President Trump is discussing plans to install a helipad at the White House to prevent powerful new Marine One helicopters from damaging the South Lawn, according to people familiar with the plans. The helipad would be the latest renovation to the historic White House grounds since Trump began his second term. The president has paved over the Rose Garden, installed a black granite walkway along the West Wing Colonnade, redesigned the Oval Office, placed two large American flagpoles at the front and back of the White House and demolished the East Wing to make way for his 90,000 square-foot ballroom. Trump, a former real-estate developer, has been involved in every detail of his construction and renovation projects, and has discussed the design of the helipad with associates.
The Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho was locked down Sunday following a midair collision during a local air show that sent two fighter jets crashing to the ground. The base, home to the U.S. Air Force's 366th Fighter Wing, known as the "Gunfighters," announced the lockdown at 12:30 p.m. local time. Video circulating on social media showed two fighter jets colliding midair before spinning toward the ground in a fiery crash amid black plumes of smoke. Four parachutes were visible deploying near the crash site.
Kyle Rittenhouse, the conservative cause clbre acquitted in the 2020 Kenosha shootings, is suddenly persona non grata in parts of the MAGA movement after publicly throwing his weight behind embattled U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie ahead of Kentucky's May 19 Republican primary. Speaking May 16 at a "day at the range" event in Burlington, Kentucky, Rittenhouse called Massie "the greatest congressman, I believe, in a very long time," brushing aside attacks on the Kentucky Republican as "lies." He praised Massie for voting conservative "92% of the time," adding that "the 8% he isn't, he's voting to expose pedophiles" " a nod to the Epstein Files Transparency Act Massie championed and that Trump hated.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis issued a warning to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over reports that he plans to sideline another top general. "If the rumors are true that Hegseth is trying to sideline General Chris Donahue, one of our nation's finest warfighters, by downgrading U.S. Army Europe-Africa to a 3-star command, he is taking another step down a dangerous path," Tillis wrote, calling it "a step that is not in the best interests of our nation or our servicemembers." "Hegseth would do well to surround himself with more patriots like General Donahue and to get his henchmen, who are not qualified to carry Donahue's bag, out of the Pentagon," the senator added. "Keep your word, Mr. Secretary: choose meritocracy over your mediocre yes-men."
Panic spread Saturday as reports suggest that the "next supply-chain headache" could reach the United States soon " one sparked by President Donald Trump's war against Iran that may risk causing widespread shortages of a critical product used regularly by most Americans.
How's your child-raping hero's excursion going?