Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem heads into a second straight day of high-stakes Capitol Hill combat Wednesday, this time facing House Democrats eager to press her on ICE arrests, warrantless operations and the Trump administration’s mass deportation push — all as a partial shutdown clouds her agency.

After sparring with Senate Democrats over DACA arrests and Election Day enforcement, Noem now enters a House Judiciary hearing stacked with vocal critics, from Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., setting up another marathon session over immigration enforcement and executive power.

Noem caught heat from both sides during a Senate hearing Tuesday, when most Republicans praised her work correcting what they view as former President Joe Biden’s failed border policies. But Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and the entirety of the Democratic side of the dais emphatically confronted her during their questioning time.

In Wednesday’s hearing, Noem is expected to go up against House Judiciary Committee ranking member Raskin early, as the Maryland Democrat has previously pressed for more oversight of Noem and DHS, including rescission of policies allowing warrantless operations.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who is likely the committee’s top progressive, has previously called for stricter oversight of DHS and has criticized Noem’s management of ICE as it carries out immigration enforcement operations in cities including Minneapolis and New Orleans.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., will also have a turn to question Noem. Her district in Delaware County was once a reliable Republican stronghold that elected a former Pennsylvania House speaker and leaned toward Trump in 2016. But it has since shifted and sided consistently with Democrats in recent elections.

Scanlon’s district has also featured numerous anti-ICE protests in visible areas such as the major intersection of Baltimore Pike and PA-320 last year, where throngs amassed to wave signs in the county’s commercial hub.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who is fighting a tough Senate primary Tuesday night, will question Noem near the end of Wednesday’s session.

Noem will also take questions from Rep. Henry ‘Hank’ Johnson, D-Ga., and Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., both of whom clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi just days ago.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., have both been critical of ICE’s activities, as Garcia previously slammed Noem for her agency’s conduct during enforcement operations in his heavily Hispanic district in Chicago.

Noem is expected to have a less confrontational time answering questions from Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and his caucus, which includes border-state Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Kevin Kiley, Tom McClintock and Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

The wild card in committee hearings is typically Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has been criticized by the ‘MAGA’ right for being insufficiently supportive of some of the administration’s policies.

Other members of note on the 44-member panel include Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis.

On Tuesday, Noem clashed with ranking member Richard Durbin, D-Ill., over arrests of DACA recipients and questioned why Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., were concerned about ICE being dispatched near polling places on Election Day.

Noem appeared to ask both men whether their concern had anything to do with the idea of illegal immigrants voting in federal elections, which is illegal.

A U.S. submarine sunk a prized Iranian warship by torpedo, the first such sinking of an enemy ship since World War II, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Wednesday morning.

‘The Iranian Navy rests at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Combat ineffective, decimated, destroyed, defeated. Pick your adjective,’ Hegseth said. ‘In fact, last night we sunk their prize ship, the Soleimani. Looks like POTUS got him twice. Their navy, not a factor. Pick your adjective. It is no more.’

This is a developing news story; check back for updates.

Israel’s military said Wednesday that one of its F-35I ‘Adir’ stealth fighter jets shot down an Iranian Air Force Yak-130, marking the first time the advanced aircraft has downed a manned fighter in combat. 

‘The historic shootdown over the Tehran skies is a testament to the strength of the Israeli Air Force and to your personal determination,’ said Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, the commander of the Israeli air force. 

‘The war continues – return home safely. Get some rest,’ he told the pilots. ‘The next mission is already waiting for you.’

The F-35I is Israel’s customized version of the U.S.-made F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth fighter that anchors the country’s air fleet.

According to the F-35 program’s official website, Israel became the first country to select the aircraft through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales process, signing a letter of agreement in October 2010. 

The site says the Israeli air force gave the jet the Hebrew name ‘Adir,’ meaning ‘Mighty One,’ and received its first F-35 on June 22, 2016.

