President Donald Trump is issuing a temporary waiver of the Jones Act for two months in an effort to lower oil prices amid America’s ongoing conflict with Iran.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the move on Wednesday.

“President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” she wrote on the social media site X.

Leavitt added, “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains.”

President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury.

This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural… https://t.co/q6xu36exzy

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 18, 2026

The Jones Act forces America to only use U.S.-built and operated ships for transporting goods between American ports to support domestic shipping.

It is seen as a protectionist measure and has increased shipping costs for the United States.

Despite Trump, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking out to calm energy markets when oil initially soared past $100 per barrel, the effect seems to have only been temporary, making the Jones Act waiver a foregone conclusion.

Waivers for the Jones Act can be granted in times of war, emergency, or natural disaster to ease the supply chain.

“Congress has also authorized waivers of the Jones Act in the interest of national defense,” according to the Library of Congress. “The domestic shipping restrictions were waived during World War I. They were waived again in preparation for World War II. In 1950, after the Korean War began, Congress enacted a provision allowing the executive branch to issue waivers ‘in the interest of national defense.’”

This executive authority is still in effect and has been broadly used in recent years.

In 1991 and 2011, waivers were granted in the interest of national defense to speed up oil shipments from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, in response to the Persian Gulf War and a conflict in Libya, respectively.

The commander in chief already announced last week that he tapping the strategic reserve as part of a comprehensive approach to lowering energy prices.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post Trump Suspends 100-Year-Old Law in Bid to Lower Oil Prices appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Rand Paul (RINO-Ky.) said he does not plan to back Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

His remarks came after a blowup between the two during Mullin’s confirmation hearing, where Paul confronted Mullin for calling him a “snake” and saying he understood why Paul’s neighbor attacked him.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that Paul confronted Mullin by revisiting one of the most traumatic episodes of his life, the 2017 assault by his neighbor that left him with six broken ribs and a punctured lung, accusing Mullin of having previously justified the attack.

PAUL: “You told the media I was a freaking snake, and you understood why I was assaulted.

I was shocked you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me and my family so much pain.

I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against political opponents is the right person to lead an agency… the right person to lead an agency.

You might argue you were mad and upset about being confronted by your constituents. Your constituents are justifiably upset with you.

By now, most of America knows that the Somali welfare fraud in Minnesota is still over $9 billion.

Instead of defending these votes, you chose to lash out at me.

You bragged that you already told me to my face that you completely understood and approved of the assault. Well, that’s a lie.

You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me the assault was justified. Today, I will give you that chance.

Tell it to my face, if that’s what you believe. Tell the world why you believe I deserve to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken, and a damaged lung.

Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it.”

Mullin, a former MMA fighter, refused to back down or apologize, instead doubling down and accusing Paul of being the real problem inside the GOP.

Mullin insisted he never supported violence, only that he “understood” the frustration behind it.

Read more:

FIREWORKS! Rand Paul and Markwayne Mullin Tear into Each Other After Paul Brings Up What Mullin Said After Kentucky Senator Was Assaulted By Neighbor (VIDEO)

After the explosive exchange, Paul made his position crystal clear: he’s a hard NO.

Paul warned that Mullin’s temperament and refusal to show remorse disqualify him from leading one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the country.

Reporter: Planning on voting for this nominee?

Rand Paul: I think there are anger issues. I think there's a lack of contrition, both about the violence that was perpetrated on me, but really the violent episode he was involved in. He's had a committee where he's told the media, frankly, that he doesn't regret it. He's also told the media there, as he said it again today, that there's historical precedent for violence, that caning and dueling happened all the time.

Paul continued: And I pointed out, well, it was illegal 170, 200 years ago. They would actually flee, and they would do it in areas they could find where the law didn't reach. Sometimes they would actually go to Canada. Sometimes they'd go from one state to the other. But the mass of civilized response, even in the 1850s or 1830s, was against dueling.

