The House of Representatives narrowly voted to allow President Donald Trump to continue Operation Epic Fury in Iran on Thursday.

A bipartisan resolution led by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., failed to pass after several Democrats joined most Republicans in sinking it. 

The legislation was aimed at blocking Trump from using the Armed Forces in the joint U.S.-Israeli operation in Iran, which would likely force the strikes to grind to a halt.

The Trump administration, as well as the majority of Republicans in Congress, have insisted that the president has acted within his authority so far and are hopeful he will continue to do so.

But Democrats, along with Massie and Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, are largely skeptical.

‘The Ayatollah was not a president. He was a religious leader from a region notorious for radical Islamists and the United States and Israel turned him into a martyr,’ Massie said during debate on the resolution. ‘If Congress wants war, then the speaker should hold a vote to declare it.’

Davidson said Wednesday, ‘The moral hazard posed by a government no longer constrained by our Constitution is a grave threat.’

Other Republican lawmakers said they were concerned that handicapping the operation now could do more harm than good.

‘I think the president is well within his legal authorities to conduct this operation,’ Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. ‘I think any effort to stymie that would actually jeopardize our national security and jeopardize our troops.’ 

Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., told Fox News Digital, ‘I’ll be voting no, against the War Powers Act, because once the president has taken that action, that first action, if we were to pull back, it would actually leave us more vulnerable and less safe by leaving all of their capabilities in place, but having started a conflict like this.’

U.S. officials have said their targets remain Iran’s military assets, senior leadership, and nuclear capabilities. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters this week that the operation will have a finite timeline.

But Democrats are accusing Trump of plunging the U.S. into a seemingly endless conflict while running roughshod over Congress’ Article I authority.

‘Donald Trump has taken America to war without authorization, without explanation, without a strategy or an exit plan. Six brave service members have already given the ultimate sacrifice,’ House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said on Wednesday.

The Thursday vote comes a day after the Senate shot down a resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., aimed at limiting Trump’s military actions in Iran following days of speculation about whether Republicans would cross the aisle — as they have done before — to reprimand the president.

Only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted in favor of the resolution among Republicans, while Sen. Jon Fetterman, D-Pa., was the lone Democrat to cross the aisle in support.

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Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will have at least one Democratic ‘yes’ vote in support of his nomination to become President Donald Trump’s next Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary. 

Trump announced Thursday afternoon that he tapped Mullin to replace outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who will leave the agency March 31. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., immediately threw his support behind Mullin’s nomination, dubbing the Oklahoma lawmaker a ‘nice upgrade’ compared to Noem. 

Fetterman repeatedly called for Noem’s ouster and said Thursday he was pleased with Trump’s decision. 

‘We’re in a different party, but this is the choice. I want to work together for making our America more secure,’ he said. 

Fetterman also said that he strongly believes Mullin already has the votes to win confirmation. Senate Republicans are widely expected to back Mullin’s nomination, and the jovial Oklahoma lawmaker could win over some Democrats. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has voted against some Trump nominees, said she has a ‘great deal of respect’ for Mullin and is ‘OK’ with his nomination.

Under Senate rules, cabinet nominations are set at a 51-vote threshold. 

However, many of Fetterman’s Democratic colleagues were either noncommittal about Mullin’s nomination or suggested they would not support him.

‘Whoever follows Kristi Noem is going to have to be totally and radically different in their approach to running this agency,’ Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Thursday. ‘Changing the person at the top is no substitute for changing the practices and the power structure of a department that is out of control.’

Blumenthal added that Mullin would have to commit to Democrats’ various reforms seeking to rein in immigration enforcement in order to win his vote. 

Mullin has repeatedly criticized Democrats’ proposal to prohibit federal immigration officers from wearing masks and requiring judicial warrants during enforcement operations.

‘I like him personally,’ Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a member of Senate Democratic leadership, said of Mullin before adding that it was too early to debate his nomination.

Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., told Fox News Digital that they would not yet weigh in on Mullin’s nomination. Slotkin notably voted for Noem’s confirmation despite later souring on the secretary.

Mullin appeared somewhat taken aback by the news of his nomination when talking with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday afternoon.