The Yak-130 is a Russian-made, two-seat combat training aircraft designed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau, according to United Aircraft Corporation, the state-owned Russian aerospace company that manufactures the jet.

It made its maiden flight in 1996 and is currently in active production.

Iran’s air force received its first Yak-130 training aircraft in September 2023, according to Press TV, Iran’s state-run English-language broadcaster.

In November 2023, Brig. Gen. Mahdi Farahi, Iran’s deputy defense minister, told Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian news agency, that plans had been finalized for Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters and Yak-130 trainers to join the country’s armed forces.

Tasnim reported that Iran previously acquired MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia in the 1990s.

In proclaiming a ‘golden age of America’ in his State of the Union address, President Trump correctly focused on his initiatives to fix the problems perpetrated by the Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations that undermine the physical and economic security of the United States. One of those initiatives is Trump’s war on fraud, which, according to the president, is intended to root out and remedy the ‘corruption that shreds the fabric’ of our nation.

Under the leadership of Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Colin McDonald, Trump’s nominee for the newly created federal post of assistant attorney general for the National Fraud Enforcement Division, Trump’s war will get waged aggressively. As the president put it, ‘We are not playing games.’

But to win the war against fraud, the Trump administration must force the uniparty institutionalists at the Justice Department to change course and protect a key ally in the war on fraud: whistleblowers. Despite being treated as pariahs for decades by the Justice Department’s elitist careerists, whistleblowers are instrumental in enabling the recovery of taxpayer dollars from entities that defraud the government. Whistleblowers play a critical role under the False Claims Act, which has been used to recover $85 billion in taxpayer dollars since 1986. Just last year, the government recovered more than $6.8 billion under the False Claims Act – the highest single-year recovery in its history.

Unfortunately, parts of the Justice Department have not gotten Trump’s memo. This is particularly true of the career attorneys in the DOJ’s Civil Division, which is given investigatory and litigation responsibilities under the False Claims Act.

The Civil Division maintains policies that undermine Trump’s war on fraud. How? Those policies undermine whistleblowers—the foot soldiers in the trenches—who uncover and litigate fraud claims on behalf of the Justice Department. The Civil Division maintains it has the unfettered discretion to dismiss any anti-fraud lawsuit brought by a whistleblower under the False Claims Act merely by deciding the lawsuit will not vindicate the government’s interest—whatever that means. The Civil Division maintains it can make this decision without evidentiary support and without regard to the underlying facts. That’s hard to reconcile with the Supreme Court’s 2023 8-1 decision in U.S. ex rel. Polansky v. Exec. Health Res., Inc., which held that the Justice Department does not enjoy such unfettered dismissal discretion.

More problematically, the Civil Division’s continuation of the Bush, Obama and Biden anti-whistleblower policy undermines the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud. Indeed, despite years of hard work and lot of money invested by whistleblowers, the Civil Division maintains it can pull out the rug from under whistleblowers at any time, for any reason, or no reason. This arbitrary Civil Division policy makes it much less likely whistleblowers will enlist in Trump’s war on fraud.

Targets of fraud enforcement by the Trump administration properly include Somalian day care centers, university DEI programs, and other examples of corruption actively promoted by Democrats. A whistleblower exposing such fraudulent and illegal activities does so at considerable personal risk. But what whistleblower would knowingly take this risk if her action under the False Claims Act were subject to Civil Division policy it could dismiss any lawsuit, at any time, for any reason, or no reason?

Americans have learned the hard way that we have magnitudes more fraud than federal prosecutors and agents to root it out, so the Justice Department’s support of whistleblowers is more critical than ever. A successful war against fraud requires alignment across the government. Vance acknowledged as much, noting in a recent Fox News interview that his efforts will include a ‘full, whole government approach’ to investigating fraud concerns. But this approach necessitates that the Civil Division change its policies to support, rather than undermine, a critical ally in Trump’s war on fraud: whistleblowers.

