blanch at the mention of “regime change,” let’s be clear: the Iranian dictatorship is not just any authoritarian state. The United States government has often had to make deals with governments we find abhorrent, yet whose cooperation is necessary to protect our interests. As Jeane Kirkpatrick famously argued in her landmark essay “Dictatorships and Double Standards,” protecting America’s interests requires stakesmen to be able to distinguish temporary partnerships with unsavory governments from appeasing enemies of the United States.
From Day 1, the Islamic Republic’s position on America has been clear: They hate us and would like to see us obliterated. From the Americans taken hostage in the earliest days of the Islamic Revolution; to the years of funding and orchestrating terrorist attacks against American civilians and military personnel; to the weekly chants of “Death to America;” to funding the proxy forces wreaking havoc throughout the Middle East; to partnering with our adversaries to undermine us in every theater — the Islamic Republic has been a consistent, highly dangerous enemy of the United States, and to all who desire peace in the Middle East.
There can be no resolution to this problem until this regime is consigned to the dustbin of history. That doesn’t mean the US should conquer Iran or install some kind of puppet government; it means attacking each pillar of the regime’s power in order to make its continued survival impossible, while creating the space for Iran’s organized democratic opposition to come to the fore and form a new government.
That transition can only come from the Iranian people — and thankfully, there is an expansive national movement ready to do just that. Indeed, the Iranian people have made their preference abundantly clear in repeated waves of resistance stretching back to the beginnings of the Islamic Republic. They do not want a theocracy — they want a republic that is free, democratic, and accountable to the citizenry. This is the only viable path to neutralize the threat from Iran and integrate it into the community of nations.
The benefits of such a shift would be truly historic. Terrorists would lose their primary sponsor; America’s adversaries would lose a key outpost; incredible economic opportunities would develop; and the highly-educated Iranian population could emerge as a natural partner for the United States.
His body was reportedly recovered and a photo of it was shown to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The airstrikes are a response to the regime’s refusal to dismantle its nuclear program following weeks of talks — and as the US increased its military presence in the Middle East after President Trump warned Tehran there would be consequences if a deal was not reached. Israel later confirmed that the joint strikes targeted the Supreme Leader and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump vowed in a video message posted on Truth Social just before 3 a.m.
He warned Tehran to “lay down your arms or face certain death.”
Iran later warned that the “first wave of extensive missile and drone attacks” is underway across Israel.3.1K
Loud cheers could be heard throughout parts of Tehran after news of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, broke.
Tehran residents can be heard in videos posted to X cheering and celebrating out their windows shortly after 11 p.m. local time, Times of Israel reported.
A senior Israeli official told Reuters that Khamenei was dead and other Israeli outlets reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been shown a picture of his body.
The Islamic Republic will deliver an “unforgettable lesson” to the US and Israel, after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his top aide promised.
“We will make the Zionist criminals and the shameless Americans regret their actions,” Ali Larijani posted on X.
“The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the hellish international oppressors,” he vowed
The Central Command’s Task Force Scorpion announced that the U.S. will be using one-way attack drones in combat for the first time in history during Operation Epic Fury, in the ‘largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.’
“These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution,” CENTCOM wrote on X.
CENTCOM said that strikes by U.S. and partner forces began at 1:15 a.m. ET Saturday, ‘to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat.’
“Operation Epic Fury involves the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation,” CENTCOM said in a press release on Saturday.
Kamala Harris slammed US-Israeli missile strikes against Iran as a “dangerous and unnecessary gamble” that risks American lives.
“I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice,” the former vice president wrote in a scathing statement on Saturday afternoon.
“What we are witnessing is not strength. It is recklessness dressed up as resolve.”
She accused President Trump of lying during his 2024 campaign, in which he “promised to end wars rather than start them,” her statement reads.
Harris noted that even if Trump had received congressional approval for the attacks, the decision would still would have been “unwise, unjustified and not supported by the American people.”
President Trump says he has several “off ramps” after striking Iran overnight, Axios is reporting.
“I can go long and take over the whole thing – or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians, ‘see you again in a few years if you start rebuilding,'” Trump said in a phone interview with the outlet from Mar-a-Lago Saturday.
“In any case, it will take them several years to recover from this attack.”
The comments hint at the possibility the US could conduct a short military operation followed by new ultimatums, as it tries to hammer out a nuclear deal with Iran while facing pressure to avoid a wider conflict in the Middle East.
