Amanda Prestigiacomo

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services Secretary, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, and Kash Patel to run the FBI were all grilled by lawmakers today. Much of RFK's hearing today and yesterday focused on his view of vaccines, though New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan asked him about Medicare.

At the same time, in a different room, Kash Patel sat down for his hearing to lead the FBI. In one particularly tense exchange, Senator Amy Klobuchar implied that he previously claimed police lied about aspects of the January 6, 2021 riot. Here's that.

At the same time, in a different room, Kash Patel sat down for his hearing to lead the FBI. In one particularly tense exchange, Senator Amy Klobuchar implied that he previously claimed police lied about aspects of the January 6, 2021 riot. Here's that.

Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard was pushed on several topics, including her previous statements on Edward Snowden and a previous visit she took to Syria where she met with Bashar al-Assad. Here she is answering a question from Arizona Senator Mark Kelly about her meeting with the Syrian leader. I shed no tears for the fall of the Assad regime.

Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard was pushed on several topics, including her previous statements on Edward Snowden and a previous visit she took to Syria where she met with Bashar al-Assad. Here she is answering a question from Arizona Senator Mark Kelly about her meeting with the Syrian leader. I shed no tears for the fall of the Assad regime.

Right. So building off of past declarations on gender, Trump signed an EO that directs the DOD to ban men from using or sharing sleeping, changing, and bathing facilities that are designated for females. And it also rescinds a Biden order that allowed other gender identity related accommodations, arguing that it hinders military readiness and other standards.

Right. So building off of past declarations on gender, Trump signed an EO that directs the DOD to ban men from using or sharing sleeping, changing, and bathing facilities that are designated for females. And it also rescinds a Biden order that allowed other gender identity related accommodations, arguing that it hinders military readiness and other standards.

Now, additionally, this EO stops taxpayer dollars from funding gender transitions, including surgeries for military members. This was actually happening under President Biden to the tune of millions of dollars. The Trump administration said that this applies to trans-identifying children of service members as well.

Now, additionally, this EO stops taxpayer dollars from funding gender transitions, including surgeries for military members. This was actually happening under President Biden to the tune of millions of dollars. The Trump administration said that this applies to trans-identifying children of service members as well.

Trump's order, on the whole, intends to emphasize that the military will have high fitness, health, and readiness standards that will ensure military members are able to deploy, fight, and win.

Trump's order, on the whole, intends to emphasize that the military will have high fitness, health, and readiness standards that will ensure military members are able to deploy, fight, and win.

So under Biden, about 8,400 active and reserve service members were forced out of the military between 2021 and 2023 because they refused the COVID vax. Trump's executive order restores those troops' previous rank, and it gives them full back pay and benefits. This is a fulfillment of a Trump campaign promise, and it targets the last administration's recruitment crisis—

So under Biden, about 8,400 active and reserve service members were forced out of the military between 2021 and 2023 because they refused the COVID vax. Trump's executive order restores those troops' previous rank, and it gives them full back pay and benefits. This is a fulfillment of a Trump campaign promise, and it targets the last administration's recruitment crisis—

After the vax mandate was rescinded by Biden, those who were forced out were allowed to reapply, but only 43 service members chose to do so.

After the vax mandate was rescinded by Biden, those who were forced out were allowed to reapply, but only 43 service members chose to do so.

Yeah, that order eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the DOD. The order ends race and sex-based preferences by any branch of the military, the DOD, or DHS. It will also eliminate remaining DEI-related bureaucracy from those departments and order a review of the curricula from military service academies.

Yeah, that order eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the DOD. The order ends race and sex-based preferences by any branch of the military, the DOD, or DHS. It will also eliminate remaining DEI-related bureaucracy from those departments and order a review of the curricula from military service academies.

Military recruitment goals were repeatedly missed during Biden's tenure, and many critics tied that to these DEI initiatives. Here's newly confirmed DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth addressing these issues during his confirmation hearing.

Military recruitment goals were repeatedly missed during Biden's tenure, and many critics tied that to these DEI initiatives. Here's newly confirmed DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth addressing these issues during his confirmation hearing.

Hegseth himself is actually a big change on what we can expect from the military. Before he was tapped for Secretary of Defense, he wrote a book on the woke policies and initiatives at the Pentagon, and he categorized them as a betrayal to warfighters. Here's Vice President J.D. Vance discussing Hegseth during an interview on CBS.