Former Major League Baseball star Mark Teixeira has clinched the Republican primary to succeed GOP Rep. Chip Roy in southwest Texas.

Teixeira secured more than 61% of the vote, avoiding a runoff in the 12-candidate primary field.

Teixeira announced his candidacy for the Lone Star State’s 21st Congressional District seat last August. The seat is currently held by Roy, who has said he is running for Texas attorney general.

The announcement of Teixeira’s campaign came days after Republican state lawmakers approved a redistricting map aimed at strengthening the GOP’s position in the 2026 election.

President Donald Trump endorsed Teixeira in the race, and Teixeira pledged to work with the president to secure the border and end what he described as ‘radical woke indoctrination.’

The Club for Growth PAC, which — along with affiliated super PACs — contributed more than $250,000 to Teixeira’s candidacy, applauded his primary victory. Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh said the group was ‘proud to have supported Teixeira in the race.’

‘On the campaign trail, Mark Teixeira outlined his plan to lower taxes, cut red tape, and expand school freedom for every family in Texas. Voters believed in his vision, and rewarded him with the Republican nomination,’ McIntosh said.

Teixeira began his MLB career with the Texas Rangers after being selected fifth overall in the 2001 MLB Draft. His 14-season career included three All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, three Silver Slugger Awards and a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 2009. Teixeira and his family moved back to Texas in 2021 after he retired from baseball.

Teixeira defeated fellow Republican candidate Daniel Betts, who ran unsuccessfully for Travis County district attorney last year.

The 21st Congressional District covers a heavily Republican area west of Austin and San Antonio.

On the Democratic side, Dr. Kristin Hook was leading the primary field with roughly 61% of the vote Tuesday night, setting up a general election matchup in November.

Teixeira described his primary win as a ‘huge victory.’

‘We’re going to run a strong race and win big in November, then hit the ground running to fight for Texas families,’ Teixeira said. ‘Thank you again, TX-21. God bless Texas, and God bless America.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are set to testify before Congress on Wednesday morning, a Republican Minnesota lawmaker spoke to Fox News Digital about what they should be asked and what needs to happen next to get to the bottom of the problem. 

I’m hoping they’re asked directly, ‘Governor Walz, why haven’t you taken the corrective actions and why haven’t you brought your people back? Does that have an impact? Why have you not done that?” state Sen. Mark Koran said about Walz’s upcoming testimony, pointing to the large remote work force that likely contributed to the lack of oversight in the scandal that prosecutors say could cost taxpayers $9 billion or more. 

‘Because he knows — they need to position that question to him because he knows he can’t continue to pander and do what’s right, right? He just can’t.’

Ellison’s testimony is likely to include questions from members of Congress about a 2021 audio recording of him meeting with members of the Somali community who would soon be convicted of defrauding millions of dollars in taxpayer money.

According to Koran, Ellison has ‘real issues to deal with’ during his testimony on that issue and suggested the recording shows he was offering to ‘protect’ the eventual fraudsters. 

‘You know who the clients are of Attorney General Keith Ellison?’ Koran said. ‘All the state agencies. So their attorney is going to go work against what’s right from a statutory requirement to stop them from performing their job? If they were even going to do their job?’

Although Walz announced early this year that he would drop his bid for a third term amid mounting criticism of the fraud scandal, he is still serving as governor, which many of his detractors have said doesn’t show true accountability.

Koran agrees with those who have called on Walz to resign, saying that he would if he had ‘any morals’ but ‘he won’t,’ and pointed out that even if Republicans had the super majority needed to impeach Walz, his spot would be taken by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who Koran called ‘far more radical.’

New findings have continued to trickle out as investigations into the fraud become more prevalent, including a state audit conducted by the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor released in January that found widespread failures and internal control problems in the Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) grant program.

The 2026 regular session of the Minnesota Legislature officially kicked off on Feb. 17, and Koran outlined what Republicans will be focused on in order to reign in the fraud concerns.