Paul: That's why dueling was made illegal. The fact that he can't bring himself to say that, you know, really we shouldn't settle political questions with violence, I think that would be a terrible example for ICE and for our Border Patrol agents. We're in the midst, I think, of a crisis where there needs to be more direction from the top. And a guy who brawls, a guy who can't even say he's sorry about, you know, wishing violence on me and really applauding the attack that happened on me, can't come to say that. I don't know how he could, from my point of view, be a leader of ICE or Border Patrol.

Reporter: So that's a no or a maybe?

Rand Paul: I am a No.

WATCH:

🚨 JUST IN: Rand Paul confirms he will NOT vote to confirm Markwayne Mullin for DHS Secretary

Paul says Mullin’s “anger issues” would “be a terrible example for ICE and Border Patrol.”

However, FETTERMAN has signaled his support for Mullin, meaning he will likely be CONFIRMED pic.twitter.com/YmNrmwwrxl

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 18, 2026

Paul’s opposition alone is unlikely to derail Mullin’s path out of committee, particularly with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) signaling his support.

The committee is scheduled to convene on Thursday morning to take up Mullin’s nomination.

The post Rand Paul Declares ‘NO’ Vote on Mullin for DHS Secretary — Warns “Anger Issues” Make Him Unfit to Lead ICE, Border Patrol appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The libertarian Javier Milei fulfils another campaign promise.

The government of Argentina has finished the process of withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), stating the need to maintain ‘health sovereignty’.

BREAKING NEWS: Argentina Officially WITHDRAWS From The World Health Organization

Thanks to President Javier Milei following President Trump’s lead pic.twitter.com/WfdCFNxBhb

— Sergeant News Network (@sgtnewsnetwork) March 18, 2026

Despite severing ties with the organization, Argentina is assuring that ‘international cooperation in health will continue through bilateral and regional agreements’.

BREAKING — IT’S OFFICIAL: President Milei and Argentina have WITHDRAWN from the World Health Organization (WHO), following President Trump’s lead

EVERY self-respecting country should be doing the same.

REJECT the globalist cabal! pic.twitter.com/tBWtYtvkXZ

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 18, 2026

Euronews reported:

“’Today Argentina’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) is effective, one year after the formal notification made by our country’, [Foreign Minister Pablo] Quirno said, recalling that the notification was made on 17 March 2025 to the UN secretary general.

‘In accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the withdrawal takes place one year later’, he added.”

Read: Javier Milei has reached a 60% approval rating in Argentina in January 2026 positioning him as the third world leader with the greatest support

“The decision was justified […] by President Javier Milei and his team as a response to ‘profound differences’ with the WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic. The President called the agency ‘nefarious and the enforcement arm of what was the greatest experiment in social control in history’.”

Needless to say, Euronews spends quite a lot of editorial space for Milei’s critics who think his decision is an ‘aberration’.

Read more:

Argentina Designates Iran’s Quds Force as a Terrorist Group, Imposes Sanctions, and Sparks International Diplomatic Alert

The post HEALTH SOVEREIGNTY: Javier Milei’s Argentina Follows the US and Officially Leaves the World Health Organization appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Something doesn’t add up, and I’m not buying the official story.

Today on Stinchfield, I dig into the sudden shift from Joe Kent, a man who once sounded the alarm on Iran, now suddenly backing away and denouncing the very conflict he previously warned about. What changed? And more importantly, who got to him?

Then there’s the eyebrow-raising appearance on Shawn Ryan’s show, a platform with well-documented ties to intelligence circles.

Coincidence or coordination?

Because when you connect the dots, a chilling possibility emerges: Was Kent positioned as part of a broader effort by the intelligence community to manipulate the narrative and ultimately undermine Donald Trump?

What if bad intel was deliberately fed into the system, designed to drag Trump into a geopolitical trap? A war meant to make him look reckless, outmatched, and dangerous on the world stage.

But here’s the twist they didn’t see coming: Trump did not fail. His leadership and the strength of the United States military flipped the script.