President Trump has spoken with a number of leaders throughout the Middle East and NATO as strikes in Iran continue.
“President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X on Saturday afternoon.
His body was reportedly recovered and a photo of it was shown to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The airstrikes are a response to the regime’s refusal to dismantle its nuclear program following weeks of talks — and as the US increased its military presence in the Middle East after President Trump warned Tehran there would be consequences if a deal was not reached. Israel later confirmed that the joint strikes targeted the Supreme Leader and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Khamenei fate unclear, IDF strikes said to kill IRGC generals as Iran pummels Israel with missiles
Netanyahu: Operation’s aim to remove Ayatollah’s regime from power • Rocket falls reported across central Israel • Araghchi: Khamenei still alive “as far as I know”
• Trump calls for regime change: President Donald Trump described the US military campaign as “massive and ongoing,” and warned American lives may be lost. He also called on Iranians to “take over your government.”
• Iran retaliates: Iran launched an unprecedented wave of strikes toward Israel and US targets across the Middle East. Explosions were reported in the UAE, Qatar, Dubai and Bahrain, where video shows the moment a missile struck a US Navy base.
US, Israel launch attack on Iran as Trump announces ‘major combat operations’
The United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated military offensive targeting Iran known as “Operation Epic Fury.” President Donald Trump had warned of possible U.S. intervention in response to deadly anti-regime protests and if Iran did not accept a sweeping nuclear deal.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday published a video of its airstrike on missile launchers in western Iran as Israel and the U.S. take part in a joint effort against Tehran.
“Within the ‘Roaring Lion’ operation, the IDF struck with the direction of IDF intelligence, hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers in western Iran,” the IDF’s statement read.
“Alongside the IAF’s strikes in Iran, the Aerial Defense Array is currently identifying and intercepting threats fired from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the IDF added.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was notified by the Trump administration before strikes on Iran were carried out, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Saturday morning.
Johnson got a call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the joint operation between the U.S. and Israel began.
It’s customary for an administration to brief congressional leadership before any significant military actions, which it also did when the U.S. engaged in an operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro weeks earlier.
The speaker has not yet made any comments on the Iran operation but is likely to do so sometime Saturday morning.
The only member of congressional leadership to have released a statement so far is House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who praised it as a “bold and decisive act of strength.”
Posted by Elizabeth Elkind
18 mins ago
Iran retaliates with missiles strikes at US facilities in multiple countries
Iran has started retaliating after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin reported that approximately 40 missiles had landed in Israel. Meanwhile, the U.S. military in Iraq intercepted at least one missile targeting U.S. facilities. Additionally, Iran appeared to hit the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, but no casualties were reported and it appeared as though the regime struck an empty warehouse.
Iran also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where the U.S. has squadrons of advanced fighter jets, Griffin reported. This led to condemnations from Jordan, the U.A.E. and others.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi said on X that he was “dismayed” by the attacks after her recently mediated indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran.
“I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined. Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war,” the foreign minister said.
Oman’s Foreign Ministry expresses ‘profound regret’ as US, Israel hit Iran
Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
The Omani Foreign Ministry condemned Operation Epic Fury, which the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran on Saturday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Sultanate of Oman’s profound regret over the military operations launched by Israel and the United States of America against the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of the danger of the conflict expanding into consequences that cannot be rectified in the region,” the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to X’s translation.
“The Sultanate of Oman considers this action to be in contravention of the rules of international law and the principle of resolving issues through peaceful means rather than hostile means, the shedding of blood, and calls on all parties to immediately suspend military operations, while urging the United Nations Security Council to convene an urgent meeting to impose a ceasefire and for the international community to take a clear stance in support of international law,” it added.
Posted by Rachel Wolf
1 hour ago
Iran speaks out as US, Israel carry out Operation Epic Fury
Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Iran’s Foreign Ministry blasted the U.S. and Israel, which began carrying out Operation Epic Fury on Saturday.
“Our sacred and beloved homeland, proud and civilization-making Iran, has once again been subjected to criminal military aggression by the #UnitedStates and the #ZionistRegime,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the attacks by the U.S. and Israel “a gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.”
Iran also called on the United Nations and the Security Council, where the U.S. has veto power, to act as the attacks unfold. Tehran claimed that the attacks by the U.S. and Israel, which it calls “the Zionist regime” were carried out in violation of the U.N. Charter.
