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Sen. Kennedy to Newsmax: Trump Had No Choice but to Attack Iran

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Newsmax on Friday that President Donald Trump did not start a war with Iran but was trying to stop one.

"Our intelligence shows ... that the political leadership in Iran, they were not going to ever stop trying to develop a nuclear warhead and their game plan after we bombed them in June was to start over," Kennedy said on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."

 "They were manufacturing hundreds of missiles a month, and their game plan was to manufacture enough missiles with the help of China and Russia, so that no one could attack them without them blowing up the entire Middle East," he added. "And we could not allow that to happen."

Kennedy said the goal of the operation is to destroy the efforts Iran had resumed to develop a nuclear weapon.

"To destroy or make them use up all their missiles and drones, to destroy their navy, which we have done, to destroy all the infrastructure for their army and the Revolutionary Guard and then get out," Kennedy said. "And we are making remarkable progress toward that end."

Kennedy said he hopes the U.S.-Israeli operation will have undermined the religious zealots and military sufficiently so the people of Iran can rise up and take back their country.

"I do not believe the president will put boots on the ground," Kennedy said. "I do not believe he wants to stay there permanently.

"I do not believe he wanted to do this. He had no choice."

Fists Fly in NYC Park As Sickos Hold Vigil for the Murderous, Dead Ayatollah Khamenei

Washington Square Park is located in lower Manhattan, just a two-minute subway ride from Ground Zero, and it’s seen many a protest over its 199-year history: Abolitionist Protests in the 1800s, antiwar gatherings in the ’60s, BLM demonstrations in the 2020s, and many more.

 Twenty-four years ago, you could smell the smoke and death from the Twin Towers' collapse on 9/11.

On Friday, however, a group of unexpected visitors descended upon the square: people fond of the currently beleaguered oppressive regime that has run the country of Iran since 1979, along with its murderous leader, (former) Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei, of course, had his pulse stopped by joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28 in Operation Epic Fury.

Not everyone was thrilled to see them there:

Chaos erupted in Washington Square Park in Manhattan as a vigil mourning the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei descended into violence Friday.

Video from the event showed a man attempting to pull down a poster of the dictator, who was killed last week in an Israeli airstrike, when a man wearing a SpongeBob sweatshirt punched him in the face, sending him to the ground.

Others began fighting, prompting New York City Police Department (NYPD) intervention.

As the brawl unfolded, the crowd could be heard shouting profanity.

A fight broke out, with one person on each side taken away arrested by NYPD.

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THE LATEST: Watch: U.S. Ambassador Says Gulf Leaders United Against Iran

Ret. 3-Star General Says He's Never Seen Anything Like Epic Fury — We're Now Playing 'Whac-A-Mullah'

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It’s disturbing that so many would honor a man who has killed thousands of his own people, took a once somewhat free country into some weird modern version of the Stone Age, served as the leader of the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism, and treated women like farm animals.

What decent person would celebrate such a devilish character? Yet, there they were:

There appears to have been plenty of violence as those rightfully disgusted by the Khamenei lovers became incensed:

One man was also spotted yanking an Iranian flag out of another person’s hands. NYPD officers swiftly rushed in and pulled protesters apart, cuffing those involved in the fight.

One man was hauled away in cuffs with blood pouring down his forehead following the confrontation. Another man was arrested against the arch itself. A third masked protester could be seen being hurled into the back of a police cruiser.

I never advocate for people to get violent, but it’s certainly easy to see why this thing went south. To celebrate a bloodthirsty Islamic extremist in the city that saw over 3,000 die in the 9/11 tragedy was almost certainly going to provoke a reaction.

We have a First Amendment that allows these Ayatollah acolytes to demonstrate, but that same amendment allows me to say that I find it disgusting.

Question about the above tweet: what on earth does George Floyd have to do with the Iran situation? Nothing. 

Leftists are so weird. Unhinged and dangerous, yes, but also just plain strange.

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.

Revealed: The Story of the United Kingdom's Betrayal in Operation Epic Fury Is Absolutely Wild

Does being an European "ally" of America even mean anything anymore? That's a valid question after several NATO nations not only initially denied the use of their military bases during Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing attack on Iran, but also offered tacit support for the Islamic regime. 

 Perhaps the most public betrayal came from Spain, whose left-wing prime minister claimed the United States was violating "international law."