‘No, the president and I still have to communicate, so we’ll talk about it moving forward,’ Mullin said. ‘The president and I have already talked … I’ll talk to you all [later].’

Fetterman has been the lone Democrat to advance a DHS spending measure amid a funding standoff over the agency’s appropriations that has no clear end in sight.

He poured cold water on the prospect of his Democratic colleagues reversing course to support funding DHS in response to Mullin’s nomination, telling reporters he expected ‘no change’ with the partial shutdown.

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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) released audio on Thursday of a civilian in Tehran describing what it’s like on the ground as Operation Epic Fury rocks Iran.

‘To us here, the war did not start four days ago. It started when we heard the initial news of a piling up of the forces in the region and preparations for war. Now, with the war going on, we hear constant explosions and there is no respite from this,’ the unidentified civilian said.

The civilian said that the frequency of explosions has made people so nervous that even everyday noises can cause panic attacks.

‘Any moment you can expect a loud noise. This has made us so nervous that any loud noise, including the noise of a car passing by, gives us a panic attack,’ the civilian said.

Even with the noise of the explosions, what the civilian, who said he was born and raised in Tehran, noticed was that the city has become a ghost town as people have either fled the war or limited movements in order to stay safe from aerial attacks.

‘As a person who was born and lived his whole life in this city, I have never seen the city so quiet,’ the civilian said. ‘Some of the people of my city have left, many others stayed in, trying to limit movements to avoid getting caught in the aerial attacks on the city that never seem to come to an end. You don’t see people around. My city was a very big city and busy. I’m not used to seeing my city so calm and quiet.’

The U.S. and Israel have carried out air and sea attacks on Iran since the operation began on Saturday. The operation has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, according to The Associated Press. Additionally, six U.S. service members in Kuwait were killed in the hostilities.

The ICRC has expressed concerns about the situation in Iran, with the organization’s president saying on day one of Operation Epic Fury that it could lead to ‘devastating consequences for civilians.’

‘The military escalation in the Middle East is igniting a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians,’ ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said.

In a statement issued a few days later, Spoljaric warned that ‘the scale of major military operations flaring across the Middle East risks embroiling the region – and beyond – into another large-scale armed conflict that will overwhelm any humanitarian response.’

‘Without urgent steps to de-escalate the situation and respect the rules of war, further civilian lives will be lost,’ Spoljaric added. ‘Civilians are already suffering the consequences of war.’

According to the civilian, Iranians on the ground are worried about the future and wonder how the war will play out. Another fear among the people is the possibility of supplies running out.

‘The supplies are available in the shops that are open and work. But what if the situation gets worse or continues as it is now? Will the supplies being stocked be of any help, or they will be meaningless in the face of what can happen?’ the civilian wondered. ‘It is especially more worrying for people like me, who have to take care of people with medical complications that require special care. We are now under a lot of stress, worried to see what can come next.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to ICRC for comment.

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Senate Democrats again blocked Republicans’ attempt to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as background negotiations appear to have fizzled out.

It came just minutes after Kristi Noem, the former South Dakota congresswoman and governor who led President Donald Trump’s DHS in his second term, was ousted from her position on Wednesday.

The agency has been shuttered for nearly three weeks, and Democrats’ latest rejection of a full-year funding bill likely ensures that the closure extends into a fourth week.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus remained dug in on their position that unless the White House caters to their list of reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), they wouldn’t play ball.

‘It’s very easy for them to get all of this funded — simply agree to our common-sense proposals on ICE and Border Patrol,’ Schumer said before the vote. ‘These are proposals. What we’ve asked for is what every police force does in terms of our negotiations. Look, we’re still far apart, but we’re still negotiating and exchanging paper back and forth.’

The vote came moments after Trump announced he would nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to replace Noem as the new DHS chief, following reports that Trump was ‘furious’ with her performance in bicameral Judiciary Committee hearings this week.

Meanwhile, Trump’s Operation Epic Fury has taken center stage in the upper chamber, with a Democratic push to rein in his war authorities in the Middle East hitting a red wall of Republican resistance on Wednesday.