So now what?

A sudden reversal. A resignation. A retreat from the narrative.

Was Joe Kent’s exit a clean-up operation? A desperate attempt to salvage a plot that did not go as planned?

This is about more than one man. This is about the machinery behind the scenes—and whether the so-called deep state just got caught overplaying its hand.

The post Is Joe Kent’s Resignation Part of a Broader “CIA/Deep State” Plot to Undermine President Trump? (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Despite the numerous anti-war detractors, the anti-Israel detractors, and the far-left media insisting the US is losing its war against Iran after TWO WEEKS – MAGA Voters are standing with Trump.

Evidently, the anti-Israel crowd does not have as much clout as they would like to admit.

CNN’s Harry Enten first broke liberal hearts when he shared his first set of numbers.
100% of MAGA voters approve of President Donald John Trump!

CNN’s Harry Enten then broke the news on Wednesday that 90% of MAGA voters support the military action in Iran!
90 percent!

Here is the transcript from CNN:

Harry Enten: MAGA GOP view of Trump: approve 100%. 100%. If you are a member of MAGA and the GOP, you approve of Donald John Trump. 0% say that they disapprove. You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to know you can’t go higher than 100%. He is the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Now, there are some Republicans who disapprove of Donald John Trump, but they are not members of the Make America Great Again movement. The bottom line is this: if you are a member of MAGA, you approve of Donald Trump.

CNN’s Sara Sidner: It’s interesting, though, because there have been a couple prominent people who have sort of come out online and they’re very mad about this war with Iran because he promised no new wars. Is there any sign that people might be leaving MAGA relative to 2024?

Harry Enten: Yeah. Okay. So, you know, I’ve said it before and, you know, The theme of this segment is Tucker Carlson be darned. And when we look at the numbers, I mean, I’ve heard some people say, oh, you know what, when you look at those MAGA numbers, it doesn’t account for those who might have left MAGA. But take a look here. Americans who identify as MAGA in November of 2024, it was 28% of Americans. Now it’s basically the same. If anything, it’s slightly higher at 30%. The bottom line is this: the MAGA base within the GOP is not shrinking. It’s the same size. If anything, it is slightly larger than it was back in 2024 when, of course, Donald Trump won a second term. So that 100% that Donald Trump has approval among MAGA GOP. That is not an artifact of MAGA shrinking. It’s just an indication of how strong Donald Trump’s grip is on that MAGA base.

CNN’s Sara Sidner: And so I guess that begs the question, what’s happening with inside the GOP and if there are any splits there? Because with that, those kind of numbers, they’re going to want to retain that, right? So they can retain their seats. Yes.

Harry Enten: Yes. And you know what we’re talking about? You know, we mentioned Iran in the intro of this segment. GOP on US military action in Iran. Look at this. Imagine it’s 90% approval. It’s 90% approval, just 5% disapproval. If you disapprove of the job that Donald Trump is doing, or excuse me, the US military action in Iran, and you’re a member of the GOP, look at this. It’s your non-MAGA. You’re not MAGA. It’s 36% there, 54% approve. But the majority of Republicans approve of the job that the US military action is in Iran. And the majority of MAGA, which is the majority of the GOP, very much approve, 90%, very little split in Donald Trump’s base. Those who disapprove in the GOP, simply put, they hate MAGA.

CNN’s Sara Sidner:: It’s really clear MAGA has the floor.

BREAKING: In a STUNNING moment, CNN was just forced to report that Donald Trump has 100% MAGA APPROVAL

100%. WOW

The kicker? The share of voters who call themselves “MAGA” is the *SAME* as when he won in 2024!

“You don’t have to be a GENIUS to know you can’t go higher… pic.twitter.com/QRFXfywKax

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 18, 2026

The post Despite Detractors, MAGA Remains Intact! 100% of MAGA Supports Trump – 90% of MAGA Voters Approve of Trump’s US Military Action in Iran (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.