White House Offers Concessions On DHS Funding To End Shutdown
'Worked in good faith'
Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles diagnosed with cancer
President Donald Trump announced that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early-stage cancer.
Trump shared the news in a Truth Social post Monday, praising Wiles for her leadership in the administration and her commitment to the American people. Trump also said that her prognosis is "excellent" and that she will continue to serve in the White House during her treatment.
'She will win this battle with grace.'
"Susie Wiles is an incredible Chief of Staff, a great person, and one of the strongest people I know but, unfortunately, she has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, and has decided to take on this challenge, IMMEDIATELY, as opposed to waiting," Trump said.
"She has a fantastic medical team, and her prognosis is excellent! During the treatment period, she will be spending virtually full time at the White House, which makes me, as President, very happy!"
RELATED: Trump's hilarious response after intel reportedly tells him Iran's new supreme leader might be gay
Trump went on to call Wiles one of his "closest and most important advisors," saying he and first lady Melania Trump will be "with her in every way."
"Her Strength and her Commitment to continue doing the job she loves, and does so well, while undergoing treatment, tells you everything you need to know about her," Trump said.
"We look forward to working with Susie on the many big and wonderful things that are happening for the benefit of our Country!"
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair also praised Wiles for her dedication to Trump and the administration, particularly through the most challenging moments.
"Susie led President Trump's team through illegitimate indictments, domestic spying by the former administration, rigged federal prosecutions, illegal law enforcement raids, general lawfare, assassination attempts, & more," Blair said in a post on X. "As with the rest, she will win this battle with grace."
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Trump's hilarious response after intel reportedly tells him Iran's new supreme leader might be gay
The White House has reportedly obtained intelligence that Iran's new supreme leader could be gay, sparking a hilarious response from President Donald Trump.
Trump reportedly burst into laughter after being briefed that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei may be gay, according to the New York Post.
Notably, homosexual conduct is a capital offense in Iran.
Others found it amusing as well, including a senior intelligence official who "has not stopped laughing about it for days," the Post reported.
Mojtaba's late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a targeted airstrike conducted by the United States and Israel, reportedly had reservations about his son's suitability to lead Iran due to his potential homosexuality.
Two intelligence sources told the Post that Mojtaba had a "long-term sexual relationship" with his childhood tutor, while another intelligence source said he had an affair "with a person who formerly worked for the Khamenei family."
Education in Iran is almost always strictly segregated by gender with very limited exceptions.
Although American intelligence agencies don't have photographic evidence to confirm Mojtaba's alleged homosexuality, one source said the intel was "derived from one of the most protected sources the government has."
"The fact that this was elevated to the highest of high levels shows you there's some confidence in this," another source told the Post.
The White House did not provide comment to Blaze News.
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Notably, homosexual conduct is a capital offense in Iran, with some gay Iranians having been publicly executed.
"If there was ever a time where it was OK to out somebody, it would be when it's a leader of a repressive Islamic theocracy that hangs gay people by cranes," one source told the Post.
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Veteran Affairs' newest effort to help homeless vets sparks mixed reactions
In a large shift in the war against veteran homelessness, the Trump administration has updated its policies to allow the government to step in to intervene on veterans' behalf — but not everyone is happy about the change.
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Justice in an effort to give veterans, some of whom are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, "the ongoing care they need."
'We owe our Veterans a debt we can never fully repay — but we can give them the support they deserve.'
The agreement, according to the VA's announcement, allows the DOJ to appoint VA attorneys as special assistant U.S. attorneys. Thus appointed, VA attorneys will have the legal authority to "initiate and participate in state court guardianship or conservatorship proceedings in cases where a legal decision-maker is required for post-acute transitions of care for these vulnerable Veterans."
The VA called these legal guardianships a "lifeline" for vulnerable veterans who do not have other options to protect their rights.
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“Our new partnership with the Justice Department reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring that every Veteran receives timely, appropriate care, even in complex cases,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins.
“The Department of Justice is proud to partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs to support our nation’s brave Veterans by ensuring that they have the best legal resources available when it comes to making medical decisions and receiving timely care,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “We owe our Veterans a debt we can never fully repay — but we can give them the support they deserve.”
The Trump administration made efforts in its first year to address homelessness in the pursuit of restoring public order.
Specifically, President Trump signed an executive order near the end of July 2025 with the goal of "shifting individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment."
Michael Figlioli, the director of the National Veterans Service for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, commended the change, which he told the New York Times recognizes “that some of our nation’s most vulnerable veterans must be approached through a public health and social services framework."
However, others have raised concerns about veterans' civil liberties.
“The Trump-Vance administration is pursuing policies that would push hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans into institutions and court-ordered guardianships,” Rep. Mark Takano of California, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said to the New York Times.
