The Supreme Court declined to take up a pro-life student’s lawsuit Monday after her school refused to let her post flyers with photos of signs reading “Defund Planned Parenthood,” but Justice Samuel Alito dissented. Alito, an appointee of President George W. Bush, argued that the case represented an important opportunity to clarify the rules on free speech. E.D., a high school freshman, founded Noblesville Students for Life at her Indiana school and sought approval to hang flyers advertising club meetings in 2021. Administrators refused to approve the flyers, however, because the flyers included pictures of students at the March for Life with “Defund Planned Parenthood” signs. Administrators asked her to submit flyers that only included the name of her club, the meeting time, and the location. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled against the student. As Alito noted, the three-judge panel began by asking “whether Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) or Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988) supplies the governing standard.” “That question is pivotal because Tinker and Hazelwood set forth vastly different standards of review for school censorship,” Alito wrote. In Tinker, the Supreme Court defended the speech rights of students wearing armbands protesting the Vietnam War. “Because students do not ‘shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate,’ the court held that a school could not censor students’ individual expression unless the school met the high bar of showing that the censored speech ‘would materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school,” the justice noted. In Hazelwood, however, the Supreme Court allowed a school to regulate “school-sponsored publications, theatrical productions, and other expressive activities that students, parents, and members of the public might reasonably perceive to bear the imprimatur of the school.” The court held that a “school need only meet the low bar of showing that the censorship is ‘reasonably related to pedagogical concerns.'” U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker wrote that “it would be reasonable for parents and other members of the public entering NHS for sporting events, student concerts, theater performances, parent-teacher conferences, or any other reason who observed such flyers displayed on school walls to erroneously attribute any political messaging they contained to the school district or the school itself.” Are student flyers an expression of a student’s free speech or an implicit school endorsement of some ideas at the expense of others? “I would grant the petition to clarify the relationship between Hazelwood and our subsequent government-speech decisions,” Alito wrote. “In an appropriate case, we should do so.”

The White House hosted the Freedom 250 UFC fight Sunday night for a once-in-a-lifetime VIP presidential birthday party. The event brought 4,300 VIPs to the South Lawn of the White House and 85,000 UFC fans and D.C. politicos right next door at Ellipse Park for the free “Fan Fest.” Even though “The Claw” was roughly 1,000 feet away, there were 10 massive stadium screens surrounding the park, streaming the beatdowns live. The $60 million privately funded event, which coincided with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, was sponsored by UFC parent company TKO Group, which absorbed all the costs and net losses. Some of the VIPs were guests, members of Congress, and White House staff, but others reportedly paid upward of $1.5 million per ticket, though none were ever listed publicly for purchase due to security concerns. VIPs spotted in the Claw included Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg; country music star Luke Bryan; House Speaker Mike Johnson and his family; various congressional Republicans, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama; White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt; and many members of Trump’s Cabinet and the entire Trump family. The @ufc @Freedom250 event last night was an epic celebration of American grit and a tribute to our troops and first responders. The 90,000 fans at the White House and Ellipse, and tens of millions who watched the broadcast, enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime show! pic.twitter.com/iUh2djCLel— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) June 15, 2026 A Spectacle of American Patriotism The entire event was truly a spectacle of American patriotism. The Saturday weigh-ins were emceed by UFC commentator Joe Rogan. The event began with the U.S. Army Golden Knights skydiving down from helicopters with sparklers and American flags. Almost immediately, a bald eagle soared in over the crowd. They absolutely lost it—chants of “USA, USA, USA!” echoed. As Rogan welcomed the fighters to the stage, Johnson, Kai Trump and her Secret Service detail, and UFC CEO Dana White could be spotted behind them catching a glimpse of the world-renowned fighters. Zac Brown Band came out on stage for a free show. Though he received backlash from the Left prior to the show, he went on to sing his America-lovin’ hits. “I’m there for the troops, man,” Brown said. “I’m there to honor America. This is patriotism, not politics, for me.” There’s a bald eagle at the UFC White House weigh insIt doesn’t get more American than this pic.twitter.com/R8CvwmvLBj— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 14, 2026 The attendees ranged from tourists who flew in from across the country, UFC groupies, and congressional staffers. The dress code, however, was unclear. Staffers dressed up for the occasion in suits, collared shirts, linen dresses, and heels, while the true UFC fans were wearing T-shirts