Given Spain's history over the last century or so, it wasn't exactly surprising that they'd take the side of Islamic fascists over the country that pays for their defense. The Western European country once again fell woefully short of its NATO spending requirements in 2025 while continuing to expand its welfare state, a dynamic that has been allowed to exist for far too long. 

You'd expect better from the United Kingdom, though. Well, at least up until fairly recently. After all, the Brits are supposedly America's closest, most reliable ally. Yet, in a stunning move, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer denied the use of his country's military bases for logistical support. Further, he refused to mobilize any forces for defensive operations in the weeks before Iran's missile and drone barrages began. 

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Related: Gulf States Draw Lines, More Countries Now Ready to Combat Iran Directly

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That proved disastrous, with several Gulf allies lambasting Starmer for hanging them out to dry, even as hundreds of thousands of British nationals were coming under attack.

This time the NSC agreed that the basing request be granted. Downing Street’s official line is that the situation changed when Iran began firing missiles at hotels and other civilian sites in Dubai and Bahrain. An attack on the Bahraini capital Manama narrowly missed killing British military personnel stationed there. But it is also the case that Starmer and his ministers were shocked by the undiluted fury of their Middle East allies that more had not been done to protect them. Jordan was “fucking furious,” a former minister with friends in Amman says. “The Emiratis, Kuwaitis, and even the Canadians are all asking, ‘What the fuck are you doing? Whose side are you on?’” The Emiratis pointed out that Britain was failing to help protect the 240,000 British citizens living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

As the above excerpt notes, the British NSC did eventually reverse its decision, though it all appears to be too little, too late. Iran's missile and drone launches have already been reduced to a trickle by American and Israeli airpower. It's what happened before that, though, that is truly disturbing. 

According to newly revealed details about the British NSC's deliberations, the initial requests for base usage and the deployment of defensive assets (two destroyers, in this case) were denied for political reasons. Even when Starmer finally got in line, his fellow Labour members were more concerned with spiting Trump than stopping Iranian ballistic missiles. 

Starmer was supported by John Healey, the Defense Secretary, but “Reeves and Miliband made it quite difficult for the Prime Minister.” The discussion came down to the legality and whether “a positive relationship with the United States of America was a good thing right now for the party. And many people concluded that it was not.” When asked what role the Labour defeat in the Gorton and Denton by-election played, because the Green party mobilized Muslim voters, a close aide of Starmer says: “Zero.”

But security sources are clear that Miliband, in particular, took a “petulant, pacifist, legalistic and very political” approach, questioning why the UK should support the US. “He fundamentally doesn’t like Trump, and he doesn’t like this Iran thing,” one says. As Labour leader in 2013, Miliband thwarted attempts by David Cameron to bomb Syria after the Assad regime used chemical weapons; many in Westminster regard this as a shameful episode. “He probably thinks it was a success,” the source adds.

At the center of the UK's obsession with "international law" over protecting its own people and helping its long-time allies is Richard Hermer, the country's far-left attorney general. 

Ministers, officials and military officers all regard Hermer as an impediment to Britain’s national security – both because of his doctrinaire approach to international law and because he reinforces Starmer’s legalistic instincts. “Bring back Suella!” says a member of the National Security Secretariat – a reference to the former attorney general Suella Braverman, who asserted parliamentary sovereignty over international treaties.

“Every senior minister receives legal advice,” says the former defense secretary Ben Wallace. “It is advice, it is not direction. However, under this government, Lord Hermer has become the power in the land where his advice becomes the rule.” A former mandarin adds: “There’s a lot of frustration in the professional national security gang because they feel that Hermer is essentially running the entire policy.” 

I'm going to be frank. The United States can not have a "closest ally" that can't even be counted on to provide defensive support from ballistic missiles because they are too busy arguing over the finer points of something as irrelevant as "international law." At no point did the Trump administration ask Starmer to participate in the offensive attacks on Iran. All that was requested was help in suppressing the Islamic regime's attacks on civilians. That the UK didn't immediately oblige and instead spent days playing politics, even as the missiles fell, is a damning indictment of a once special relationship. 

Never mind that the Brits have allowed their once world-leading navy to waste away into a mostly dry-docked, ineffectual fleet. To the extent that they could even launch defensive assets, such as destroyers with anti-ballistic missile systems, that ability remains severely restricted. 