“All member states of the United Nations, especially regional and Islamic countries, members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and all states that feel responsible for international peace and security, are expected to firmly condemn this act of aggression and take urgent and collective action to confront it, which has undoubtedly exposed the peace and security of the region and the world to an unprecedented threat,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said.
Posted by Rachel Wolf
1 hour ago
Emmer makes first statement from congressional leadership on Iran strikes
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., is praising President Donald Trump after the U.S. and Israel began joint strikes on Iran overnight.
“This is a bold, decisive act of strength by President Trump. The Ayatollah is responsible for killing hundreds of U.S. service members and slaughtering its own people,” Emmer told Fox News Digital.
“We pray that because of this leadership, the U.S. and the world will be a safer place. May God bless and protect the men and women of our military conducting this mission and serving in the region.”
It’s the first significant statement on the operation from a member of congressional leadership.
Emmer has been one of Trump’s most vocal allies on Capitol Hill so far this term.
Posted by Elizabeth Elkind
1 hour ago
Qatar reserves ‘full right’ to defend itself against ‘Iranian aggression,’ calls for dialogue
A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026. (ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it reserves its “full right” to defend itself after what it described as Iranian aggression targeting Qatari territory.
Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it had “successfully thwarted a number of attacks targeting the country’s territory” after multiple rounds of alerts sounded. Authorities reported no immediate injuries or damage in residential areas.
In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the state will respond in accordance with international law and in a manner proportionate to the nature of the attack, in defense of its sovereignty and national security.
The ministry said targeting Qatari territory contradicts the “principles of good neighborliness” and “cannot be accepted under any pretext or justification.”
Qatar also condemned what it described as violations of the sovereignty of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain, expressing full solidarity with those nations.
Despite the escalation, the ministry reiterated its call for dialogue with Iran and urged an immediate halt to hostilities and a return to negotiations.
Blasts were reported across several Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets, including Qatar, according to Al Jazeera, after the United States and Israel launched military strikes across Iranian territory.
The outlet cited Iran’s Fars News Agency as confirming attacks targeting military bases in the region, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command.
Posted by Michael Dorgan
1 hour ago
Ukraine declares its support for the Iranian people, ties the regime to Russia in scathing statement
Ukraine ripped the Iranian regime and its ties to Russia in a statement on Saturday, as it also declared its support for the people of Iran.
“The Iranian regime, which has been mocking the Iranian people for decades, has launched a large-scale policy of violence against its own people and other countries. This includes massive human rights violations within the country, support for militants who have brought chaos to other countries in the region, and direct military support for the aggressor state of Russia in its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We remember and will never forget the strikes of thousands of ‘Shaheeds’ on our peaceful cities and people,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.
“Such cooperation between the regimes in Moscow and Tehran constitutes a gross violation of international law and undermines global efforts to restore peace and stability.”
The Ukrainian MFA also condemned Iran’s human rights abuses as well as the oppression of its own people.
“The reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months,” the statement read.
Posted by Rachel Wolf
1 hour ago
NYPD ‘closely monitoring’ the situation in Iran and the Middle East
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said it is “closely monitoring” the situation unfolding in Iran as the U.S. and Israel participate in joint attacks. The department also said that it was coordinating with its federal and international partners.
“As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites,” the NYPD’s statement read.
EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Homeland Security is calling on Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger to ensure local law enforcement cooperates with federal immigration officials by handing over an illegal immigrant with a lengthy criminal record who allegedly killed a woman earlier this week at a Virginia bus stop.
Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, arrested an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone earlier this week on charges of second-degree murder after he allegedly fatally stabbed a woman, Stephanie Minter, 41, who was found dead at a local bus stop with several wounds to the upper body.
The alleged suspect, Abdul Jalloh, 32, also has a criminal history of more than 30 arrests, according to DHS, including for rape, malicious wounding, assault, identity theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, assault and pick-pocketing.
The request from the Trump administration comes after the newly elected Democratic governor of Virginia signed an executive order to end cooperation between federal immigration officials and state and local law enforcement, a move several Democratic Party governors have taken recently amid President Donald Trump’s move to increase deportation operations around the country.
The DHS request asking Virginia officials to cooperate with ICE also comes after an illegal immigrant allegedly murdered someone just days after being released from jail for a separate crime in December.
