Thursday, September 24, 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
A Male Karen Tries to Harass Nick Shirley at Airport, Is Summarily Exposed As Know-Nothing Ignoramus
Shirley has exposed plenty of fraud in recent times, and now he can add exposing a bitter, willful ignoramus leftie to his résumé.
Maria Salazar Started Believing Her Own Press, but Her Miami Voters Gave Her a Rude Awakening
In this purple district, a move that Salazar thought would endear her to voters appears to have backfired, and could throw weight toward her Democrat challenger.
More Kamala Harris Remarks at NAACP Event Have Everyone Talking — Just Not in a Good Way
"We lose our power. I do believe that when you feel powerless, you are powerless. And when we feel powerful, we are powerful," Kamala proclaimed.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Bearing Arms — SAF Celebrates Win in Case That Never Should Have Happened
The issue is the culture whose growth we failed to defeat; one where the idea of gun ownership itself is suspect.
I'm willing to be that half the midwits writing Op/Eds on Israeli actions who have zero idea that the war is basically over. There are flare-ups here and there, but they discuss the war as if it were still going on.
PJ Media — An AI Went Looking Through DNA and Found Something Humans Had Missed
We may have built something capable of helping us see nature more clearly.
Townhall — Scott Jennings Creates a Stir on CNN Setting the Record Straight on the Greenland Deal
The Salem Radio host and CNN contributor took the CNN panel to school numerous times this week, including once when he slapped down the press for saying the Greenland deal will never happen and that Denmark is somehow slipping away from its good graces. That's not the case, as the nation’s prime minister demonstrated at the United Nations.
That anyone running to be an American senator would not unequivocally condemn the Islamic Regime should be campaign ending.
WHAT'S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill...
The Senate has a handful of hearings/meetings set for Thursday, including examining a number of nominations:
- Senate Foreign Relations — Hearings to examine the nominations of William Grayson, of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, Mark Abreu, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador, Nicholas Checker, of Wisconsin, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda, Natasha Franceschi, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Nicaragua, and John McIntyre, of Texas, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi, all of the Department of State.
- Senate Armed Services — To receive a closed briefing on an update on the budget of the Department of Defense.
- Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions — Business meeting to consider the nominations of Nicole Saphier, of New Jersey, to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service, subject to qualifications therefor as provided by law and regulations, and to be Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, Timothy Westlake, of Wisconsin, to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, and Mary Lazare, of Florida, to be Assistant Secretary for Aging, all of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Loren E. Sweatt, of Virginia, and Douglas Ralph, of Kentucky, both to be a Member of the National Mediation Board, and S.4428, to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the use of an identity fraud detection system in reviewing Free Applications for Federal Student Aid.
- Senate Finance — Business meeting to consider the nominations of Gerard Klomp, of Utah, to be Deputy Secretary, and Ge Bai, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the Department of Health and Human Services, James Gadwood, of Maryland, to be Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and an Assistant General Counsel in the Department of the Treasury, and Andrew A. De Mello, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court.
- Senate Judiciary — Business meeting to consider the nominations of Anna St. John, of Louisiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit, Gregory Carl Cook, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama, and John Peter Cronan, of New York, Jason Manion, of Ohio, Claire McCusker Murray, of Maryland, and Luis Felipe Restrepo, of Pennsylvania, each to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission, and D. Adam Candeub, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Attorney General, Joy Lynne Pittman Thorp, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Steven Weinhoeft, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, William Gerald Hardy, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Alabama, Philip Lewis III, to be United States Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Seth Reister, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Florida, and Jurgen Ryan Soekhoe, to be United States Marshal for the District of Columbia, all of the Department of Justice.
- Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions — Hearings to examine the nomination of Heidi Overton, of New Mexico, to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Department of Health and Human Services.