This isn't complicated, in my view. If you're a NATO nation that suckles at the teat of the American taxpayer for your defense needs while you blow all your money on social programs, there should be an expectation that you do the bare minimum when we ask for assistance. If that's not going to happen, then it's time to start reassessing some of these alliances. 

A Colorado Dem Just Got Busted for Peddling a Massive Campaign Lie

This Democrat was caught spreading a complete lie, and it wasn’t difficult to expose. This political con job is occurring in Colorado, where Secretary of State Jena Griswold is running in the Democratic primary for the 2026 attorney general race. There’s no need for her to do this, as she’s considered the frontrunner. If you don’t remember, Griswold tried to prevent Donald Trump from running in 2024 over the January 6 incident.  

 That case went before the Supreme Court, which slapped down this little stunt in a unanimous decision, holding that only Congress, not the states, can determine who is ineligible for federal office. Yet Griswold makes it seem as if she were delivering oral arguments. She did not. And she appears to have little to no courtroom experience, unlike her primary opponents (via 9News):

Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to replace term-limited Attorney General Phil Weiser, is falsely claiming that she has argued a case before the United States Supreme Court.   

Griswold has not argued a case before the United States Supreme Court. Griswold was a party to Trump v Anderson, in which anti-Trump Republicans and unaffiliated voters in Colorado sued Griswold as Secretary of State to force her to remove Trump’s name from the ballot for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters.   

9NEWS legal analyst Scott Robinson, a criminal defense attorney with decades of experience including arguing a case before the Supreme Court, called Griswold’s claim “inaccurate and, quite frankly, a misrepresentation.”   

Being named in a case before the high court, Robinson said, is “a far cry from actually getting to argue in front of the court itself.”   

[…] 

A December 2025 fundraising email to supporters listed among Griswold’s accomplishments that “she followed the Constitution and argued at the United States Supreme Court that Donald Trump should NOT be eligible for President.”  

During a virtual appearance on March 2 with the group Longmont Area Democrats, Griswold appeared to be reading from the same script. 

[…] 

The case Griswold is referencing was actually argued by Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson. Briefs in the case were filed by the office of Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.   

Griswold’s campaign said she argued a case in DC in the early 2010s but didn’t provide specifics. 

IRGC Operative Convicted in Plot to Assassinate U.S. Officials, Including Trump

Today, a federal jury convicted Asif Merchant, 

 

also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” of murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant was a trained operative of the Iranian government’s global terrorist force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

 Merchant admitted at trial that the IRGC sent him to the United States to arrange for political assassinations and steal documents, but law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant arrived in the United States in April of 2024, met with purported hitmen in June—who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York—and was placed under arrest before leaving the country in July of 2024. Merchant faces up to life in prison.

“This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant to protect Americans, prosecute terrorists, and halt acts of terrorism before they happen.”

As outlined in trial exhibits and testimony, including the defendant’s own testimony, Merchant began working for the IRGC in Pakistan in late 2022 or early 2023, when he received training in tradecraft, including countersurveillance. Later in 2023, he was sent to the United States to look for potential IRGC recruits who could stay behind in the United States. Merchant testified that he knew that the IRGC was a designated terrorist organization. Throughout this period, Merchant repeatedly traveled to Iran to meet with his IRGC handler.

“Merchant tried to hire someone to kill a politician or a U.S. government official, but the FBI and our partners stopped that deadly plot,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This was not the first attempt by Iran to harm our citizens on U.S. soil; the other efforts also failed. Let this verdict serve as a reminder that the FBI is committed to detecting such threats and preventing acts of violence, and we will hold accountable anyone who tries to interfere with our democratic system.”

Merchant testified that in 2024, he was sent back to the United States with a new mission: to recruit “Mafia” members to steal documents, stage a protest, and arrange the murder of one of three specific U.S. government officials and politicians. To that end, Merchant contacted an acquaintance in New York who he thought could help him with his scheme. That person, Nadeem Ali, instead reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source.

“Merchant, a trained Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operative, entered the United States intending to commit acts of terror, and ultimately, to facilitate the assassination of U.S. government officials, including President Trump,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Merchant’s plot struck at the heart of our democracy and our commitment to the rule of law. NSD remains committed to defending our Nation from the pernicious threat of terrorism.”