‘The game plan is really to put pressure on all of them. There are things we could start to do today, we truly do have an interest to do that,’ Koran said. ‘You know, we’ve seen what’s hit the headlines; an Independent Inspector General probably could put together the best plan for that. That doesn’t solve today’s problems, right? That doesn’t solve it. We’ve got to solve it on the front end.’

Instead, Koran says the top priority should be a professional services contract with an independent entity ‘to do eligibility determination’ and ‘use the best of all data available to ensure those eligible receive benefits.’ But, he argued, Democrats have ‘been resistant to do any of that.’

Speaking about why he thinks the fraud scandal was able to reach the level that it did, Koran said, ‘I think there’s some incompetency. They’re certainly willfully complicit.’

He continued, ‘But I think the third element today that is bigger than ever is, our state government is as ineffective in delivering for the citizens of Minnesota than we’ve ever been in the history of government.’

Walz and Ellison will testify at a hearing ‘Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II’ on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 10 a.m. EST.

‘Americans deserve answers about the rampant misuse of taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs that occurred on Governor Walz’s and Attorney General Ellison’s watch. The House Oversight Committee recently heard sworn testimony from Minnesota state lawmakers who stated that Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison failed to act to stop this widespread fraud and retaliated against whistleblowers who raised concerns,’ House Oversight Chair James Comer said in a press release.

Iranian drone strikes forced Qatar to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production Monday, jolting global energy markets and raising fears about supply disruptions as Tehran increased its attacks on regional infrastructure.

QatarEnergy, the state-owned giant and one of the world’s largest LNG producers, suspended operations at two facilities after drones launched from Iran hit the sites, according to reports.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense also said in a statement, that two drones hit facilities in the country, though no casualties were reported.

The attacks also targeted a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed and a key energy installation in Ras Laffan.

Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex is the world’s largest LNG export facility, making it one of the most critical energy hubs in the world.

About 20% of global LNG trade transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, primarily from Qatar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Markets reacted Monday with Europe’s benchmark natural gas futures surging by the largest margin since the 2022 energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported.

Bloomberg also reported Dutch TTF natural gas prices rose by 50% after news of the shutdown. Asian LNG prices also recorded gains as traders tried to assess the scale and length of the disruption.

‘The threat to security of supply is here and now,’ Simone Tagliapietra, an analyst at Bruegel, told Bloomberg. ‘The extent of it will depend on the duration of the shutdown, but we are now into a new scenario.’

In Saudi Arabia, another drone attack caused a fire at the kingdom’s Ras Tanura oil refinery, forcing a partial shutdown there as well.

Saudi authorities have not reported casualties, but the attack heightened fears of broader instability in the Gulf’s energy corridor, according to reports.

President Donald Trump on Monday sent an official notification to Congress about the U.S. strikes against Iran, in which he attempted to justify the military action in the now expanding conflict in the Middle East.

In a letter obtained by FOX News, Trump told Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that ‘no U.S. ground forces were used in these strikes’ and that the mission ‘was planned and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties, deter future attacks, and neutralize Iran’s malign activities.’

This comes after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran on Saturday as part of Operation Epic Fury, triggering a response from Tehran and a wider conflict in the region. The strikes killed the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other military leaders.

Trump wrote that it is not yet possible to know the full scope of military operations against Iran and that U.S. forces are prepared to take potential further action.

‘Although the United States desires a quick and enduring peace, not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that may be necessary,’ Trump wrote. ‘As such, United States forces remain postured to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats and attacks upon the United States or its allies and partners, and ensure the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran ceases being a threat to the United States, its allies, and the international community.’

‘I directed this military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests both at home and abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests,’ he added. ‘I acted pursuant to my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive to conduct United States foreign relations.’

Trump said he was ‘providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution,’ as some Republican and Democrat lawmakers attempt to restrain the president’s military action, which they affirm is unconstitutional without congressional approval.