White House What's Up
President Trump’s Thursday schedule is packed with activities related to Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit. It includes:
- 8:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Executive Time — The White House
- 10:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY greet the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — South Portico
- 10:10 AM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in an Arrival Ceremony with the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — Grand Foyer
- 10:15 AM — THE PRESIDENT and the President of the People's Republic of China deliver Remarks — Grand Foyer
- 10:30 AM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a Gift Exchange with the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — Blue Room
- 10:40 AM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a Silent Drill Platoon Review with the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — South Portico
- 11:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a Military Review with the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — Rose Garden
- 11:30 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Bilateral Meeting with the President of the People's Republic of China — Oval Office
- 12:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in an Expanded Bilateral Meeting with the President of the People's Republic of China — Cabinet Room
- 2:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT receives his Intelligence Briefing — The White House
- 3:30 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
- 6:45 PM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY greet the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — North Portico
- 7:55 PM — THE PRESIDENT and the President of the People's Republic of China deliver Remarks — East Room
- 8:10 PM — THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a State Dinner with the President of the People's Republic of China and Madame Peng — East Room
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
Sec. Agriculture - Brooke Rollins — Rollins continues to advocate for policies that benefit American ranchers.
QUICK UPDATE ON RANCHER AGENDA:🇺🇸🐂
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 23, 2026
President Trump promised to put America’s ranchers first — and just weeks after launching our Ranchers First Initiative, our team and partners across the Trump administration and across the country are working around the clock:
✅ Helping… pic.twitter.com/9dg3Z0Fm3s
Full Court Press...
Busy day for the courts on Wednesday, with several notable decisions issued:
- ❌ In CNN v. Trump (WH press access), Judge Timothy Kelly (D.C.) GRANTS plaintiffs' request for temporary restraining order.
- ✅ In U.S. v. New York (Climate Change Superfund Act), Judge P. Kevin Castel (Southern District of New York) GRANTS summary judgment to the United States and permanently enjoins enforcement of New York’s $75 billion Climate Change Superfund Act, holding the law preempted by the Clean Air Act and the federal government’s exclusive authority over foreign affairs.
- ✅ In Goodman v. Lutnick (large-scale reductions in force), Judge Lydia Griggsby (Maryland) GRANTS admin's motion to dismiss.
- ↔️ In Mahoney v. U.S. Capitol Police Board (demonstrations on Capitol Steps), D.C. Circuit AFFIRMS summary judgment finding Capitol Police regulations restricting demonstrations on the Capitol’s Eastern Steps violate the First Amendment; VACATES universal injunction under Trump v. CASA and REMANDS for determination of appropriate party-specific relief.
- ✅ In Sustainability Institute v. Trump (termination of federal grants), 4th Circuit DENIES plaintiffs' petition for rehearing en banc of its prior order staying district court’s preliminary injunction requiring restoration of terminated federal grants; district court injunction remains stayed while admin's appeal proceeds.
- ✅ In NY v. Trump (disclosure of personal financial records to DOGE), Judge Jeanette Vargas (Southern District of New York) DISMISSES plaintiffs' challenge to DOGE access to Treasury payment systems as moot following DOGE's dissolution; GRANTS admin's motion to dismiss remaining APA and constitutional claims challenging automated federal-payment review process, finding no adequately alleged final agency action or actual withholding of funds.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
One way or another, the Supreme Court will weigh in one more time on the MO redistricting battle, presumably by no later than end of the day on Monday.
MORNING MUSING
I learned about maybe the dumbest story ever this morning during the morning show: There's a kitten rescue outfit in New York that insists it won't adopt its charges out to people who are MAGA, or conservative — or even claim to be apolitical. Because reasons.
For an organization ostensibly dedicated to felines, they sure don't seem to know jack about cats. They can signal their virtue from here to kingdom come, but setting aside their pathetic display of TDS, I've got news for them: Facts don't care about your feelings and cats don't care about your politics. No, our fine furry friends are going to judge you and rule your home whether you're red, blue, purple, or translucent.
LIGHTER FARE
Whee!!
Bear cub having so much fun with bubbles..🐻🫧😅 pic.twitter.com/OeEE2FV6H1
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) September 22, 2026
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