And as the strikes continue, it has spurred calls from Senate Republicans to fund the agency as concerns over retaliation on American soil increase.

‘Look, I’m not going to vote to fund Ice and let them detain, brutalize, shoot, or kill more American citizens just because Donald Trump started an unconstitutional war that no one asked for,’ Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said.

The House is expected to vote on a slightly modified version of the DHS funding bill later in the day, which is expected to pass in the lower chamber. Even if it does, given the current political standoff, it would likely go nowhere in the Senate. 

The last offer made public by either side came last Friday, when the White House sent congressional Democrats what officials called a ‘serious’ counter-proposal. While it appeared that progress was being made after a week of silence, Schumer and Democrats still weren’t satisfied.

A frustrated Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., noted that Democrats had ‘rebuffed’ Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., whom he anointed to run point for the GOP in negotiations, after repeated attempts to reach out to their counterparts.

He also charged that it appeared the decision to ignore Britt and Republicans was coming from Schumer.

‘I would say, beyond not engaging, they are just flat rejecting any chance to sit down and actually talk about it,’ Thune said. ‘And that seems to be coming from the top.’

‘I think they see this as politically advantageous to them, but this is a posture they’ve adopted which has become increasingly clear — it is just a flat-out unwillingness to try and solve this problem or fund the department,’ he continued. ‘At some point, something bad is going to happen.’

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Some Social Security number requests are not optional. Federal reporting systems rely on the SSN as a primary identifier.

Employment offers the clearest example. Employers collect your SSN to report wages and file taxes, including Form W-2 submissions. The Social Security Administration credits your earnings record with it. The IRS uses it to match payroll taxes with reported income. Federal agencies also require your SSN when you apply for certain benefits or meet tax obligations. If you refuse to provide your SSN in these situations, you can delay processing or lose access to services.

However, not every form carries that authority. Landlords, medical offices, schools, gyms and retailers often include an SSN field by default. In those cases, ask why they need it and whether another identifier will work. So how do you tell when your SSN is truly required and when you can push back?

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Examples of when you need to share your SSN

Certain U.S. laws and federal regulations require an SSN because it functions as the official taxpayer or benefits identifier.

The IRS requires individuals who qualify for an SSN to use it as their taxpayer identification number on Form 1040 and related filings. The IRS uses the number to match income statements, credits and refunds to the correct taxpayer record.

IRS regulations require employers to include each employee’s SSN on Form W-2. Employers submit the form to both the IRS and the SSA so agencies can record earnings and reconcile payroll taxes.

Applications for Social Security benefits require an SSN so the SSA can retrieve the applicant’s earnings history and calculate eligibility and payment amounts.

U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens applying for federal student aid must provide a valid SSN on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The number is verified against SSA records during processing.

Financial institutions must obtain a taxpayer identification number — usually an SSN for individuals — to report interest income to the IRS on Form 1099-INT.

In each of these cases, the requirement stems from tax administration statutes or federal benefits law. The SSN is used to link records across agencies and systems.

When you don’t need to share your SSN

Beyond tax filings, wage reporting and federal benefits, many SSN requests come from internal company policy rather than statute. Private businesses are generally allowed to ask for your SSN. In most everyday transactions, there is no federal law forcing you to provide it.

Landlords often request an SSN to run credit checks. Federal housing law does not mandate collecting a tenant’s SSN to lease property. Screening is conducted through consumer reporting agencies, and alternative verification methods may be available.

Healthcare providers routinely include an SSN field. Federal law does not require patients to disclose an SSN for treatment. Since 2018, Medicare cards have used randomized beneficiary identifiers instead of SSNs. These Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBI) don’t include your SSN.

Public schools may request a student’s SSN, but students cannot be denied enrollment for refusing to provide one. Institutions tend to assign their own identification numbers.

Power companies, mobile carriers and gyms sometimes request an SSN to evaluate credit risk or secure payment agreements. This is a risk management choice, not a statutory requirement.

In these cases, the request may feel routine. The legal footing is different from tax or benefits administration. You can ask what authority requires it and whether another form of identification will suffice.

