Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was among a group of senators who traveled with President Donald Trump to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday aboard Air Force One.
Read the full storyAuthor: Kaitlin Housler
EJ Haust: The Democratic Party Is Acting Like a Tired Toddler
EJ Haust, a digital marketing expert and official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, compared the current antics of the Democratic Party to that of a “tired toddler,” explaining how the party is taking a “last stand” and not yet understanding that it must pivot to a new strategy to strike a chord again with voters.
Read the full storyTyler O’Neil Details How Far-Left Dark Money Groups Infiltrated the Federal Government in His New Book ‘The Woketopus’
Tyler O’Neil, managing editor of The Daily Signal, previewed his new book titled, “The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government” on Friday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, explaining how his latest publication explores how dark money groups “infiltrated and brainwashed the federal government” under the Biden administration.
Read the full storyHouse Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green Applauds Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act
Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07), who chairs the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, applauded the passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act on Thursday.
Read the full storyTennessee House Speaker Introduces Bill to Withhold State Funds from Local Governments Defying State Law or Constitution
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) introduced a bill on Thursday to withhold state funding from local governments that defy state law or the state’s constitution.
Read the full story‘I Feel Like The Old Steve Again’: Steve Baker Describes Feeling of Having J6 Case Dismissed
Steve Baker, an opinion contributor for Blaze News and independent investigative journalist, said having the misdemeanor charges he faced stemming from his presence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 be dismissed with prejudice allowed him to feel like himself again.
Read the full storyLegal Expert Phill Kline: President Trump’s Plan to Take Over Gaza ‘Not a Bad Idea’
Phill Kline, former Kansas Attorney General and current law professor at Liberty University School of Law, said President Donald Trump’s proposal for the U.S. to “take over” the Gaza Strip is “not a bad idea.”
Read the full storyAuthor J.K. Rowling Lauds Scene of President Trump Signing Executive Order Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports
J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, lauded the scene at the White House on Wednesday as President Trump, surrounded by young women and girls, signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
Read the full storyTennessee State University Could Run Out of Money This Spring, Interim President Reveals
Tennessee State University (TSU) could run out of money as soon as April or May of this year, the university’s interim president revealed on Tuesday.
Read the full storyReporter Tom Pappert: Law Enforcement Agencies Silent on Franklin Gun Store Attempted Robbery by Illegal Immigrants
Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, says the law enforcement agencies involved in the January 20 arrest of five teenagers who attempted a break-in at the Arms and Ammo store in Franklin have provided a “stunning lack of information” on the case after The Star learned from a source that the teeangers are reportedly Honduran nationals who were in the U.S. illegally at the time of their arrest.
Read the full storyTennessee Had 5th Highest Opioid-Related Death Rate Among All 50 U.S. States in 2023, New Data Finds
Tennessee’s opioid-related death rate was ranked the fifth highest among all 50 U.S. states in 2023, a new study conducted by the law firm group White Law PLLC shows.
The study shows that a total of 79,355 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2023 – a 12 percent increase from 2022 and the highest recorded rate in history, averaging 217 deaths per day.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Mark Green Introduces Bill to Help Address the Nation’s Cyber Workforce Shortage
U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07), who chairs the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, reintroduced a bill on Wednesday to address the nation’s cybersecurity workforce shortage.
Green’s bill, the Cyber PIVOTT Act, seeks to establish educational and training partnerships between government institutions and community colleges, technical schools, and other higher education institutions that offer two-year programs in the cybersecurity field.
Read the full storyFormer Trump and MAGA-Hating Marcus Lemonis Now Wants to Keep U.S. Flag Flying on 130-Foot Flagpole
Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis is standing his ground after the City of Sevierville demanded that Camping World’s location off of exit 407 along I-40 in Kodak remove its 130-foot flag pole flying a 3,200 sq. ft. American flag.
Read the full storyU.S. Army Recruitment in December Hit 15-Year High, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Announces
Recruitment for the U.S. Army hit a 15-year high in December, U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced.