In early June, Merchant met Ali in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant told Ali that he had an ongoing opportunity for him and then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” in the United States. Merchant instructed Ali to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions. Merchant explained that his plot involved multiple criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from a target’s home; (2) planning a protest; and (3) killing a politician or government official.

“Iran’s terrorist regime sent Asif Merchant here to sow mayhem and murder,” stated United States Attorney Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, his scheme ended in failure. With Merchant’s conviction, that failure is complete. This Office will always remain vigilant in our mission to protect the United States from foreign terrorist adversaries. ”

At that meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed Ali on how he would kill a target in the various scenarios. Specifically, Merchant asked Ali to explain how the target would die in different scenarios. Merchant told Ali that there would be “security [] all around” the person.

Merchant stated that the assassination would occur after he left the United States and he would communicate with Ali from overseas using code words. Ali asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home with whom Merchant was working. Merchant responded that he had and that the party back home told him to “finalize” the plan and leave the United States. Merchant would later testify that the “party” was his IRGC handler.

In mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were in fact undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York. Merchant advised the UCs that he was looking for three services from them: theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies and for them to kill a “political person.” Merchant stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill after Merchant had departed the United States.

Throughout this time, Merchant performed internet searches for the locations of political rallies and sent reports back to his IRGC handler regarding security protocols at rallies.

Merchant then began arranging means to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the UCs as an advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with assistance from an individual overseas. On June 21, Merchant met with the UCs in New York and paid them the $5,000 advance. After Merchant paid the $5,000 to the UCs, one of the UCs stated, “Now we’re bonded,” to which Merchant responded, “yes.” The UC then stated, “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” to which Merchant responded, “Yes, absolutely.”

Merchant subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the United States on Friday, July 12, 2024. On that day, law enforcement agents placed Merchant under arrest before he could leave the country.

The FBI’s Field Offices in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago and Albany for partnered in the investigation of this case. The New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with the investigation.

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Nina Gupta and Gilbert Rein for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Deputy Chief Paul Casey and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all. 

‘Old Guard’ of Democrat Party gathers as civil rights leader Jesse Jackson laid to rest in Chicago

The aging “pillars” of the Democrat establishment descended upon the “House of Hope” on Friday to bid farewell to the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., turning a “Celebration of Hope” into a high-profile reunion of political figures who have defined the party for the last thirty years.

 However, the former politicians frequently appeared to center their remarks on themselves and their own experiences rather than keeping the focus on civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who died on February 17^th at age 84.

Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden — accompanied by former Vice President Kamala Harris — took center stage at the arena. Notably absent from the row of former first ladies was Michelle Obama, whose seat remained empty while Hillary Clinton and Jill Biden flanked their husbands in the front row.

Location

 

The nicknamed “House of Hope” is a massive 10,000-seat megachurch and arena located on Chicago’s Far South Side. While it serves as the sanctuary for Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, it was built from the ground up to function as a full-scale arena.

Departing from the architecture of a traditional church, the venue swaps wooden pews for 10,000 stadium-style seats tiered in a dramatic “bowl” configuration that centers every eye on the massive stage. The sanctuary boasts full-scale broadcast facilities for global reach and an expansive footprint that includes three regulation-size basketball courts.

Barack Obama

 

While the service was billed as a “homegoing” for the deceased civil rights figure, the rhetoric often veered into current politics, with Obama delivering a eulogy that struck a notably pessimistic tone.

“We are living in a time when it can be hard to hope,” Obama told the crowd, lamenting what he suggested was daily assaults on “democratic institutions” and “common decency.” While he also credited Jackson with “paving the path” for his own presidency, Obama’s remarks served as an obvious critique of the current administration under Donald Trump.

Obama also used a familiar refrain, describing himself as the “22-year-old child of a single mother with a funny name.” Since he has used similar phrasing in numerous speeches since 2004, some commentators on social media joked that he was “playing the hits” a bit too hard. Online users expressed that it felt a little “scripted” for such a personal occasion.

 

There was also a fair amount of gossip regarding the fact that Michelle Obama did not attend the service with him, which has become a more common occurrence ever since Biden left office.

Nonetheless, political commentators argued that Barack was still seen as one of the only “adults” in the room in comparison to his former president colleagues.

