Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Good morning, and welcome to RedState's "Morning Minute" — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day.
TOP O' THE MORNIN'
Red-Hot at RedState
'Reclaiming My Time!' Maxine Waters Loses It and Embarrasses Herself in Exchange With Scott Bessent
Not only didn't the Democrats cheer, but there was Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43), 88, losing her mind (whatever she had left of it) at Bessent. This is a golden example of how some Democrats just use these hearings to yell at the Trump officials rather than asking and letting them answer questions, as is supposed to happen.
Stop the Presses: House Oversight Votes to Hold Billionaire in Contempt of Congress, Could Face Jail
“Subpoenas are not suggestions. They carry the force of law and require full compliance,” he added.
Elon Shuts Down Talarico's Unhinged Comment on America With Just One Word
There's a reason we are the most powerful, successful nation on the Earth — and it isn't by following the failed creeds of Europe that we fled. It's because we created the constitutional republic that we did, and didn't follow them down problematic paths that Democrats like Talarico would like us to do now. Europe should look to us for inspiration, not the other way around.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Bearing Arms — New One-Two Punch Against Guntubers
All of that is true, but on an even more fundamental level this new policy (and the new front in lawfare) denormalizes gun ownership by pushing gun-related content to more niche platforms instead of keeping it accessible on the most mainstream platform of them all.
HotAir — Lilly Wachowski Crashes Out (Again)
Hate speech. That's what this comes down to. Wachowski doesn't like what some people are saying and wants them silenced. Who is the authoritarian here?
PJ Media — There’s a New Update on the Butler Assassination Attempt, and It Just Got Creepy
Who are the unidentified men seen with Crooks in the weeks before the shooting? Why did the ATF agent shut up and get a lawyer? What is on those encrypted email accounts from Germany, New Zealand, and Belgium?
Townhall — What Arch Manning Said About This AI Video Caused Lib Sportswriters to Blow a Gasket
If AI videos trigger you, then I don’t know what to tell you. Suck it up, maybe?
No words necessary. One knowing glare from Vance says 1,000 of them.
WHAT'S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill...
Tuesday was a wild and woolly day on Capitol Hill. Wednesday looks to be quite busy, too, with multiple hearings/meetings set, including:
- House Agriculture — "Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad"
- House Homeland Security — “25 Years Later: Evolutions in Federal, State, and Local Counterterrorism Efforts Since 9/11”
- House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party — Import Controls: Tools to Counter the CCP’s Industrial Policy and Supply Chain Threats
- House Foreign Affairs, Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee — Twenty-Five Years After 9/11: The Evolving Terrorism Landscape and State's Counterterrorism Response
- House Appropriations, National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee — Budget Hearing – Trade and Investment Agencies
- House Science, Space, and Technology, Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee — Balancing Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity: Securing U.S. Leadership in a Global Race
- House Education and Workforce, Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee — “Who Gets the Scholarship? How the Global Shift in College Sports Affects Americans”
- House Foreign Affairs, East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee — Lives, not Leverage: the Long Arm of China and North Korea’s Repression
- Senate Indian Affairs — Hearings to examine housing needs in native communities, including S.5354, to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996.
- Senate Aging (Special) — Hearings to examine the menopause care gap in America.
- Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry — Business meeting to consider an original bill entitled, "Agricultural Act of 2026".
Some of Tuesday's shenanigans:
Priceless: Kash Patel Makes Mazie Hirono Look Silly at Hearing, but That Doesn't Take Much
'Degenerate' Dan Goldman Sinks to New Low, Tries to Make Sanctuary State Hearing All About Sex
White House What's Up
President Trump’s Wednesday schedule includes:
- 8:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Executive Time — The White House
- 10:30 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
- 12:30 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
- 1:30 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Photo Opportunity — Oval Office
- 2:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Photo Opportunity — Oval Office
- 2:30 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
- 3:30 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Signing Time — Oval Office
- 7:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Gastonia, North Carolina — The White House
- — THE PRESIDENT arrives in Gastonia, North Carolina — Gastonia, North Carolina
- — THE PRESIDENT delivers Remarks — Gastonia, North Carolina
- — THE PRESIDENT departs Gastonia, North Carolina en route to the White House — Gastonia, North Carolina
- — THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House — The White House
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
U.S. Trade Rep. - Jamieson Greer — Greer is set to meet (along with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent) with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng this coming Sunday, ahead of President Trump's planned September 24 summit with Xi Jinping.
Full Court Press...
One notable court decision on Tuesday was:
- ❌ In Beatty v. Trump (renaming of Kennedy Center), Judge Christopher Cooper (D.C.) GRANTS IN PART motion to enforce permanent injunction, blocking Kennedy Center Board from adding “renovated and restored by President Donald J. Trump” to the building or renaming its grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza”; denies as unripe challenge to proposed $100 million fund inscription.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
We're looking for what comes out of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals following Thursday's oral argument regarding the Missouri congressional map saga.
As noted above, President Trump will be meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on September 24.
MORNING MUSING
I just want y'all to know that I've finally found the perfect use for AI:
A friend was having difficulty figuring out how to remove a persistent AI chatbot from blocking their screen. I, in turn, was having difficulty figuring out a workable solution.
So...I asked AI (ChatGPT): Here's a screenshot of the situation — how do we get this off of here? The AI promptly suggested two options — one rather simple; the second a bit more involved.
Guess what? The simple one worked! So...I let the AI know that its suggestion worked, to which it replied:
And, in a rare triumph of both technology and irony, [friend] escaped the AI by following the AI’s instructions for escaping the AI.
I’m calling that a win for everyone involved. 😂
It's good to know the coming robot overlords will be armed with irony and a sense of humor at least...
LIGHTER FARE
That's a lot of guinea pigs!! (H/t, the Handsome Beau)
so many oomfs pic.twitter.com/uElSlkU3zH
— silly lily 🔞 (@sillylilylmaoo) September 15, 2026
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