Abdul Jalloh, 32, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger (Department of Homeland Security/Getty Images)
“We are calling on Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Virginia’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this murderer and violent career criminal from their jail without notifying ICE,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
“This illegal alien’s murder of an innocent, beautiful American woman came less than 24 hours before Governor Spanberger’s demonization of ICE law enforcement. This heinous criminal is a perfect example of why we need cooperation from sanctuary jurisdictions and the importance of third country removals for the safety of the American people.”
Spanberger’s representatives did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Jalloh entered the United States illegally in 2012, according to DHS, and immigration officials lodged an immigration detainer against him in 2020, whereupon he was granted a final order of removal by a judge who said he could be removed to any country other than Sierra Leone.
Protesters, using whistles to alert neighborhoods to ICE activity, face off with Minneapolis police officers in Minneapolis Jan. 24, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
DHS indicated that ICE cooperation to ensure Jalloh’s deportation is evident after a case Fox News covered in December when a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, Marvin Morales-Ortez, 23, allegedly killed a man just a day after Fairfax County jail officials let him go.
The immigrant from El Salvador had been in custody on charges of malicious wounding and brandishing a gun, but police released him after the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, led by George Soros-backed prosecutor Steve Descano, dropped the charges.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Fairfax County Sheriff’s office to inquire about why the man had not been handed over to ICE.
The sheriff’s office said, “ICE was aware of Morales-Ortez’s incarceration and elected not to seek a judicial warrant to ensure he remained in custody.
Marvin Morales-Ortez, who is living in the country illegally, was released from Fairfax County custody and then allegedly committed a murder the next day. (Fairfax County Police Department/Getty Images)
“The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office follows all local, state and federal laws when determining whether a person is subject to release from the ADC,” the sheriff’s office told Fox News Digital at the time. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is automatically notified any time a person is booked into the ADC.”
So they testified, but as usual their testimony fell on deaf ears. Hillary contantly said, “ask my husband.” And Slick Willie said, I have no idea that girl was. Of course, can we believe him based on his past. “Damn it, if it wasn’t for that dress. Sh!t.”
Former President Bill Clinton broke his silence on the now-infamous photo of himself in a hot tub that was among the millions of pages in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Jeffrey Epstein files release.
Clinton was asked about the photo, which appears to show him and a woman whose identity has been redacted, during his closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Friday.
He said in response to questioning that he did not know who the woman was and that he did not have sex with her, multiple people who were granted anonymity to speak freely confirmed to Fox News Digital.
One of the sources said Clinton intimated that the photo depicted a public hotel pool and that no one pushed back or questioned it.
Former President Bill Clinton was pictured in a hot tub in the newly released Epstein files. (Department of Justice)
The deposition concluded after roughly six hours, with Republicans praising the former president for being forthcoming with his answers.
Clinton was in the hot seat for the committee’s bipartisan investigation into the late financier and sex trafficker for what is expected to be an all-day session of questions into his relationship with Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
Republican Oversight Committee member Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., said Clinton had been “quite candid, probably more candid than his attorneys were comfortable with” and lauded the bipartisan approach lawmakers took to the sitdown.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., meanwhile, floated that she believed Epstein was an intelligence asset running an operation targeting both Clintons.
“I do believe, and I’m sure some people on this committee also believe, that Jeffrey Epstein was an intelligence asset and running some form of a honeypot operation,” Luna said. “I do believe that President Clinton, as well as the Secretary, were potentially targets of that operation, and we will leave it at that.”
In his opening statement this morning, Clinton told lawmakers that he had “no idea” of Epstein’s crimes.
“Now, let me say what you’re going to hear from me. First, I had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing. No matter how many photos you show me, I have two things that, at the end of the day, matter more than your interpretation of those 20-year-old photos,” Clinton said, according to his prepared opening remarks.
“I know what I saw and more importantly, what I didn’t see. I know what I did and more importantly, what I didn’t do. I saw nothing and I did nothing wrong.”
Clinton also warned lawmakers, “You’ll often hear me say that I don’t recall,” but said he would not speculate when asked questions.
“That might be unsatisfying, but I’m not going to say something I’m not sure of. This was all a long time ago, and I’m bound by my oath not to speculate or to guess. This is not merely for my benefit, but because it doesn’t help you for me to play detective 24 years later,” Clinton said.
Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., suggested he had an abundance of questions for the former president ahead of the deposition.
Former President Bill Clinton speaks onstage in New York City on Sept. 18, 2023. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative)
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