The Patriot Post® · Friday Executive News Summary
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire: President Donald Trump announced yesterday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire. “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel,” Trump posted. “These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST.” Israel’s actions in Lebanon have actually been against the Iranian proxy terrorist organization Hezbollah, not the legitimate government of the country. Netanyahu called the ceasefire “an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon.” He added, “We have changed the balance of security.” Following the news, Iranian officials declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open for the duration of the ceasefire.
Iran to hand over the “nuclear dust”? On Thursday, President Trump announced that Iran “agreed to give us back the nuclear dust” buried at nuclear sites by Operation Midnight Hammer. Iran may have no practicable way to retrieve that highly enriched uranium, so promising to surrender it might seem a small cost to the devastated regime. It is unclear who in Iran made the promise or who could deliver. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian might wish to surrender the material in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but he holds little actual power. The new supreme leader is likely incapacitated or dead, so perhaps IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi made the promise; he could deliver, but this would represent a massive change of heart for him. Iran has not yet denied Trump’s claim; if it’s true, it would represent a massive tangible victory for the West.
House FISA extension: A number of Republican lawmakers are not thrilled with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, given its past abuses, and they have been demanding reforms to the law. However, with the deadline looming, the House on Thursday passed a short-term extension of FISA through April 30, giving the lower chamber more time to wrangle over changes. Rep. Tim Burchett, who voted against the extension, groused, “We always wait until the last dadgum minute.” Republican leadership has sought a five-year extension to the law but has run into a roadblock from a number of hardline Republican members of the Freedom Caucus who have demanded limits to FISA, especially regarding its potential use against American citizens.
Todd Lyons resigning: Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons submitted his resignation to recently confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin yesterday. Mullin thanked Lyons for his service, saying, “He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years. Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.” Lyons, who had served in ICE for 20 years, oversaw some 584,000 deportations during his year at the head of ICE. Border Czar Tom Homan praised Lyons, commending him for “delivering on the president’s promise to deport illegal aliens who have no right to be in the U.S., especially those that are public safety risks or pose a threat to our national security.” Lyons thanked President Trump for the opportunity to serve and cited a desire to spend more time with his family as the reason for his decision to step down.
Trump nominates CDC leader: President Trump has nominated Erica Schwartz, who served as a deputy U.S. surgeon general during his first term, to head the CDC, a post that Trump has struggled to fill. With this nomination, Trump avoids someone who has been tagged as a “vaccine skeptic,” which should help her confirmation. It should also help regarding HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s controversial views on vaccines. Jeffrey Klausner, infectious-disease physician and informal adviser to Kennedy, observes, “People recognize that the majority of Americans want safe and effective vaccines, and the politics of anti-vax don’t work.” By picking Schwartz, Trump may be aiming for damage control, seeking to rebuild broad trust in the CDC.
Deficit-plagued Boston giving “wellness” vouchers to gender-confused illegals: The once-great city of Boston has a nearly $50 million deficit. Nevertheless, Mayor Michelle Wu is funding $250-500 “wellness allowances” that allow Bostonians to pay for gym memberships, yoga, salon treatments, acupuncture, and more. Except never mind — they’re being offered to migrants, not Bostonians. More specifically, they’re only for LGBTQ migrants. The vouchers are being distributed by the OUTnewcomers nonprofit and are backed by the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement.
Tennessee makes June “Nuclear Family Month”: Pride Month is done in the Volunteer State. Now, real nuclear families are being put center stage. A resolution signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee states clearly that the nuclear family “consisting of one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children, is God’s design for familial structure.” It goes further, calling out the WHO and the UN for humanistic, globalist ideologies that are incompatible with the state of Tennessee. GLAAD called supporters of the resolution clueless and argued that any defense against LGBTQ intrusion is “actively harming all.” June has been nationally recognized as Pride Month ever since known pervert President Bill Clinton declared it so in 1999.
Vance the fraud fighter: “To all fraudsters: good luck trying to hide from the vice president’s task force,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. Vance has suspended 447 hospices and 23 home health agencies in Los Angeles, which are suspected of $600 million in fraud. Vance also plans to block $259.5 million in Medicaid funds to Minnesota. He claims that the suspension numbers and the dollar amounts saved will continue to increase. California is fighting back against those who uncover fraud by trying to silence citizen journalists like Nick Shirley. Democrats there are pushing AB 2624, which would criminalize investigative journalism with misdemeanors, $10,000 fines, imprisonment, and content takedown, as well as protect illegal immigrant businesses and services. Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, who put forward the bill, argued that “doxing” businesses “isn’t journalism” and that the people working with the immigrant communities need to be protected.
Minnesota prosecutor charges ICE agent with assault: Hennepin County, Minnesota, Attorney Mary Moriarty is bringing a lawsuit against ICE officer Donnell Morgan Jr. In February, during the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota, Morgan and a passenger were returning to a federal building at the end of their shift. Morgan moved to the shoulder of the highway to bypass a traffic jam when another vehicle moved in front of him to block him. Once that vehicle returned to the regular lane, Morgan is accused of pulling alongside it and pointing his gun at the two people inside. Morgan admitted to drawing his gun, and he is being charged with two counts of second-degree assault. Federal officers have some protection for actions taken in the line of duty that comply with their training, though Minnesota argues that the vehicle was not actively blocking him while he was performing his official duties.
Headlines
Ten GOP House members vote to keep all TPS Haitians in the country (Hot Air)
Minnesota Dems unite to block Walz, Ellison impeachment push (Fox News)
ICE sets one million deportation target (Washington Times)
Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target U.S. bases in Middle East (Washington Examiner)
The Executive News Summary is compiled daily by Jordan Candler, Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, and Sophie Starkova. For the archive, click here.