Obama: "We are living in a time where it can be hard to hope. Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions. Another setback to the idea of the rule of law … but this man — Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson — inspires us to take a harder path. His voice calls… pic.twitter.com/o23bpUDp8a

 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 6, 2026

Joe Biden

Biden, now a former president himself, sat alongside Harris, whose political future remains a subject of speculation following the 2024 election.

Biden began his speech by looking at a clock on the podium and quipping, “I think that clock is broken. I’ll try to keep this under two minutes.” Nonetheless, Biden ended up speaking for approximately 22 minutes.

Biden referenced his own lifelong struggle with a stutter.

He noted, “If I told you all earlier, when I was a kid, I had a cleft palate or club foot, none of you would have laughed, but it’s okay to laugh at stuttering.” This was seen as a callback to how he has been mocked throughout his political tenure.

“It’s the one place where people think you’re stupid. Oh, really? I’m a hell of a lot smarter than most of you,” Biden declared, prompting uncomfortable chuckles in the crowd.

Furthermore, since Biden was speaking at a televised funeral at the time, critics felt the “smarter than you” remark came off as defensive and arrogant rather than illustrative of his point about disabilities.

While discussing global demographics and Jackson’s international influence, Biden became much more animated, telling the crowd to “Watch, man, watch” as he predicted Africa would be the most populous continent by 2050.

Black Americans and others on social media highlighted how awkward the moment felt, noting that Biden appeared to scan the room for people of color (POC) while delivering the line, which only amplified the discomfort for many viewers.

BREAKING: Joe Biden left a stadium full of Black people speechless during Jesse Jackson’s funeral when he announced Africa is going to be the ‘largest continent by the year 2050.’

This statement left everyone stunned because Biden failed to cite how Africa was going to grow… pic.twitter.com/DETxToeI6J

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) March 6, 2026

As Biden attempted to recount the legislative milestones of the 1960s and 70s, his delivery accelerated significantly, causing the names of former senators to blur together into an indiscernible slur. This cadence produced a strained, “gargling” vocal quality, making it sound as though he were struggling to clear his throat or navigate a mouthful of water while speaking.

Notably, cameramen also cut away from the crowd at one point during Biden’s speech, prompting speculation that the move may have been intended to avoid showing any audience reactions, including possible laughter or mockery of the former president. What made it even more obvious was that as soon as the next speaker took the stage, the camera angle pointed back up to the crowd.

Kamala Harris

Similar to Obama, Harris began her remarks with a comment about the current political climate under the Trump administration that many found either jarring or tacky.

“I’m not into saying ‘I told you so,’ but we did see it coming. What I did not predict is that we would not have Jesse Jackson with us right now to help us get through this,” Harris said.

Kamala Harris pulls out her urban accent to speak at Jesse Jackson’s memorial.

Can’t believe America didn’t vote for her!

 pic.twitter.com/DkLH8wHikS

— Paul A. Szypula  (@Bubblebathgirl) March 6, 2026

This “I told you so” framing was later criticized for being too self-referential. Detractors argued that instead of centering the eulogy on Jackson’s life, she made the opening about her own loss in the 2024 election.

At another point, Kamala also shared stories of her own collection of Jackson’s 1980s campaign memorabilia, attempting to link her own trajectory to the Rainbow Coalition Jackson founded decades ago.

Critics on social media mocked this as coming off both “cringey” and “performative,” suggesting she was trying too hard to “claim” Jackson’s legacy as her own. The nickname “Kooky Kamala” began trending online among detractors who felt her delivery — which included several of her trademark mid-sentence laughs — was tonally mismatched for a funeral.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton’s appearance at the memorial was much more subdued than Biden’s or Harris’s, but in true “Bubba” fashion, his peculiar moments were mostly centered on his personal reputation and the long, complicated history he shares with those in the room.

Just days before the funeral, Governor JB Pritzker (D-Ill.), who was also a speaker, had to answer questions from the media regarding Clinton naming him in newly unsealed Epstein-related depositions.

When Clinton took the stage right after Pritzker, the “vibe” in the room — and certainly on the live stream — was described by some commentators as incredibly tense. Seeing them share a stage while those headlines were fresh made for a very uncomfortable visual.

Clinton’s speech was notably short and humble, which some felt was a tactical move to stay under the radar.

“I’m here more as a friend than a former president… He was my friend when I needed him,” Clinton said of the late Jackson.