Read the full storyClint Brewer: Passage of School Choice Bill Will Go Down as Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s ‘Legacy’ Issue
Recovering journalist and Nashville-area public policy expert Clint Brewer said the Tennessee General Assembly’s passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 will go down as Governor Bill Lee’s “legacy issue” throughout his two terms of leading the Volunteer State.
Read the full storyEJ Haust: Let’s Give Elon Musk and the DOGE Boys a Chance
EJ Haust, a digital marketing expert and official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, is optimistic that billionaire Elon Musk and his team within the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will be successful in identifying and cutting massive amounts of wasteful federal government spending.
Read the full storyU.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Leads Coalition in New Role on Homeland Security Committee to Survey Safety Measures in New Orleans Ahead of Super Bowl Sunday
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) led a bipartisan congressional delegation to New Orleans on Monday to survey the security measures in place ahead of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday.
Read the full storyImmigration Expert Todd Bensman: Trump Tariff Threat ‘Highly Effective,’ ‘Should Have Been Done for Years’
Todd Bensman, a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, said President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariff threat on Mexican imports was a “highly effective” strategy that should have been implemented by prior administrations “for years” as a way to push Mexico to cooperate with border security efforts.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Reps. Andy Ogles and Tim Burchett Cosponsor Bill to Terminate the Department of Education
U.S. Representatives Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) and Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) are among a group of Republicans who are original cosponsors of a bill that would terminate the U.S. Department of Education.
As written, the one-page, one-sentence bill would “terminate” the Department of Education on December 31, 2026.
Read the full storySteve Cortes: President Trump Played the ‘Strong Hand’ with Tariffs, Now Mexico Is ‘Crying Uncle’
Steve Cortes, former senior spokesman and strategist for the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns and current head of the League of American Workers, said President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariff threat on Mexican imports shows that the president “knows how to wield the power of the United States” as a negotiator.
On Monday, Trump announced that he and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum participated in a “very friendly conversation” in which the pair negotiated a deal which will see Mexico supply 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to “stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrants” into the U.S. in exchange for Trump pausing the anticipated 25 percent tariffs on Mexican imports for a one month period.
Read the full storyState Senator Brent Taylor Details General Assembly’s Plans to Address Chaos in Memphis-Shelby County Schools
Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) detailed how the Tennessee General Assembly plans to address the dysfunction within the Memphis-Shelby County School Board this legislative session during an exclusive interview last week on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
Last month, the Memphis school board voted 6-3 to fire superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins, who had been in the role for less than 10 months.
Read the full storyTennessee Filmmaker Robby Starbuck’s Documentary ‘The War on Children’ Unbanned from Amazon Streaming Service
Robby Starbuck, Tennessee political commentator and documentary filmmaker, announced Monday that Amazon’s streaming service, Prime Video, unbanned his 2024 documentary “The War On Children” nearly six months after the film was removed from the platform due to “offensive content.”
Starbuck’s documentary features conversations with the likes of “whistleblowers, leftists caught on camera, survivors of child mutilation, trafficking victims, corporate executives exposing the plan to sexualize children” and others surrounding different issues facing children in today’s world, including human trafficking and gender mutilation.
Read the full storySix Americans Held Hostage in Venezuela Freed After President Trump’s Special Missions Envoy Ric Grenell Meets with Maduro
Six Americans being held hostage in Venezuela were released on Friday after Ric Grenell, President Donald Trump’s envoy for special missions, met with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Read the full storyTennessee Attorney General Reaches Settlement in Principle with NCAA over NIL Recruitment Ban
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Friday that his office has reached a settlement in principle with the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) over its name, image, and likeness (NIL) recruitment ban.
Read the full storyTom Zawistowski: Vivek Ramaswamy Likely to be Favorite Gubernatorial Candidate Among Ohioans
Tom Zawistowski, president of the Ohio-based We the People Convention, said businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is likely to be the favorite Republican candidate among Ohioans in the 2026 gubernatorial race.