What to ask before you hand over your SSN

If the request comes from a government agency, look for a Privacy Act disclosure statement. Federal law requires agencies to state whether providing your SSN is mandatory or voluntary, cite the legal authority for the request, and explain how it will be used. If the request comes from a private company, ask direct questions:

Is this required by federal or state law?

What will the SSN be used for?

Can you accept the last four digits instead?

Is there an alternative way to verify identity?

You can also ask how the number will be stored, whether it is encrypted and who has access to it. Collecting only what is necessary is a recognized security practice, but not every organization follows it.

What actually happens when your SSN is leaked

A leaked or stolen SSN can be used anywhere that number is treated as proof of identity.

In tax administration, the IRS processes returns based on the SSN attached to them. If a fraudulent return is filed first, the legitimate taxpayer’s electronic filing may be rejected because the number has already been used. Fixing it means paper filing and identity verification while the IRS reviews the case. The agency’s Identity Protection PIN program was introduced after years of SSN-based tax fraud.

Credit reporting works the same way. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act framework, credit bureaus use the SSN to build and match consumer files. If credit is issued using your SSN, that account can attach to your report until you dispute it. It stays there while bureaus and lenders investigate.

Federal benefit systems also depend on the number. The SSA warns that criminals use stolen SSNs to impersonate beneficiaries and create fraudulent online accounts. An SSN does not expire or reset. Once exposed, it can continue appearing in tax filings, credit applications, or benefit records until you flag it.

How identity monitoring services help you respond faster

Identity monitoring services attempt to detect suspicious activity tied to your personal information as early as possible. Many services track credit activity across all three major U.S. bureaus and alert you to new inquiries, accounts and report changes. Some also scan known data breach datasets for exposed identifiers, including Social Security numbers.

Certain plans include identity theft insurance to cover eligible recovery costs, along with fraud resolution support to guide you through disputes and paperwork if something goes wrong.

No service can prevent every type of identity theft. The real value is early warning, knowing when and where your SSN is being used so you can act quickly before damage spreads.

How to check if your personal information was exposed

If you are unsure whether your personal information has been compromised, take action. Start with a reputable breach scan to see whether your email or other identifiers appear in known leaks. Early detection gives you more control and helps you respond before fraud escalates.

See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Lawmakers created the Social Security number to track earnings and administer benefits, not to unlock every part of your life. Yet today, many companies treat it like a universal key. In some situations, you must provide your SSN. Taxes, employment and federal benefits depend on it. However, many everyday requests come from internal company policies, not federal law. That distinction matters. Before you share your number, pause and ask why the business needs it. Ask how they store it. Ask whether another form of identification will work. Small questions can prevent big problems. If someone has exposed your SSN, act quickly. Monitor your credit. Set up alerts. Report suspicious activity right away. Early action limits damage and protects your identity. Your Social Security number does not change. But you control when, where and how you share it.

Have you ever been asked for your Social Security number in a situation that didn’t feel necessary, and did you push back? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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As U.S. and Israeli military pressure on Iran intensifies, and President Donald Trump signals support for Kurdish forces, Kurdish opposition groups along the country’s western frontier tell Fox News Digital they are watching closely for an opportunity to strike back against the Islamic Republic, which they have fought for decades.

Kako Aliyar, a member of the leadership committee of the Kurdish opposition party Komala, told Fox News Digital from an undisclosed location in Iraq that the Kurdish movements are ready to act if conditions allow. 

‘Kurds have been waiting for a moment to do something,’ Aliyar said. ‘We believe that those moments are not far from us.’

But Aliyar said Kurdish forces cannot yet move against the regime because Iran still retains the ability to launch missile and drone attacks, which opposition fighters would struggle to defend against.

Aliyar said Iranian forces continue to target Kurdish opposition bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

Trump signaled support for Kurdish fighters launching an offensive against Iran, saying in a telephone interview with Reuters Thursday that he would back such a move. 

‘I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that — I’d be all for it,’ Trump said. 

Asked whether the United States would provide air cover for a Kurdish offensive, Trump declined to elaborate. 

‘I can’t tell you that,’ he said.

