Thursday, August 13, 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
'No Feds Allowed': DOJ Let the Clock Run Out – Then Gun Owners Made 2A History at 12:01 AM
I clicked through to find out that two gentlemen had walked into a Leander, Texas, store called the Silencer Shop around midnight Central Time, and – at exactly 12:01 AM Thursday – acquired suppressors without filling out "Form 4 or complying with the other enjoined provisions of the National Firearms Act."
'Platner Vibes': Major Scandal Hits New Maine Dem Senate Nominee, and It All Sounds So Familiar
And just like with the myriad Platner scandals, one wonders what's going to drop next for Jackson? It will be interesting - and quite comical - to see what his newfound
apologistssupporters, including Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), have to say about all of this, and the excuses they are likely to come up with.
Feckless WNBA Bosses Meet to Define 'Woman'… and Come Up With Exactly Nothing
The league’s latest wishy-washy statement, which only hates on those who would dare to call out their hypocrisy yet comes up with exactly zero answers of their own, only adds to the appearance of an Association that is a toxic brew of extremism, intolerance, and hypocrisy.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Bearing Arms — Comparison Between Chicago and All of Florida's Major Cities Very, Very Telling
The actual per capita rates make it pretty damn clear that gun control isn't keeping people safer in Chicago, while a lack of it sure doesn't seem to be making life less safe in Florida.
HotAir — Pollsters in WI, MI: It Wasn't Us — It Was the One-Armed Voter
The simpler explanations likely suffice. The polling industry has been failing for years as a predictive model, while simultaneously becoming more valuable as a narrative-shaping device for the Protection Racket Media.
PJ Media — The Left Has Overplayed the Race Card So Much That It's Now Just White Noise
As long as Democrats want to keep lying to people and telling them that, when it comes to race relations, the America of 2026 is the same as the America of 1956, no meaningful dialogue can be had about the subject.
Townhall — The Doomers Can't Deny Trump's Big Wins
But understand that life is about choices. We face a stark one. It is the Trump administration, with all its imperfections, versus a potential DSA communist regime that’s going to take your guns, take your liberty, and take your son’s genitals if he looks sideways at a Barbie doll.
In a bizarre and creepy way, Democrats are determined to bring 'lynching' back. Gross, right?
WHAT'S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill...
As we've noted, the critters are out on their Summer recess — the House until August 31, the Senate until September 14. But that doesn't mean we won't still be hearing from them. For instance:
John Fetterman Just Made a Political Promise Democrats Are Not Going to Like
DSA Takeover? 202 House Democrats Refuse to Sign Anti-Socialist Pledge
White House What's Up
Here's what President Trump has set for his Thursday:
- 8:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Executive Time — The White House
- 11:00 AM — THE PRESIDENT receives his Intelligence Briefing — The White House
- 2:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Signing Time — Oval Office
- 3:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in Signing Time — Oval Office
- 5:00 PM — THE PRESIDENT participates in a Policy Meeting — Oval Office
We also had a big announcement from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday:
Karoline Leavitt Makes Important Announcement About Her Future
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
Dir. National Intelligence - Jay Clayton — Clayton was recently formally confirmed to his new role and was sworn in last week. Earlier this week, his deputy, Aaron Lukas, delivered remarks at the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System Worldwide Conference.
Jay Clayton is officially sworn in as U.S. Director of National Intelligence 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/847rsu6hmj
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 4, 2026
Yesterday, @DepDNILukas delivered keynote remarks at #DoDIIS, arguing the IC can’t keep using rules built for a slower era. Adversaries are innovating at speed—so must we.
— Office of the DNI (@ODNIgov) August 11, 2026
He discussed three priorities: accelerating AI under NSPM-11, implementing Zero Trust across IC networks,…
Yesterday, @DepDNILukas delivered keynote remarks at #DoDIIS, arguing the IC can’t keep using rules built for a slower era. Adversaries are innovating at speed—so must we.
He discussed three priorities: accelerating AI under NSPM-11, implementing Zero Trust across IC networks, and the IARPA Solutions Marketplace that helps non-traditional innovators reach the mission without the usual barriers.
The core mission is unchanged: deliver timely, actionable intelligence to warfighters and policymakers. Everything else is about getting better at it—faster.
Full Court Press...
We've had several more court rulings of note, including:
- ✅ In Doe v. Blanche (housing of TG inmates), Judge Royce Lamberth DENIES plaintiffs' motion to enforce preliminary injunction or, in the alternative, for temporary restraining order/preliminary injunction.
There have been some other interesting legal developments, as well:
'Hit the Intended Target': Tyler Robinson Defense's Stunning Death Penalty Argument
Till the Feds Do Us Part: Huge Chinese Marriage-Fraud Network Taken Down
COMING ATTRACTIONS
We're still waiting on SCOTUS to weigh in on that emergency application in the election integrity/USPS case...Only now, the administration has made another move in the case.
🚨 The Trump administration is urging the Supreme Court to quickly restore President Trump's election integrity executive order and make clear its ruling should also halt Judge Indira Talwani's new nationwide injunction against its proposed USPS mail-ballot rules. pic.twitter.com/bQxCY3gbEy
— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) August 12, 2026
On Friday, President Trump heads to Nassau County, New York, to tour the Nassau County Police Academy alongside County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
MORNING MUSING
I'll confess to not having much context for the conversation surrounding the notion of Elon Musk just up and buying the U.K. I imagine this was floated somewhat tongue-in-cheek — a nation-state isn't the same as a social media company (even a ginormous one), after all.
Still, I happened upon a vid that Elon shared this morning, and it made me chuckle...and also half-wish that he could/would.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2026
LIGHTER FARE
Some days...it do be like that.
(Translated from Portuguese)
"2026 is going to be my year"
August:
"2026 vai ser meu ano"
— Miauravilhas (@Miauravilhas) August 10, 2026
Agosto: pic.twitter.com/EKbqqKQ35w
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