The president also accused Iran of being among the largest state sponsors of terrorism in the world and purported that the ‘Iranian regime continues to seek the means to possess and employ nuclear weapons,’ even after the White House said in June that precision strikes at the time ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities.

‘As I previously communicated to the Congress, Iran remains one of the largest, if not the largest, state-sponsors of terrorism in the world,’ Trump said in the letter on Monday. ‘Despite the success of Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER, the Iranian regime continues to seek the means to possess and employ nuclear weapons. Its array of ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, and other missiles pose a direct threat to and are attacking United States forces, commercial vessels, and civilians, as well as those of our allies and partners.’

‘Despite my Administration’s repeated efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iran’s malign behavior, the threat to the United States and its allies and partners became untenable,’ he continued.

Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem heads to Capitol Hill Tuesday to face lawmakers demanding she resign, be fired or impeached.

Her appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as members of both parties criticize her handling of the Trump administration’s immigration operations throughout the country. Some Democrats have called for her to face impeachment.

Her testimony has been in the works for months. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, had been seeking her appearance to conduct routine oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

But it wasn’t until after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good during immigration operations in Minneapolis that Noem agreed to testify.

Last month, President Donald Trump dismissed the idea of firing Noem.

‘Why would I do that?’ Trump said. ‘We have the strongest border in the history of our country. We have the best crime numbers we’ve ever had, going back to the year 1900 — that’s 125 years.’

Still, she is expected to face tough questioning from Senate Democrats.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the top Democrat on the committee, said at the time the hearing was announced that Noem previously ‘refused to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year and now tells us that she will be available in five weeks — should she still be DHS Secretary at that time.’

‘With all of the violence and deaths involving DHS, the Secretary is apparently in no hurry to account for her mismanagement of this national crisis,’ Durbin said in a statement. ‘And she expects us to rubber stamp her record-breaking budget in the meantime.’

And there’s at least one Senate Republican on the panel, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has emerged as one of her top critics.

In January, Tillis said he would place holds on DHS nominees coming through the committee until Noem agreed to testify — a move that would block Trump’s picks for the agency.

‘I’m not going to get into impeachment,’ Tillis said at the time. ‘I think it should be a management decision. She needs to go.’

Her testimony also comes as a partial government shutdown affecting only DHS enters its third week.

Some Republicans have expressed concern that the shutdown could hamper the agency’s ability to respond proactively to potential threats in the U.S., particularly following Trump’s weekend strikes in Iran, along with other security challenges that could arise during a prolonged closure.

The White House and Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have been negotiating for weeks, but neither side has reached a breakthrough.

The White House sent its latest offer to Democrats, which a White House official described as ‘serious’ in a statement to Fox News Digital. Still, no agreement has been reached, and the agency remains shuttered.

‘Democrats need to make a move to end the shutdown before more Americans are harmed by a lack of funding for critical services like disaster relief,’ the official said.

Leftists in the U.S. are seriously confused. While Iranians around the world celebrate the death of the thuggish Ayatollah Khamanei, who ruled their country with an iron fist, liberals in the U.S. are condemning President Donald Trump’s war to liberate the Persian nation.  

Opposition to the U.S.-Israel joint attack on Iran was broad and swift, powered in part by Trump Derangement Syndrome — if he’s behind it, they’re reliably against it — and also tinged with antisemitism.  

The smoke had not yet cleared from the bombings in Iran before Democrats started shrieking their objections, with Connecticut Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy, for instance, calling it ‘dangerously illegal and a mistake of staggering scale,’ and denouncing the president as a ‘would-be dictator.’ Murphy has also called Israel’s policy in Gaza and in the West Bank ‘immoral’, and recently announced that he would not support additional military aid to Israel.

