Renewed strikes in Iran
The war with Iran probably can’t be described as heating up since the Iranian military has been almost completely devastated, but strikes renewed on Sunday. The U.S. military hit Larak Island after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were detected preparing to deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. In the interest of protecting commercial shipping lanes, two rocket launchers were also struck. Iran reports two killed and several injured as a result of the U.S. strikes. Meanwhile, the UAE intercepted an Iranian drone on Monday that was approaching its waters; the UAE Defense Ministry declared false Iranian claims that Al Minhad Air Base was being targeted.

Rahm Emanuel shuns DSA
“They believe in defunding the police, letting prisoners out of prisons, opening the borders, eliminating the Pentagon,” Rahm Emanuel told “Fox News Sunday” regarding the Democratic Socialists of America. “If you’re so confident people want that, I’ll see you in November. Put it on the ballot,” added the former chief of staff to Barack Obama and former Chicago mayor. Emanuel is weighing a possible 2028 presidential run and has been carving out a centrist position, breaking from the Democrat Party’s increasing embrace of radical leftists. Earlier this month, he called on the DSA to run as a separate party, saying, “The Democratic Party is not open to be taken over.” Emanuel has been touting focusing on working-class concerns such as affordability, universal healthcare, and education reform. In other words, a return to traditional Democrat issues.

Lone Star State governor halts Flock funding
Last week, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott froze state spending on Flock cameras — a decision that comes after widespread backlash against the surveillance tool. Across the nation, protesters have stolen and vandalized these cameras; Republicans and Democrats alike have argued against them in campaigns; and many cities have discontinued them and/or canceled Flock contracts. Furthermore, several police officers have abused their power by stalking their ex-wives or ex-girlfriends. Flock has said that the crime-solving benefits far outweigh the tiny fraction of misuse cases. Nevertheless, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley launched an investigation last week into who Flock allows to see the information collected by the cameras.

AI investment fuels corporate profits
Despite economic issues and policies abroad, major American companies are managing to remain firmly in the black. Companies from nearly every industry — from Amazon to John Deere to Abercrombie & Fitch — have all reported large profit margins this year. This can be attributed to a few factors, such as tariff refunds and federal investment, but the biggest contributor has been massive investment in AI technologies and systems, which in turn has been reaping rewards. Per-share earnings from S&P 500 companies rose 53% over the last quarter. However, this is mostly contingent on the sustainability of the AI boom and whether these technologies can be applied well enough to justify the funding they have received.

Florida bans welfare for nonessentials
It may come as a surprise to many Americans that government welfare programs like SNAP, the food assistance program that provides a taxpayer-funded EBT card, can be used to pay for items that aren’t “basic needs.” Well, Florida has become the first state in the nation to stop such EBT excess. Florida’s federally funded Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) has imposed new limits on what can be purchased with it. The Sunshine State will no longer permit the use of TCA to purchase tattoos, vapes, video games, or fortune-telling services, among other non-basic needs. Governor Ron DeSantis explained, “Taxpayer-funded assistance should help families put food on the table, keep the lights on, purchase clothing, provide for their children and overcome barriers on the path toward independence.”

Islamist holidays to be added to California’s state calendar
The Golden State is seeking to add Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to its calendar as state holidays. Workers could use existing leave to celebrate, while public schools and colleges would have to choose whether to close. Muslim students celebrating the holidays would be granted mandatory excused absences. On Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter livestock in the most humane method known to sixth-century pastoralists in celebration of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. Assembly Bill 2017, which adds the holidays to the calendar, passed the Assembly in a 64-1 vote and has moved through a Senate committee review. Opponents of the legislation point to a provision authorizing the California Board of Education to develop allegedly optional curriculum for classroom activities marking the holidays. California is home to over 500,000 Muslims.

Nature magazine promotes gov't registration to stop misinformation
One of the world's leading science magazines, Nature, has proposed that scientists must register with governments to conduct experiments and participate in the science community. Nature points to South Africa, a nation trying to implement this policy. If enacted, scientists who practice the discipline without registering would face a year in prison. The magazine compares scientists to doctors and engineers, who must register under a professional body. Though the ostensible goal is to prevent misinformation, it would allow the government to control what scientific information reaches the public. Proper science must include open debate. When the government enters into scientific discourse — such as climate change, transgender surgeries, and COVID policies — the facts often get muddled by agendas.

Air Force major arrested for demonstrating in uniform
Air Force Major Jason Watson, a 17-year veteran, faces charges for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice, among other violations, when he demonstrated publicly outside the U.S. Capitol in uniform while holding a sign that read “Impeach, Convict, Remove.” Watson is charged with 10 counts covering six incidents: the Capitol steps protest, a Substack post, two media interviews, and two instances of disobeying orders. The Air Force has accused him of “dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming of an officer.” The major risks losing all retirement pay and benefits, and probably time in military prison, but Watson claims it’s worth the sacrifice. The military expects personnel to maintain nonpartisan conduct while in uniform and does not tolerate “contemptuous words” directed at the president, vice president, or other public officials.

Schumer panders to El-Sayed
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has become the current iteration of the "Washington swamp creature," someone in Congress who has been in office so long that he has had to change his platform over and over again just to be consistent with his party. While this phenomenon is nothing new, this one is certainly one of the more surprising switch-ups. Schumer, a Jew, endorsed and praised Abdul El-Sayed, a terrorist sympathizer who has had nothing but contempt for Israel and the people whom Schumer had once pledged to defend. While it's obvious Schumer is trying not to lose his Senate seat in a state whose largest city elected a socialist DSA candidate as mayor, it's disappointing that a major party leader is refusing to take a stand for his people and his party against those who are clearly opposed to both.

Nearly 100 illegal truck drivers busted in border crackdown
Customs and Border Protection arrested 95 illegal alien truck drivers earlier this month in Arizona’s Yuma Sector in the continued fight against human and drug smuggling operations at the southern border. All of the drivers possessed state-issued commercial driver’s licenses, with 76 from California, six from New York, and the rest from other states. Border crossings are down since the end of 2024, but there are still high-profile attempts being made to smuggle weapons, narcotics, and humans into the country. The bust stopped “two human smuggling events, resulting in the arrest of four smugglers and 17 smuggled aliens,” Fox News reported. “Additionally, agents seized 74 pounds of methamphetamine and 169 pounds of marijuana.” The Department of Transportation is cracking down on the problem by implementing a new rule allowing only certain types of visa holders to obtain CDLs.

Headlines

  • James Comer launches probe into actions by Biden's DEA that allowed fentanyl to reach streets (Just the News)
  • Prosecutor in NY AG Letitia James' office says he was ordered to dig up dirt on Trump allies (NY Post)
  • NY Governor Kathy Hochul ditches "feminist" routine to don hijab for Muslim men (RedState)

The Executive News Summary is compiled daily by Jordan Candler, Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, Jacob Geoffrey, Hudson Baldwin, and Sophie Starkova. For the archive, click here.