Friday, March 20, 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
The $441 Billion VA System Still Can’t Do What One Private Project Just Did
Remove the immediate barriers, and progress becomes possible.
Boasberg's at It Again: Judge Changes Grand Jury Rules After Democrats Avoid Indictments
Courts have the authority to manage their own procedures. This order falls within that power. But it is not routine. It adds a step that did not exist before, requiring formal notice when grand juries decline to indict and creating a record of those outcomes, even if that record remains sealed.
$510M AI Smuggling Case Blows Hole in U.S. Export Controls on China
Investors reacted immediately. Supermicro closed at $30.79, then dropped to $23.62 in premarket trading at the time of publication, a fall of more than 23 percent, as investors reacted to the legal risk and tightening scrutiny around AI exports.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Bearing Arms — Virginia Democrats Exempt Legislators From Their Own Gun Law ***UPDATED***
With an "assault weapon" ban, expanded "red flag" laws, storage mandates, more "gun-free zones", and deprivations of 2A rights for young adults, Democrats have come a long way towards turning the Commonwealth into East California.
Hot Air — And Sarah Huckabee Sanders Gets Asked to Remove Herself From Another Woke Restaurant MORE
A tale as old as thyme - don't be evil.
It's not hard.
PJ Media — Why Is a Democratic Governor Undermining a Conservative Conservation Success Story?
In 2015 and 2016, Arizonans spoke clearly and across party lines. They demanded protection for the Salt River wild horses and got it.
They should not have to demand it again.
Townhall — Japan's Prime Minister Saw Joe Biden's Pic on Trump's Wall of Fame. Her Reaction Was Priceless.
To get a real sense of how everyone feels about Joe Biden, the White House posted a video of her trip in which Ms. Takaichi was shown Trump’s Presidential Wall of Fame, where Joe Biden’s picture is the autopen.
Would you look at that? They appear to have shared pictures of her marriage license ... with her brother.
WHAT'S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill...
There's one field hearing on tap today: The House Appropriations Committee, National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee is holding an Oversight Field Hearing – Accountability and Reform at the United Nations. U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz will testify.
The Senate is still in session, still debating the SAVE America Act.
Senate in session today continuing debate on SAVE America Act. Expect test vote to fund DHS. Expected to fail. Needs 60
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) March 20, 2026
And...they're expected to vote later today on DHS funding:
Vote forecast: At approximately 1:00pm, on Friday, March 20th, the Senate is expected to proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Cal. #311, H.R.7147, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026, upon reconsideration.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) March 20, 2026
White House What's Up
Here's President Trump's Friday schedule:
- 8:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Executive Time — The White House
- 10:30 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in the Commander in Chief Trophy Presentation — East Room
- 1:30 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
- THE PRESIDENT departs The White House en route to Palm Beach, Florida
First Lady Melania Trump just confirmed that this spring, the White House will open its historic gardens and grounds to visitors during the 2026 Spring Garden Tours.
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
Attorney General - Pam Bondi — Bondi recently touted the DOJ's legal victory at the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. It's a battle, but the DOJ is slowly but surely grinding out wins for the administration at the appellate level.
New legal victory: the First Circuit just ruled that the Trump Administration can CONTINUE deporting illegal aliens to third countries.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) March 16, 2026
There is more work ahead on this important issue, but this is a key win for @POTUS’s immigration agenda.@thejusticedept attorneys will…
Full Court Press...
The Supreme Court is set to hand down more opinions starting at 10:00 AM Eastern on Friday. We'll be watching and bring you any of note.
MORNING MUSING
Hey! Welcome to the First Day of Spring! This is cause for celebration in my world — I am a spring and summer girl. Fall has its bright spots. Even winter does. But winter wears — and wears out its welcome long before mid-March in my view. So when spring officially arrives, I'm a happy camper. We just celebrated St. Patrick's Day, the NCAA Tourney is underway, Opening Day is right around the corner, as is Easter, and we went from temps in the teens on Monday to the 80s today. I've got a spring in my step — or, I would if I hadn't tried playing pickleball yesterday for the first time.
It was fun, but I'm old and out of shape. And now I have a hitch in my step. It's okay — I'm still a happy camper.
LIGHTER FARE
Sleepy kitty!
You remove the toy, she wakes. You return the toy, she powers off pic.twitter.com/tFXfndHIln
— We don't deserve cats 😺 (@catsareblessing) March 19, 2026
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