Aliyar said Kurdish groups remain under pressure from Iran and continue to face attacks on their bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. 

‘Our camps, the Kurdish political parties, are still under attack by the Iranian regime, and we can’t go into detail,’ he said. 

Still, he indicated that if the opportunity arises, Kurdish fighters would attempt to return to Iranian territory. 

‘If we get an opportunity to go back to our own country, we will use it,’ he said.

Kurdish opposition signals unity

The comments come as Iranian Kurdish opposition groups attempt to present a united front against Iran.  

In February, several factions formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, bringing together parties including Komala, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), PJAK and the Kurdistan Freedom Party.

Aliyar said the coalition is still organizing itself but carries an important political message.

‘Politically, it’s a huge message for the Kurdish people inside the country and the international community that Kurds are united,’ he said. ‘We are working together, and we are trying to reach our goals together.’

Kurdish groups have long fought the Iranian government. Armed clashes between Kurdish militants and Iranian forces date back to the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Kurdish factions sought autonomy and were violently suppressed by Tehran.

Today, many Kurdish opposition groups operate from neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan, where they maintain political offices and limited military forces.

Waiting for Iran’s military capabilities to weaken

Aliyar suggested Kurdish forces would only be able to move if Iran’s military capabilities are significantly degraded. 

‘I believe those missile and drone abilities have to be more weakened or totally removed because we are not able to defend ourselves against them,’ he said.

Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones remains one of the regime’s strongest deterrents against internal or external challengers. 

‘They can still launch missiles and they can still kill people,’ Aliyar said.

If those capabilities were reduced, he believes Kurdish forces could attempt to exploit the moment. 

‘I think everyone has the capacity to do so because Kurdish political parties have huge legitimacy among the people,’ he said. ‘People support them, people support us.’

However, Aliyar cautioned that no one can predict how events will unfold. 

‘When a war starts, you are trying to find a way to use it in your best way, but you cannot predict what happens tomorrow,’ he said.

Kurdish resistance rooted in decades of struggle

Kurds in Iran represent one of the country’s largest ethnic minorities and have historically maintained organized opposition movements. 

Kurdish parties developed armed wings and political networks decades ago, giving them a level of organizational structure that many other Iranian opposition movements lack.

Jino Victoria Doabi, an international political analyst focused on Iran and Kurdistan, told Fox News Digital that ‘Kurds inside Iran have their own history and tradition of struggle and resistance with political parties and armed forces.’

Doabi said that Kurdish forces are unlikely to move without clear backing from Washington.

‘For that to happen, they need assurance from America, both politically but also security-wise,’ Doabi said.

‘Kurds have learned that they cannot just do it for the good cause anymore, because that’s going to cause civilians a lot of pain and destruction and killings.’

Discussions about the idea of Kurdish involvement may have been underway long before the recent escalation, according to Doabi. 

‘I don’t think this has happened overnight,’ she said. ‘I think this has been discussed for a long time.’

Regional complications

Despite the growing attention on Kurdish groups, Aliyar emphasized that Iraqi Kurdish authorities are not directly involved in any potential campaign. 

‘Iraqi Kurds are not part of it,’ he said. ‘I am not Iraqi, so I cannot comment on that.’

Analysts say Kurdish insurgents alone are unlikely to topple the Iranian regime. But if internal unrest spreads and Kurdish forces coordinate with broader opposition movements, Iran’s western frontier could become a serious pressure point for Iran. 

For Aliyar and other Kurdish leaders, however, the goal remains clear after decades of opposition to the Islamic Republic.

‘We have had this desire for 47 years,’ he said. ‘If we get an opportunity, we will use it.’

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House GOP leaders have asked embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, to drop his bid for re-election.

‘The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously. Congressman Gonzales has said he will fully cooperate with the investigation,’ the statement by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and other top Republicans reads.

‘We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election.’

Gonzales’ re-election bid has been plagued by scandal for weeks ever since allegations emerged that he had an affair with his late aide and sent her sexually explicit text messages.

The same aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, committed suicide by setting herself on fire outside her home late last year.

