• Trump pauses strikes on Iranian energy plants in light of talks: This morning, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. and Iran have had “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.” Trump noted that he had ordered the U.S. military to “POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.” Iranian state TV framed Trump’s announcement as the “U.S. president backs down following Iran’s firm warning.” Trump had previously threatened to destroy Iran’s energy plants if it didn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz. That hasn’t happened yet.

• Supreme Court weighs mail-in ballot deadlines: Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Watson v. Republican National Committee, a case that deals with deadlines for accepting mail-in ballots. The issue is Mississippi’s law that accepts all mail-in ballots for federal elections so long as they are postmarked by Election Day, even if they take a week to reach election officials. Mississippi’s stance is that Election Day is the deadline for casting ballots, not for receiving them. Thirteen other states have similar laws, resulting in election outcomes not being finalized for up to a week or longer after Election Day. The RNC argues that Congress’s establishment in 1845 of the earliest Tuesday in November as “The ‘day for the election’ means the day that election officials close the ballot box.” The RNC further notes that this interpretation comports with U.S. historical precedent.

• TSA funding options: In the time since Democrats have denied proper funding for DHS, there have been four domestic Islamic terror attacks, and airports have ground nearly to a halt. With TSA officers missing their paychecks, many have begun calling out or quitting altogether, driving wait times at airports through the roof. In an effort to end hours-long lines for TSA screening, President Trump has deployed ICE to assist in screening at airports. Elon Musk has offered to pay TSA agents until congressional funding comes through, an offer that would cost the world’s richest man $40 million a week, if it is allowed. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz suggests splitting ICE and CBP off from DHS to allow the rest of the agencies to be funded.

• Pilots’ shutdown warning: The Democrat DHS shutdown is over a month in, and many TSA officers are struggling to make ends meet, sometimes sleeping in their cars to save on gas while continuing to work without pay. Some 80% of the Office of Intelligence & Analysis, which investigates terrorism for the DHS, have not been paid while they continue to work to protect the homeland. Allied Pilots Association President First Officer Nick Silva warned that if Congress doesn’t act to ensure TSA workers are paid, it creates a situation that is “unsustainable and puts both efficiency and security at risk.” He continued, “Supporting TSA is essential to keeping our aviation system safe, reliable, and moving.”

• Dems block girls’ sports amendment to SAVE Act: In an effort to put Senate Democrats on the record for their objection to the commonsense and broadly popular SAVE Act, Republicans sought to add an amendment that would ban males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. On Saturday, Democrats blocked the measure while refusing to comment. Majority Leader John Thune explained, “What we are trying to do is ensure that we are having a fulsome debate on an issue that is overwhelmingly supported by the American people, and one that puts everybody on the record, one way or the other.” Sen. Tommy Tuberville reacted, “For some reason, my Democrat colleagues do not want to protect girls and women in sports. It’s ludicrous.” Thune will next force a vote on a standalone voter-ID mandate to see how many Democrats will side with the vast majority of Americans.

• Talarico claims “God is nonbinary” comment was not controversial: Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico recently defended his comment that “God is nonbinary.” While admitting it was “provocative politically,” Talarico doubled down: “I don’t think it’s controversial theologically. Most Christians believe that God is beyond gender.” He then quoted the Apostle Paul — “In Christ, there is neither male nor female” — arguing, “So, if you have a problem with what I said, don’t take it up with me, take it up with the Apostle Paul.” Talarico’s heterodox interpretation not only misapplies Paul’s statement on the nature of a Christian’s salvation, but it also ignores Scripture’s clear teaching on the fundamental nature of humanity — that God explicitly created a sex binary, male and female. Far from expressing biblical fidelity, Talarico demonstrates his willingness to twist the clear teaching of Scripture to support his commitment to normalizing sexual deviancy.

• CA sheriff seizes 500k ballots from 2025 election to investigate: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has acted on concerns from a local citizens group and seized 500,000 ballots cast in Riverside for a recount. Last November, a redistricting measure in the county passed by a margin of 80,000 votes. Reports indicate that the handwritten tally of ballots and the final machine count differ by 45,800 votes. Bianco seized 1,000 boxes of ballots in February with a warrant. California Attorney General Rob Bonta denounced Bianco, accusing him of sowing distrust in elections. Sheriff Bianco is a leading gubernatorial candidate in California, but he insists this investigation is unrelated and merely the execution of his duties as sheriff.

• Christopher Columbus returns: Cultural Marxists hate American heroes. During their attempt to purge public life of any of the touchstones that allow the formation of a national identity, following the George Floyd riots in 2020, a marble statue of Christopher Columbus in Baltimore was toppled, broken into pieces, and thrown into the harbor. It was far from alone; a statue of one of Virginia’s greatest sons was melted down in a public spectacle meant to break the spirit of the Old Dominion. American Patriots are fighting back, and the pieces of the destroyed Columbus statue were fished out of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and used to construct a new statue commissioned by the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations. The new statue, a replica of the one destroyed, has now been placed on the White House grounds as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration.

• Anti-groomer teacher cleared: In a victory for the First Amendment, KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School teacher Eric Rivera has had his record cleared by the school after refusing to read a book that facilitates the grooming of children due to his Christian faith. He was threatened with firing before the First Liberty Institute legal group took up his case. Unfortunately for the students, they were still indoctrinated, just by a different teacher. First-grade students at the school will still be deliberately misled, miseducated, and groomed for sexual abuse by adults, but at least Christians won’t have to actively participate in the grooming.

Headlines

• LaGuardia Airport shuts down after deadly plane crash (NY Post)

• Judge sides with New York Times on press access to Pentagon (Hot Air)

• Kathy Hochul: Oops, that climate law was a mistake… (Hot Air)

• Harvard discriminated against Jews, government says in new lawsuit (Washington Free Beacon)

• Jewish voters feel “politically homeless” as antisemitism rises on both sides (Washington Examiner)

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