While Ramaswamy has not officially launched a bid for Ohio governor, reports have recently confirmed that the businessman and former presidential candidate has hired Vice President JD Vance’s top political advisers to head his expected campaign.
Read the full story‘Great Day for Tennessee’: Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson Celebrates Passage of Education Freedom Act
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) said the passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 sends a message that the Volunteer State believes in “parents making choices that are right for their kids.”
On Thursday, the Education Freedom Act (SB6001/HB 6004) passed the Tennessee House by a 54-44 vote and the Tennessee Senate by a 20-13 vote.
Read the full storyLegal Expert Phill Kline: Trump’s Work to Address the ‘Unaccountable Government’ Will Be Hard for the Left to Stop Through the Courts
Phill Kline, former Kansas Attorney General and current law professor at Liberty University School of Law, said he believes President Donald Trump’s work to address the “unaccountable government” through the temporary pause of federal financial assistance programs to review such funding is likely to be “backed up” by the courts as the Left attempts to derail the president’s actions through litigation.
Kline said Trump’s use of the presidential impoundment power to potentially save federal funds by pausing federal financial assistance programs pending further review is “clearly” appropriate.
Read the full storyGovernor Bill Lee to Meet with President Trump Day After Tennessee General Assembly Passes Universal School Choice
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is traveling to Washington D.C. on Friday to meet with President Donald Trump and other school choice advocates at the White House for a roundtable discussion on school choice.
Friday’s roundtable discussion will close out the 15th annual National School Choice Week.
Read the full storyExclusive: AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda Outlines Strategy for 2026 Statewide Elections and Midterms
Chair of the Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) Gina Swoboda detailed what her job as chair will look like leading up to the 2026 midterm elections during an exclusive interview on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show on Wednesday.
Read the full storyAZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda Details Efforts to ‘Make Arizona Election Reporting Timely Again’
Chair of the Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) Gina Swoboda said focusing on making election reporting in Arizona “timely” again is part of what her job as leader of the state Republican party will look like leading up to the 2026 midterm elections.
Read the full storyMatt Boyle: Establishment Media ‘Barreling Down the Pathway Towards Extinction’
Matt Boyle, the national political editor at Breitbart News, said the establishment media appears to be “barreling down the pathway towards extinction” with its continuous publication of propaganda-like content and straying away from fact-based journalism.
Read the full storyEJ Haust Discusses ‘Symbolism’ Portrayed in First Lady Melania Trump’s Official Portrait
EJ Haust, a digital marketing expert and official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, pointed out the significant “symbolism” in First Lady Melania Trump’s official portrait, detailing how the first lady’s portrait seems to mark a shift in how her role will differ from the first Trump administration.
Read the full storyClint Brewer: Actions Taken in the First Eight Days of the Trump Administration Have Been ‘Remarkable’
Recovering journalist and Nashville-area public policy expert Clint Brewer said the depth of reform that has come as a result of actions taken during the first eight days of the Trump administration has been simply “remarkable.”
Read the full storyElon Musk Says SpaceX Will Carry Out Mission to ‘Go Get’ Astronauts Stranded at Space Station at Request of President Trump
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said his company will carry out a mission at the request of President Donald Trump to bring two NASA astronauts who have been stranded at the International Space Station since June back home.
Read the full storyReporter Tom Pappert: If Tennessee Parents Had a Choice, They ‘Probably Wouldn’t’ Be Sending Their Kids to Failing Institutions Like Antioch High School, Shelby County Schools
Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said if Tennessee parents had the financial freedom in deciding where to send their children to school, they “probably wouldn’t” be enrolling their children in dysfunctional school districts like Shelby County Schools or failing institutions like Antioch High School in Nashville.
