Free Republic

Iran has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, blocking oil tankers from transiting the waterway, in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Hezbollah, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-tied outlet Fars News reported on Wednesday. Oil tankers attempting to transit the strait received threatening messages from the Iranian Navy, according to several shipping sources. "Any vessel trying to travel into the sea ... will be targeted and destroyed..." the message, which was received by several vessels, said. This is a developing story.

Republican strategist Karl Rove on Wednesday argued President Trump will not lose any voters over the war against Iran. “Much of the criticism of Operation Epic Fury comes from the likes of the Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, the Israel-obsessed podcasters Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, and the conspiracist Candace Owens. Do voters who identify themselves as MAGA Republicans share their opinions? Do they feel betrayed by the president?” Rove wrote in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal. “The answer is an unequivocal no, according to a survey from the Vandenberg Coalition, a nonpartisan group committed to the idea that...

Five aviation companies are under contract to develop armed, unmanned aircraft and control systems for use on the Navy’s fleet of 11 aircraft carriers, USNI News has learned.General Atomics, Boeing, Anduril and Northrop Grumman are on contract for the conceptual design of the so-called collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA, according to a Navy presentation reviewed by USNI News. Lockheed Martin is under contract to build the common control system.The Navy wants “uncrewed, modular, interoperable, interchangeable and versatile platforms” that it can field from an aircraft carrier, reads the slide from Naval Air Systems Command’s program executive office for unmanned aviation...

...Democrats lost it on Thursday after Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. (RFK) announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun studying certain psychiatric medications following the latest trans-related mass shooting. Appearing on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” RFK was asked by host Brian Kilmeade if he intends to study whether the hormonal drugs used in so-called gender transitions are contributing to said shootings.... https://twitter.com/i/status/1961046886053281883 ...

It turns out Ms. Monarez really wanted to keep pushing the dangerous COVID vaccine, and that’s what got her tossed. CDC Director Susan Monarez has been OUSTED by RFK Jr. after she attempted to push for the COVID vaccine, per multiple reportsMultiple other top CDC officials are out as well, as they too complained about rescinding approvals for the vaccineGood riddance!

In a series of FDA actions today we accomplished all four goals. The emergency use authorizations for Covid vaccines, once used to justify broad mandates on the general public during the Biden administration, are now rescinded. FDA has now issued marketing authorization for those at higher risk: Moderna (6+ months), Pfizer (5+), and Novavax (12+). These vaccines are available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors. The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three. Thank you @DrMakaryFDA for your leadership.

President Donald Trump has ordered the creation of new federal and military “specialized units,” framed as a move to ensure public safety in Washington, D.C., and beyond. In the order signed on Monday, he directed federal agencies and the Pentagon to hire, train, and equip rapid-response forces for deployment in the capital, “other cities,” and, potentially, “nationwide.”The order, titled “Additional Measures to Address the Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia,” builds on Executive Order 14333 of August 11, which first declared a “crime emergency.”Trump justified the latest move by claiming that “rampant violence and disorder” threaten the federal government...

If you thought the Trump Administration was finished making cuts to government spending, think again. No other institution on earth can spend money like the U.S. government—the effort by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to get spending under control and cut waste has never happened on this level before. On Sunday, the DOGE team announced another round of major cuts, nearly $2B worth: Contracts Update!Over the last 5 days, agencies terminated 163 wasteful contracts with a ceiling value of $1.9B and savings of $647M, including, a $35M USAID contract to “acquire contractor support to establish and manage a flexible,...