While it sounded sentimental, critics of the 1990s-era “New Democrats” pointed out that Clinton and Jackson had a notoriously rocky relationship, most notably during the 1992 campaign. Some felt Clinton’s attempt to paint them as “best friends” was a bit of a historical rewrite to soften his own image.

The relationship between Clinton and Jackson was a decades-long “frenemy” saga defined by a constant struggle for the soul of the Democrat Party.

It reached a breaking point during the 1992 campaign with the famous “Sister Souljah moment,” where Clinton used a speech at a Rainbow Coalition event to criticize the rapper — a move Jackson blasted as a cynical ploy to appeal to moderate White voters by “playing the race card.”

For years, the two clashed as Clinton’s centrist “New Democrat” platform stood in direct opposition to Jackson’s unapologetically progressive grassroots activism. Ironically, the rift reportedly only healed during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, when Jackson stepped up as Clinton’s spiritual advisor and public defender during impeachment.

By the time of the funeral today, the rockiness had smoothed into mutual respect, though the imagery of Clinton eulogizing Jackson still carries the weight of their complicated history of betrayal and redemption.

Attendance

The scene at the House of Hope served as a testament to Jackson’s legacy. Despite the biting Chicago winds, thousands of mourners began forming lines hours before the doors opened at 9:00 AM in the morning, stretching for blocks around the 10,000-seat arena.

The atmosphere in the queue was described as both somber and celebratory. Large television screens were positioned along the sidewalks, playing loops of Jackson’s most iconic speeches to keep the “spirit of the movement” alive for those waiting.

According to many who waited in line, speaking to the media, the hours-long wait was just a small price to pay to honor a man who spent over sixty years on the front lines of civil rights. Attendees ranged from elderly activists who marched with him in the 1960s to young students inspired by his mantras.

An estimated 10,000 people attended.

Other Speakers

Analysts say that the inclusion of Rev. Al Sharpton, Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.), and Mayor Brandon Johnson (D-Ill.) in Friday’s program highlighted “an intersection of faith, local pride, and political mobilization.”

Sharpton, who describes himself as a longtime protégé and “spiritual son” to Jackson, delivered a eulogy that functioned as both a tribute and a mandate for the future. However, he also took the opportunity to criticize both President Donald Trump and the upcoming 250^th anniversary of the United States of America.

“They getting ready to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the country, but we were not free in 1776! It is not our celebration. We got here in 1619 … We come this far by faith.”

BREAKING: Rev. Al Sharpton electrifies the crowd at Rev. Jackson's memorial with a fiery, defiant speech: "We've beat people bigger than Trump!"

Thunderous applause.pic.twitter.com/reylrOhzY8

— Really American  (@ReallyAmerican1) March 6, 2026

He blended scripture with a call to action, declaring that while Jackson was a “giant,” his true work was in the streets and at the ballot box.

Sharpton’s refrain, “We won’t go back,” echoed through the House, symbolically “passing the torch” of civil rights leadership to a new generation while urging mourners to honor Jackson’s memory by organizing and registering voters for the upcoming elections.

From a civic perspective, Pritzker and Johnson spoke to Jackson’s identity as a quintessential Chicagoan whose influence reshaped the city’s political landscape. Pritzker described Jackson as an ambassador of hope for the world who remained, at his core, a neighbor and a friend to the people of Illinois.

Illinois @GovPritzker (D) remarks at the memorial service for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson: "Let today be a new beginning, not an ending. Let's follow in his footsteps and be trailblazers and not just pathfinders. Let's bring justice to a too-often unjust world." pic.twitter.com/cxfVXIgfT1

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 6, 2026

Meanwhile, Mayor Johnson offered a more personal and unguarded reflection, sharing anecdotes about Jackson’s competitive nature — including lighthearted debates over football and NFL MVPs — that further “humanized” Jackson.

Entertainment

The musical tributes by Jennifer Hudson and BeBe Winans during today’s four-hour “Homegoing” service provided a emotional moment, transforming the House of Hope from a political assembly into a space of deep reflection.

Chicago’s own Jennifer Hudson, the singer and actress who starred in the 2006 film “Dreamgirls,” delivered a stirring rendition of Sam Cooke’s classic tune “A Change Is Gonna Come,” a performance that many in attendance described as the emotional peak of the program.