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., leader of the House GOP campaign arm, told Fox News Digital, ‘I agree with the Speaker and the rest of leadership, Tony should withdraw from the runoff and allow the Ethics process to move forward while focusing on his family and serving his constituents for the remainder of his term.’

Gonzales suggested the affair did occur on the conservative ‘Joe Pags Show’ on Wednesday evening but gave no indication he would drop out.

‘I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever,’ the Texas Republican said.

He previously fought back against any accusation of impropriety and accused Santos-Aviles’ husband of extortion.

‘During my six years in Congress, not a single formal complaint has been levied against my office. Now days away from an election, coordinated political attacks reign in. IT WON’T WORK. Halfway through early voting and the intensity resides w/ TG voters. I’d rather be us than them,’ he posted on X in late February.

The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Gonzales on Wednesday, one day after he advanced to a runoff in his re-election bid.

Gonzales is facing Brandon Herrera, a social media influencer and firearms activist who previously challenged the incumbent lawmaker in 2024. Herrera lost to Gonzales by less than 2% in the previous election cycle.

This time, however, neither clinched an outright majority in the race and will now face off again in late May, if Gonzales does not drop out.

Fox News Digital reached out to Gonzales’ congressional office for comment.

Meanwhile, the growing scandal has prompted several of Gonzales’ fellow House Republicans to call for his resignation before the end of his term.

‘I would encourage him to consider resigning,’ Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., told reporters last week.

His fellow Texas lawmaker, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, urged Gonzales not to run for re-election. ‘America deserves better. Tony should drop out of the race,’ he posted on X.

Gonzales previously told reporters he had no intention of resigning.

Fox News Digital reached out to Gonzales’ congressional office and campaign for comment.

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Europe is ramping up its nuclear defenses, as France expands its arsenal and Poland signals interest in closer nuclear coordination with allies. 

‘I have decided to increase the numbers of warheads of our arsenal,’ French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday. 

He also said France will no longer disclose the size of its nuclear arsenal, reversing previous transparency.

‘To be free, one needs to be feared,’ the French president concluded.

France’s shift comes as Europe faces its most volatile security moment in decades, with Russia’s war in Ukraine grinding on, repeated nuclear threats from Moscow, and renewed questions in European capitals about the long-term reliability of U.S. security guarantees. Recent U.S. military strikes against Iran have added to a sense of global instability.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, meanwhile, signaled his country eventually will try to obtain nuclear weapons. 

‘Poland takes nuclear security very seriously,’ he said Tuesday. ‘As our autonomous capabilities grow, we will strive to prepare Poland for the most autonomous actions possible in this matter in the future.’

Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who frequently finds himself at odds with Tusk, said he is ‘a big supporter of Poland joining the nuclear project.’

Poland is a signatory of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty from the 1960s, meaning it is officially committed not to obtaining nuclear weapons. 

Tusk said Monday that Poland was in talks with France after Macron offered to deploy nuclear-capable fighter jets to allied countries. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 shattered long-standing assumptions about conventional deterrence on the continent and has been accompanied by repeated nuclear saber-rattling from Moscow, including threats tied to Western military support for Kyiv. Russian officials have periodically warned of escalation if NATO deepens its involvement, keeping nuclear deterrence at the forefront of European security planning.

At the same time, questions have resurfaced across European capitals about the long-term durability of U.S. security guarantees, even as Washington continues to lead NATO and maintain nuclear forces stationed in Europe under long-standing alliance arrangements.

Several European governments have sharply increased defense spending since the start of the Ukraine war. 

Germany announced a historic military buildup after decades of underinvestment. Poland has become one of NATO’s top defense spenders as a percentage of GDP, rapidly expanding its conventional forces. And leaders in Paris and elsewhere have revived calls for greater ‘strategic autonomy’ — the idea that Europe must be capable of defending itself if the United States shifts its focus elsewhere.

France is the only nuclear-armed nation in the European Union and maintains an independent deterrent separate from NATO’s U.S.-led nuclear umbrella. Any expansion of its arsenal or broader coordination with European partners marks a significant moment in the continent’s post-Cold War security architecture.

Globally, only nine countries are widely believed to possess nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.