“Guardianship should always be a last resort, after all less restrictive options have been exhausted, to ensure veterans’ rights are respected,” Takano continued.
According to the most recent data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, an estimated 32,882 veterans were homeless on a single night in January 2024. Veterans make up roughly 5% of the homeless population in the United States, according to the same report.
When asked for comment, Veterans Affairs directed Blaze News to the general number of the U.S. House of Representatives, a senator's office, and the White House, none of which responded to a request for comment. The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment.
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'Juvenile war porn': Halo voice actor wants out of Trump administration hype video
Actors are getting a taste of the social media game as the White House is dropping hype videos about its foreign policy.
After the administration released a video that included clips from "Top Gun," "Iron Man," "Breaking Bad," "Deadpool," and "Gladiator," actors are demanding the content be taken down.
'I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately.'
First, writer and actor Ben Stiller took issue with a clip from his movie "Tropic Thunder" being included in the compilation, saying "We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine."
"War is not a movie," he added.
System of a Downes
Much stronger verbiage was used by voice actor Steve Downes, who played the iconic Master Chief character in the beloved Halo video game series.
Downes said on X that "at least one propaganda video" was circulating that uses his voice to support the war in Iran.
"Let me make this crystal clear: I did not participate in nor was I consulted, nor do I endorse the use of my voice in this video, or the message it conveys," Downes wrote. "I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately."
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Music to his ears
Downes wasn't the only Halo alumnus to comment on the video though. Marty O'Donnell, the original Halo score composer turned congressional candidate, did not exactly share the same sentiment.
"Just want you to know that, unlike Ben, I TOTALLY approve of the use of my music at the [end] of this. Finish the fight!" O'Donnell wrote.
He also responded to Stiller, calling him a "sensitive artist."
"I, on the other hand, approve" of the video, O'Donnell added.
RELATED: Legendary Halo composer unravels the video-game industry’s woke collapse
Fair use
The actors are seemingly facing a harsh lesson in social media fair use, in that most platforms, such as X and YouTube, allow brief usage of copyrighted materials so long as they are being used for analysis, commentary, or are not taking profit away from the content creator.
In this instance, it is likely the latter at play since "government entities" are not included in X's revenue sharing program.
In December, musicians Sabrina Carpenter and SZA both took issue with the White House using their music in videos that depicted illegal immigration raids.
SZA wrote, "White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK ..inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring," while Carpenter responded to a video that has since been deleted.
Carpenter said, "This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda."
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Trump holds off on Texas Senate endorsement to pressure GOP to deliver on 'No. 1 priority' legislation: Report
President Donald Trump is postponing his endorsement in the Texas Senate Republican primary to pressure Republican senators to pass the SAVE America Act, Politico reported, citing two anonymous people described as close to the White House.
Neither incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R) nor Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) received at least 50% of the vote during last week’s primary election, triggering a runoff race on May 26 before the winner faces off against Democratic nominee James Talarico.
'I think that was a very smart strategy because it bought time.'
Both Cornyn and Paxton have been vying for Trump’s endorsement. The president stated on Thursday that he would endorse one of the candidates “pretty soon.” He expects the candidate who does not receive his support to drop out of the race.
Last week, the Atlantic and Axios reported that Trump was expected to endorse Cornyn.
Paxton responded to rumors of a Cornyn endorsement by declaring that he would not withdraw from the race, even if Trump refused to support him.
Trump told Politico on Thursday that Paxton’s remarks were “bad for him” and that they may push him to select Cornyn after all.
RELATED: 'That is bad for him': Trump hints at final endorsement in Paxton vs. Cornyn Senate runoff
Paxton then walked back his comments, stating that he would “consider” withdrawing from the race if the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.
Trump has described this piece of legislation as the Republican Party’s “No. 1 priority” ahead of the midterms, adding that if it does not pass, it could spell “big trouble” for GOP candidates.
Politico reported that Paxton’s move appeared to stall Trump’s endorsement by highlighting a shared issue between them, while also revealing the tension between the president and Senate Republican leaders, who back Cornyn. Two sources close to the White House told the news outlet that Paxton’s strategy changed the dynamics.
“I think that was a very smart strategy because it bought time. Because now, if you’re the White House or Trump, why would you now weigh in?’’ a Republican operative told Politico. “Trump has remained very steadfast that he wants this done, and that is a huge priority, and he’s getting pissed off at these members and at [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune.”
RELATED: Trump to intervene in Texas' Senate race, anoint his preferred candidate
An anonymous Paxton campaign aide told the news outlet that “the grassroots donor community in Texas did not believe or realize how close Trump was [to] endorsing Cornyn.”
“Once they realized that the threat was real, they went very hard in the paint,” the aide added.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
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