Read the full storyPresident Donald Trump Applauds Tennessee School Choice Bill
President Donald Trump weighed in on the Education Freedom Act of 2025 filed in the Tennessee General Assembly on Tuesday, voicing support for the legislators who are working to pass the school choice bill.
Read the full storyTodd Bensman: Colombia’s Immediate Caving to Accepting Deportation Flights Sets the Tone for Other Countries’ Compliance with Accepting Back Migrants
Todd Bensman, a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, said Colombia’s compliance to accept U.S. deportation flights returning Colombian nationals back to the South American country when faced with tariffs and sanctions sets the tone for other countries when it comes to accepting future deportation flights.
Read the full storyFort Campbell Air Assault Soldiers Deploy to the U.S. Southern Border
U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Campbell deployed to the southern border on Saturday to assist the U.S. Northern Command’s mission in carrying out President Donald Trump’s executive orders on protecting the territorial integrity of the United States.
Read the full storyWhite House Releases Official Portrait of First Lady Melania Trump
The White House released the official portrait of First Lady Melania Trump on Monday.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Hoping DOGE Comes Out ‘Guns Blazing’ to Identify and Cut Wasteful Spending
Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) said he would like to see the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) come out “guns blazing” to identify and cut wasteful federal spending.
Burchett was appointed last week to serve on the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.
Read the full storyTucker Carlson to Speak at 917 Society Fundraising Dinner
Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host and current host of Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show, will speak at the Tennessee-based 917 Society’s annual fundraising dinner in March.
Read the full storyAmerica First Policy Institute Announces Support for Tennessee Governor’s School Choice Bill
America First Policy Institute (AFPI) declared support for Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill filed in the Tennessee General Assembly, arguing that the bill embodies the organization’s “America First, Always” motto.
Read the full storyDEI in Full Swing at Metro Nashville Government as Employees Encouraged to Participate in ‘Foundations of Conscious Inclusion’ Program
The Metro Nashville Government is embracing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) despite a complete shutdown of such initiatives at the federal level.
Read the full storyTarget Latest Company to End DEI Policies Under Pressure from Tennessee Filmmaker Robby Starbuck
Target is the latest company to scale back several of its “woke” DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) policies after being investigated by Robby Starbuck, the political commentator and filmmaker from Tennessee announced Friday.
Read the full storyEJ Haust: Proposal Allowing Trump a Third Term Shuts Down Seriousness Surrounding Biden’s 28th Amendment Claim
EJ Haust, a digital marketing expert and official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, said Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles’ (R-TN-05) proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution allowing President Donald Trump to serve a third term shuts down the conversations about former President Joe Biden’s claim that a 28th Amendment to the Constitution has been ratified.
Read the full storyTennessee Governor Meets with President Trump to Discuss Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee was among the officials who met with President Donald Trump for a roundtable discussion and emergency responder briefing on the impact of Hurricane Helene on Friday in North Carolina.
Read the full storyFord Announces $9 Million ‘Good Neighbor Plan’ for Investments in the Surrounding Area of BlueOval City
Ford announced a $9 million investment in the West Memphis area surrounding its BlueOval City campus on Thursday, detailing how the company plans to fund initiatives to support and “uplift” residents of the surrounding communities of the manufacturing facility.
Read the full storyNashville’s New Year’s Eve Event Generated Record $41 Million in Visitor Spending
A record-breaking $41 million in direct visitor spending was generated during last month’s New Year’s Eve event at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp announced Thursday.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Introduces Resolution to Amend Constitution to Allow President Trump to Serve a Third Term
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) introduced a House Joint Resolution on Thursday that would amend the U.S. Constitution allowing a U.S. president to serve three terms.
Read the full storyReporter Tom Pappert: Metal Detectors Inside Antioch High School May Have Prevented Deadly Shooting if They Weren’t Deemed ‘Racist’
Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said the use of metal detectors inside Antioch High School in Nashville may have prevented the deadly shooting that took place at the school on Wednesday morning.
Read the full story