The renewed nuclear focus in Europe is also unfolding as global tensions escalate beyond the continent. The U.S. recently carried out major military strikes against Iran, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and stretching U.S. military attention across multiple theaters.

For some European leaders, the combination of Russia’s aggression and instability in the Middle East reinforces arguments that the continent must be prepared to shoulder more of its own defense burden — including strengthening deterrence at the highest level.

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The highest-ranking Minnesotan in Congress is calling for a deeper investigation into allegations that leaders in his state government knowingly ignored evidence of welfare fraud, and he called for those leaders to even face incarceration if proven true.

‘People are sick and tired of elected officials having a double standard, being treated differently than they are. They’re held accountable for things that they should be held accountable for, when their elected officials are not,’ House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital. 

‘If these two guys are dirty, they should be held accountable, and they should serve jail time.’

He was referring to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, two of several witnesses at a high-profile hearing on fraud conducted by the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.

Both Walz and Ellison insisted that they were serious about prosecuting fraud in the state’s social programs and that they took action to stop it once it was brought to their attention.

But Emmer cited a report by the House Oversight Committee that accused them both of knowing about the fraud earlier than previously thought and delaying public accountability for fear of political retribution from progressives in the state — particularly the Somali community in Minneapolis, who Republicans have accused of taking advantage of the state’s welfare system.

‘They might have been able to qualify it enough that it wasn’t black and white, but if they lied to the committee this morning about knowing about the fraud and when they knew about the fraud and the FBI investigation, that is a criminal act of its own,’ Emmer told Fox News Digital.

‘So I do believe, depending on this report and what else the majority staff is doing, they very well may want to call them back in and depose them under oath.’

He added at another point, ‘You have maybe 80 to 100,000 Somalis in Minnesota. Tim Walz won with 52%. They made a difference. Keith Ellison won by less than 1%. I think it was 20,000 votes. Makes a difference. So if those are connected, yeah, I mean, this is campaign fraud.’

‘I’ve taken accountability for this. I’m not going to run again. I need to spend the time fixing this,’ Walz said during the hearing. ‘This does undermine trust in government. Do I wish there were things that could have happened earlier? Yes. But in this job, ‘wish’ didn’t do it. I’m looking into where I see it.’

At another point, Walz attributed the rise in fraud statistics to an increase in prosecutions, telling Republicans, ‘When you catch people and prosecute them, it shows up as a fraud increase.’

He also dismissed accusations that he kept whistle-blowers quiet over fear of being seen as Islamophobic, ‘I can’t speak to it because it’s not anything I would say.’

Ellison, meanwhile, said he was happy to work across bipartisan lines to prosecute fraud.

‘I am here to work to improve this system, and there are improvements that can be made,’ he said. ‘If we can get out of fixing the blame and get to fixing the problem, that would be an enormous thing for me.’

But Emmer, who maintained that further investigation was needed, suggested he doubted their intentions.

‘It’s power. They want power. In order for them to get power, they need to be elected. In order for them to get elected, they have to cheat in different ways. And that is exactly what they did,’ Emmer said. ‘If the Somali community is being used by these public officials to get themselves into office…it sure does look suspect, it needs to be investigated.’

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I spent decades inside the Pentagon watching technology reshape warfare. I saw precision munitions change the battlefield. I watched satellites compress decision cycles. But nothing compares to what is happening now.

Artificial intelligence has moved the lab to the kill chain.

And the showdown between Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and AI firm Anthropic is not a contract dispute. It is the opening battle over who controls the most powerful military technology of the 21st century.

AI is already transforming war

Look at Ukraine.

Western officials report that drones now account for roughly 70-80% of battlefield casualties in that war. But the real revolution occurs when AI is added. Reports indicate AI-guided navigation can increase drone strike accuracy from 10–20% to as high as 70–80%.

That is not incremental change. That is a transformation in battlefield lethality.

The same dynamic is emerging in U.S. operations involving Iran and other theaters. AI tools are being used for intelligence analysis, targeting refinement, pattern recognition, and operational simulations. These systems compress time, reduce uncertainty and accelerate decisions.

AI is not theoretical. It is operational.