with their favorite fighters’ bloody faces on the back and cutoff jean shorts. However, everyone contributed to the sea of red MAGA hats and the smell of cigarettes and beer in the open air. The fights themselves kept fans entertained until the wee hours of Monday morning. Justin Gaethje dominated former two-division champion Ilia Topuria, claiming the lightweight championship in a massively unexpected upset. It was the final knockout the event needed—the American underdog sending the undefeated Spanish-Georgian favorite to the hospital with shattered bones. Both are expected to be okay, and neither has announced plans to retire. UFC FAN FEST REACTION pic.twitter.com/77q0BYr94B— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 15, 2026 A $30 Million Loss The TKO Group brought dozens of sponsors that built installations and experiences for the fans. Meta, Bud Light, Monster Energy, and Ram Truck had massive booths set up with meet-and-greets with the fighters, merchandise, and even a real octagon fighting ring fans could climb into for a photo. TKO Group predicted a $30 million net loss, including the $700,000 pledged to repair the White House lawn. The White House said the group would need $700,000 for the necessary repairs following the extensive construction the South Lawn underwent in preparation for the night. Dana White says the UFC will never be at the White House again“I can’t afford it. There’s no f*cking way we can do this again.” pic.twitter.com/x1Etj2SOKr— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) June 15, 2026 In June 2024, on the same lawn, President Joe Biden hosted a Pride Month celebration. The party included transgender biological men on display for the world, standing right where the globally streamed fights took place Sunday night. America will continue to celebrate its 250th birthday across the nation ahead of Independence Day. The next Freedom 250 event coming to the nation’s capital is the Rodeo 250, in partnership with The Great American State Fair, from June 25 to July 10. https://twitter.com/Cjpearson/status/2066613876641108115?s=20

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA—A Richmond judge denied two motions against the Democrat Party of Virginia and Gov. Abigail Spanberger Monday in a defamation case, and the plaintiff told the Daily Signal that he plans to appeal the decisions. “I will be appealing these decisions,” Thomas Speciale, a retired Army intelligence officer and former Republican U.S. Senate candidate, told the Daily Signal outside the courtroom of the Richmond City Circuit Court. Speciale, a retired Army intelligence officer and former Republican U.S. Senate candidate, sued the Democrat Party of Virginia for allegedly defaming him. The party issued a press release on Nov. 3, 2022, claiming that Speciale “attacked the U.S. Capitol” on Jan. 6, 2021, and suggesting that he “bloodied and beat law enforcement officers.” Speciale, who vehemently contests both claims, sued in 2023, and in the course of discovery, he found that then-U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s 2022 reelection campaign had drafted the press release. “The press release defames me, stating that I was a ‘notable insurrectionist who attacked the United States Capitol’ and that I ‘bloodied and beat law enforcement,’” Speciale previously told the Daily Signal. “The truth is the exact opposite—I was warning the government of possible violence at the National Counterterrorism Center and the FBI, and I was there trying to stop potential violence on January 6th.” Speciale claims that the Democrat Party has stonewalled the discovery process, the process by which parties in a lawsuit obtain documents from one another to prove their cases. “This continued practice of hindrance to discovery in this case is evidence that Spanberger is involved in defamation,” Speciale told Judge Richard Campbell in court Monday. As you can see here on this archived version, the press release claimed Speciale "attacked the US Capitol" on Jan. 6 and suggested he "bloodied and beat law enforcement officers."Speciale contests both claims, and says this press release defamed him.3/20 pic.twitter.com/TRmsU4LBq2— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) September 15, 2025 The Spanberger Connection Speciale sought to depose Spanberger herself, but the Democrat Party’s lawyers presented a sworn affidavit from Spanberger saying she had no knowledge of the press release. Judge Campbell later agreed to allow Speciale to depose her via written questions. Speciale claims that Spanberger responded to his questions in writing in June 2025, but the Democrat Party’s lawyers are refusing to hand over the responses unless he agrees that they be kept under seal. Neither the Democrat Party’s legal team nor the office of the attorney general responded to the Daily Signal’s requests for comment on the claim that Spanberger already wrote her answers to Speciale’s questions. After the judge agreed to let Speciale depose Spanberger in writing, the Democrat Party hired Don Scott, speaker of the House of Delegates, to the legal team. After hiring Scott, the party then moved to suspend the case under Virginia Code Section 30-5 until the end of the Legislature’s special session. Virginia Code Section 30-5 creates a buffer to allow lawyers who are serving in the Legislature to pause their legal work in order to focus on the legislative session, but Speciale condemned the party’s hiring of Scott as an “improper” attempt to “delay the proceedings” and “obstruct justice.” Judge Dismisses Motions Speciale asked the judge to sanction the Democrat Party or its attorneys for abusing Section 30-5 to delay the case. He also asked the judge to compel the Democrat Party