Anti-Israel Democrats in the House were especially strident, with ‘Squad’ member Rashida Tlaib from Michigan posting, ‘It’s clear that the genocidal govt of Israel doesn’t care about children + human life including our own loved ones in the military.’ She also posted, ‘The government of Israel is addicted to bombing hospitals, schools, refugee camps which are all war crimes.’ 

Democrats have been pulling away from their traditional backing of Israel for some time, and especially since the far left took hold of their party. Axios reported in December that the DNC’s still-secret ‘autopsy’ of why Vice President Kamala Harris was defeated by Trump in 2024 concluded that the former VP ‘lost significant support because of the Biden administration’s approach to the war in Gaza…’ 

Iran has brought nothing but bloodshed and destruction to Israel, the United States and the Middle East for decades.

That is, in sifting the ashes of the 2024 election for clues as to why an inarticulate candidate who admitted she couldn’t think of a thing she’d do differently from the wildly unpopular Joe Biden went down in flames, Democrat officials determined…it was Israel’s fault! Democrats are quick learners — their support of the Jewish state is dwindling fast.

It isn’t just Democrats piling on. Criticism also came from far-right conspiracy theorists, too.

We also heard criticism from the utterly worthless and anti-Israel U.N., with Secretary-General António Guterres condemning the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran and demanding immediate negotiations ‘to pull the region, and our world, back from the brink.’ 

Guterres has overseen a U.N. with ‘a glaring anti-Israel bias, advancing biased and one-sided efforts to isolate and delegitimize the Jewish state’, reports the pro-Jewish group AIPAC. A bias AIPAC can document and which, astonishingly, has ‘escalated dramatically since Hamas’ October 7 attack.’

Spineless European leaders stood on the sidelines, initially distancing themselves from the U.S.-Israeli initiative. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at first declined to give the U.S. permission to use its air bases, thus forcing American jets to undertake a 20-plus hour flight to carry out their mission. He then relented, earning ridicule from all sides.   

Of course, witless students also weighed in, with Columbia University’s most renowned anti-Israel group, responsible for last year’s ‘encampment’ built to protest the Gaza conflict, posting    ‘death to America’ in Persian after the U.S. and Israel killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. That prompted Sen. Tex Cruz, R-Texas, to demand that foreign students sending out such anti-American messages be ‘deported immediately.’ He’s right.

One student protester told an interviewer that the U.S. ‘should align with Iranian regime instead of Israel because Iran ‘is not fascist.”

Zohran Mamdani, the newly installed Muslim mayor of New York, harshly condemned President Trump’s war with Iran, saying, ‘Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression.’ He also said, ‘Additionally, I want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers: you are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders.’ The mayor assured them, ‘You will be safe here.’ 

Mamdani misread the room, assuming that Iranians living in the U.S. would react as he had to the attack on the mullahs. Instead, joyful Iranians gathered in Times Square to celebrate the end of one of the most hated and savage regimes in history.

They apparently felt perfectly safe, as indeed they were.

There are certainly valid reasons to fear a military confrontation with Iran. The country hosts a huge arsenal of ballistic missiles, it has a well-trained and now vengeful military, and it can disrupt the world’s oil supply by mining the Straits of Hormuz. Also, it is a large country of 90 million people; Iran’s citizens may hate the mullahs but they have no weapons with which to bring down the theocracy.

But Iran has brought nothing but bloodshed and destruction to Israel, the United States and the Middle East for decades. There could be no peace or progress in the region while Iran continues to fund its terror proxies and doggedly pursues long-range missiles and a nuclear bomb. 

Democrats who mourn the scrapping of President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, protesting that the JCPOA was preventing the regime from acquiring a nuke, surely know better. The deal was seriously flawed, it was unverifiable and from day one the mullahs prevented U.N. inspectors from carrying out agreed-upon certification of the pact.

President Trump has ended the mullahs’ reign of terror and united the region in a manner no one could have imagined.

This is a righteous endeavor. Let us hope that on the other side, a free Iran will become a trusted ally.