Which brings us to Washington.

What the Hegseth–Anthropic standoff is really about

On Feb. 27, Hegseth designated Anthropic a ‘supply chain risk to national security.’ President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to cease using its Claude AI model after Anthropic refused to remove two guardrails:

A prohibition on fully autonomous weapons.

A prohibition on mass domestic surveillance.

Artificial intelligence has moved the lab to the kill chain.

The Pentagon argues that military commanders must be able to use AI tools for all lawful defense purposes without seeking permission from a private company in real time.

Anthropic argues that removing safeguards could enable autonomous killing systems or unconstitutional domestic spying.

Both concerns are legitimate.

But here is the deeper problem: America has outsourced strategic control of its most sensitive military algorithms to private contractors.

That is unsustainable.

Draw the right line

Let me be clear about what must not happen.

We must not expand domestic surveillance of American citizens under the banner of AI efficiency. The Fourth Amendment does not disappear in the age of algorithms.

Second, we must keep a human being in the kill chain. I served under lawful command authority. Life-and-death decisions carry moral accountability. They cannot be delegated entirely to autonomous systems.

Those are firm boundaries.

But here is the other boundary: no private corporation should hold an effective veto over how America defends itself.

Washington’s contractor addiction

For decades, the federal government has grown dependent on contractors for critical defense functions — logistics, cyber infrastructure, analytics and intelligence support. AI is simply the next frontier in that pattern.

But frontier AI models are not spare parts or uniforms. They are strategic infrastructure. They influence targeting, operational tempo and potentially deterrence modeling.

That level of sensitivity cannot remain under corporate ownership.

During World War II, the United States built the atomic bomb through the Manhattan Project under centralized national authority. It was not governed by venture-backed boards setting independent usage policies. It was directed by the U.S. government with a clear strategic mandate.

We need a similar mindset for our most sensitive AI systems.

Government must own core military algorithms. Not lease them. Not subscribe to them. Own them.

AI tools are being used for intelligence analysis, targeting refinement, pattern recognition, and operational simulations. These systems compress time, reduce uncertainty and accelerate decisions.

If AI is the new strategic high ground, America cannot subcontract the high ground.

China isn’t hesitating

As I argue in ‘The New AI Cold War,’ Beijing does not struggle with these dilemmas.

China fuses AI development directly to the state. There are no Silicon Valley executives in Beijing refusing military access. AI is treated as national infrastructure.

Russia and other nations are moving in similar directions. They are not debating internal guardrails while field-testing AI-enabled systems.

Strategic competition does not pause while we litigate contract language.

What must happen next

First, Congress must draw bright lines: no AI-enabled mass domestic surveillance of Americans without strict constitutional safeguards.

Second, codify meaningful human control over lethal force decisions.

Third — and most critically — build sovereign AI capacity inside government.

That means:

• Government-controlled AI research for classified applications
• Government ownership of core defense algorithms
• Reduced reliance on private frontier labs for sensitive military systems
• Long-term pipelines of cleared AI engineers

Anthropic argues that removing safeguards could enable autonomous killing systems or unconstitutional domestic spying.

Private industry will continue to innovate. But America’s most sensitive warfighting tools cannot remain dependent on companies whose corporate policies can override national defense requirements.

The real issue is sovereignty

The Pentagon–Anthropic feud is not about personalities. It is about sovereignty.

Who controls the algorithms that guide American force?

Who owns the code?

Who decides how it is used?

In the new AI Cold War, power will belong to those who control the models — not merely those who rent access to them.

America must protect liberty. We must reject AI-driven domestic surveillance. We must preserve human moral accountability in the use of force.

First, Congress must draw bright lines: no AI-enabled mass domestic surveillance of Americans without strict constitutional safeguards.

But we must also end the illusion that venture-backed firms can function as ultimate gatekeepers of national defense.

The AI Cold War is not hypothetical. It is unfolding on battlefields abroad and in policy fights at home.

This moment is not about one company. It is about whether the United States will treat artificial intelligence as strategic national infrastructure — or as a contractor service.

The answer will shape the next generation of warfare.

And history will not wait for us to decide.

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