to hand over the written statements from Spanberger’s deposition. Judge Campbell rejected both motions. The judge said Section 30-5 is “sacrosanct,” and he would not question the Democrat Party’s use of it. As for the motion to compel Spanberger’s deposition, a lawyer representing the state attorney general’s office argued that it would set a dangerous precedent. “No court has ever previously compelled a sitting governor to sit for deposition,” Michael Shebelskie, a partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth who represented the attorney general’s office, said in court. “The record shows that Governor Spanberger has no knowledge that would be relevant to this case.” Shebelskie cited Virginia Code Section 8.01-407, which states that “no subpoena shall, without permission of the court first obtained, issue for the attendance of the governor…” The law aims to protect governors and other high-ranking officials, in order to enable them to carry out their public duties. Speciale countered the argument, citing Clinton v. Jones (1997), a case in which the Supreme Court denied then-President Bill Clinton’s attempt to delay Paula Jones’ sexual harassment lawsuit regarding Clinton’s alleged actions as governor before he became president. Yet Judge Campbell rejected Speciale’s motion, citing precedent in Richmond Circuit Court. Speciale argued that the case isn’t about him, but about the Democrats’ hyperbolic rhetoric demonizing political opponents. “This isn’t about me,” he said. “It’s about what they do to people like me.” Although Speciale says he will appeal the rulings, these motions are currently incidental to the case, which seeks to hold the Democrat Party of Virginia and former officials at Spanberger’s 2022 campaign accountable for alleged defamation. The denial of these motions does not weaken the overall case.

While campaigning in New Hampshire for U.S. Senate candidate John Sununu, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he expects another federal government shutdown in September, in order to give Democrats an advantage in the November midterm elections. Kennedy told reporters that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., could use the approaching expiration of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on Sept. 30 as an opportunity to “create more chaos” ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. “I think he is going to shut the government down in September because that would create more chaos,” Kennedy said of Schumer. “I wish I didn’t have to say that, but I think it’s a reality.” If Kennedy’s prediction proves accurate, it would mark the third federal government shutdown this year. In October, the federal government shut down for 43 days. In February, the Department of Homeland Security experienced a 76-day shutdown after Congress failed to reach an agreement on funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, amid disputes tied to President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Kennedy did not offer specific details about why he believes Schumer would pursue a shutdown or which funding provisions could be targeted. Recent election trends have raised questions about whether shutdown-related political dynamics could benefit Democrats, particularly as Republicans control all three branches of the federal government. However, a direct correlation between shutdowns and electoral outcomes remains speculative. In 2026, Democrat primary turnout has outpaced Republican turnout in several states. In North Carolina, more voters participated in the Democrat statewide primary than in the Republican contest. Mississippi saw nearly an 80% increase in Democrat primary turnout compared to its last Senate primary in 2018. In Texas, a record 2.3 million votes were cast in the Democrat primary last month. According to The Downballot, Democrats have also improved on their 2024 presidential election margins by an average of 11% in special elections in 2026 and roughly 13% since the start of 2025.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated that President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation of him and his wife. “Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list,” Newsom said Monday in a post on X. “He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us. They have not found a crime – they are simply trying to find one.” The governor added that his history of publishing inflammatory social media posts against Trump prompted the president to launch the investigation. “He hates that I consistently call him out,” Newsom wrote. “He is simply the most corrupt President in American history.” Reporters have noted that the investigation into Newsom is regarding his taxes and his chief of staff. “We have nothing to hide,” Newsom wrote, before inviting the president to continue investigating him. “Mr. President, come after me. I am not going anywhere. The country is watching.” Throughout a video statement accompanying the post, Newsom denied any wrongdoing, and added that the president is trying to prevent the governor from launching a future presidential bid. Newsom said the president is disrespecting established court procedures with the investigation. He added the probe is “digging into” a long list of old documents to find a crime that would damage his candidacy. Newsom said the president is repeatedly using his office for personal gain, including financial gain. However, since Newsom began his political career in 2002, his net worth jumped from $7 million to nearly $30 million, according to The Hill. The DOJ has not responded to the Daily Signal’s request for comment. The White House has declined to answer. This story is developing and may be updated.