This time America is fighting the holy war.
Animus toward Iran runs back to the 1979 hostage crisis and the events that shaped a generation of neocons and worse. Now those grievances have an outlet, and the people running this war have stopped pretending it isn’t personal. Asked to rate the war on a scale of ten, Trump told White House reporters Wednesday “about a 15.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has the Crusader symbol of the medieval Kingdom of Jerusalem tattooed on his chest. A nonprofit watchdog has received complaints from more than 200 service members alleging their commanders are invoking biblical end times to justify the war. One NCO said a superior told troops that Trump “has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon.” House Speaker Mike Johnson called Islam “a misguided religion” today while defending strikes that killed 165 children in a girls’ school.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, a terrorist group before the first bomb fell. A federal judge blocked him this week. Bear witness to what this is. Name it in the circles around you. Don’t let anyone call it something else.
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Internal CBP document confirms agency bought mobile advertising data to track phone locations, circumventing warrant requirements for surveillance.
Today’s GovBrief News
DHS investigates Border Patrol's Minneapolis commander Bovino for antisemitic remarks about Jewish U.S. attorney as Minnesota separately pursues criminal charges.
Source: The Associated Press
March 4, 2026
House Speaker Johnson calls Islam a "misguided religion" while defending U.S. airstrikes that have killed more than 1,000 Iranian civilians including 165 children in a girls' school.
Source: Mediaite
March 4, 2026
Montana Sen. Sheehy joins Capitol Police in physically ejecting anti-war protester from Senate Armed Services hearing, then boasts about it online.
Source: KRTV Great Falls, MT
March 4, 2026
Spain says White House falsely claimed it agreed to cooperate on Iran strikes as Prime Minister Sanchez repeats "no to the war."
Source: France24
March 4, 2026
U.S.-Iran war reaches Cyprus and Indian Ocean as Hezbollah strikes British airbase and U.S. submarine sinks Iranian frigate near Sri Lanka.
Source: The Associated Press
March 4, 2026
CDC deploys disease detectives to South Carolina's largest measles outbreak in 30 years, 22 weeks in, as the agency operates with 25% fewer staff.
Source: Reuters
March 4, 2026
House Oversight subpoenas Attorney General Bondi over Epstein files as five Republicans join Democrats alleging DOJ is removing documents already made public.
Source: Newsweek
March 4, 2026
Federal science workforce lost nearly 95,000 employees in 15 months as Trump cut Fish and Wildlife science contracts 100% and CDC contracts 79%.
Source: Government Executive
March 4, 2026
Montana Sen. Daines withdraws from race two minutes before filing deadline to clear path for Trump-endorsed handpicked successor, blocking other Republicans.
Source: The Montana Free Press
March 4, 2026
Virginia Supreme Court clears way for redistricting referendum a second time, allowing early voting to begin Friday despite Republican legal challenges.
Source: Roll Call
March 4, 2026
Federal judge orders $130 billion refund on illegal tariffs to importers who already passed the costs to consumers.
Source: CNBC
March 4, 2026
Trump announces nonbinding tech company pledge to pay for data center power, claiming it will lower electricity prices experts say it won't.
Source: Politico
March 4, 2026
Trump nominates Warsh as Fed chair while Sen. Tillis vows to block confirmation until DOJ drops its criminal probe of the sitting chairman.
Source: UPI
March 4, 2026
Vance admits on day 410 that Trump's Day 1 promise to lower prices was never going to happen quickly.
Source: The Washington Post
March 4, 2026
ICE moves to close Fort Bliss detention camp after three deaths, measles outbreak, and homicide ruling, but offers no closure timeline.
Source: USA Today
March 4, 2026
DHS Inspector General accuses Secretary Noem of systematically obstructing 11 investigations, including a criminal case where her access demands could expose the target.
Source: The Hill
March 4, 2026
GOP senators kill war powers resolution as Hegseth declares Iran campaign "just getting started."
Source: CBS News
March 4, 2026
Texas Rep. Gonzales admits affair with married staffer who died by self-immolation after months of his public denials, as Ethics Committee opens misconduct probe.
Source: The San Antonio Express-News
March 4, 2026
Trump financial disclosure shows he bought up to $1.25 million in Netflix bonds while the company was in active merger talks his administration could influence.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
March 4, 2026
Federal judge blocks DeSantis executive order designating CAIR a terrorist organization, ruling no governor can unilaterally label a Muslim civil rights group.
Source: The Florida Phoenix
March 4, 2026