Her powerhouse vocals, rooted in the same Chicago gospel tradition that Jackson championed, served as a bridge between the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and the modern era.

Complementing this, gospel legend BeBe Winans took to the stage to perform his classic anthem “Stand.”

As he sang the lyrics, the audience, including the row of former presidents, rose in a standing ovation. Both performances ultimately functioned as musical eulogies that aimed to capture the resilience of Jackson’s civil rights history.

Congress Votes to Hide Dirty Secrets, Shields Its Own Again

Congress just proved once again that the swamp will always protect itself first and the American people second. On March 4, the House voted 357-65 to refer Representative Nancy Mace’s resolution — a procedural move that effectively buried a plan to publicly release records of congressional sexual misconduct and harassment investigations.

 Mace’s measure was straightforward: preserve and publicly release final reports and investigative materials related to alleged violations of House rules on sexual harassment and misconduct, with redactions to protect victims and witnesses. Instead of answering calls for accountability, a bipartisan majority chose to send the matter back to the Ethics Committee where such files linger and are rarely exposed to sunlight.

Representative Lauren Boebert didn’t mince words, blasting colleagues who voted to shield these secret payouts and calling out the moral rot of a body that uses taxpayer dollars to silence staffers. Her outrage echoes what millions of Americans feel: why should Washington insiders get to spend public money to hide wrongdoing while ordinary citizens are held to a different standard?

This isn’t hypothetical — the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights has historically paid out millions from an account critics rightly call a slush fund, resolving hundreds of workplace disputes including sexual-harassment claims. Taxpayers deserve to know when their money is used to settle allegations against elected officials, and they deserve to know the names of those who benefited from secret payouts.

Leadership defended its cover-up by claiming release could retraumatize victims and compromise investigations, but that excuse rings hollow when it’s used to protect powerful lawmakers rather than ordinary Americans. The very committee entrusted with ethics has an institutional interest in keeping things quiet, which is why forcing transparency on the House floor was the only way to break the cycle of insider protection.

If voters want a Congress that serves and not shields, they must remember which members voted to bury these files and act accordingly at the ballot box. Patriots should back representatives who demand transparency like Boebert and Mace, and they should drive out the so-called moderates who keep voting to protect the swamp. The only language Washington understands is consequences — it’s time to deliver them.

 

Trump's Bold Move: Noem's New Mission to Tackle Border Crisis

President Trump’s Thursday announcement that he is replacing Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security and moving her into a new role as “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas” shocked the media but should not have surprised patriots who understand realpolitik. The move was posted by the president on his platform and confirmed by multiple outlets as part of a broader reshuffle of his national security team.

 Mainstream outlets rushed to frame Noem’s removal as a firing, but anyone paying attention knows this is a redeployment, not a retreat. The Shield of the Americas is being billed as a Western Hemisphere security initiative and will be unveiled with regional partners, putting Noem front-and-center on the diplomatic and operational stage where conservative border policy can be exported and enforced.

Yes, Noem endured brutal hearings and got savaged over a costly ad campaign, but those are distractions manufactured by Beltway elites and hostile media counting their scalp tally. Her record on the border is real and measurable, and turning heat from partisan hearings into a platform to lead a hemispheric security effort is the kind of bold, offensive maneuver conservatives should applaud.

Trump has tapped Senator Markwayne Mullin to take over DHS effective March 31, 2026, and that choice signals discipline and loyalty — traits the department desperately needs after months of public theater. Mullin is a proven MAGA ally who will bring toughness and a no-nonsense approach to protecting the homeland, which is exactly what voters demanded in 2024 and continue to demand today.

Think strategically: sending Noem to lead the Shield of the Americas lets the administration build alliances with Latin American leaders to choke off cartel trafficking and root out bad actors before they reach our border. This is the kind of proactive, America-first security policy that flips the script on open-border chaos and forces neighboring countries to take responsibility for the spillover they’ve allowed for too long.

For hardworking Americans who are tired of pundit hysteria and congressional grandstanding, this personnel move should instill confidence, not panic. Trump has a track record of putting people where they can do the most damage to the political left’s agenda — Noem will have a platform to export American strength, and Mullin will have the mandate to restore order at DHS. Stand behind these moves and demand results: secure borders, sovereign policies, and no more letting the media write the script for national security.

 

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