In a stunning revelation that underscores the malevolent depths of the Iranian regime, a new investigation by Catherine Herridge suggests that the 2020 Iranian ballistic missile attack on Al Asad Air Base was far more than a conventional strike. While the public was told at the time that no Americans died, the reality is a nightmare of traumatic brain injuries and the alleged use of “dirty” warheads laced with toxic agents and radioactive materials. According to military records obtained by Herridge’s team, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) didn’t just want to create craters in a runway; they were conducting a live-fire test of their most heinous capabilities. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alan Johnson, who survived the attack, believes Iran intentionally deployed contaminated warheads to inflict long-term damage on American troops in retaliation for the death of Qasem Soleimani. Johnson said one specific missile had a “heat signature” entirely different from the others. The evidence is hard to ignore. Military testing records reportedly identified radioactive isotopes like actinium-228, bismuth-214, and cesium-137 at the site — substances that experts say have no business being near a conventional missile. Retired JAG lawyer Robert Broadbent was blunt: before the attack, there was no radiation at Al Asad. After the missiles landed? The environment was toxic. The military’s own quiet admission of this reality is perhaps the most damning: every service member now deployed to the base is issued a dosimeter to monitor radiation exposure. For the soldiers on the ground, surviving the initial blast has turned into a slow-motion catastrophe. Service members in their 20s and 30s are now facing thyroid cancer, homelessness, and mental health issues. Johnson himself is being screened for cancer, while at least six others in his group have already been diagnosed. The investigation suggests that the IRGC bypassed the runways and specifically targeted living quarters and dining facilities to maximize the toxic exposure of U.S. personnel.

President Donald Trump weighs military action in Minneapolis, the White House maintains pressure on Iran as Trump ratchets down his rhetoric, and the Senate hears the testimony against mail-order abortion pills. It’s Friday, January 16, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below: Trump Threatens Insurrection Act As tensions remain high in Minneapolis following another ICE shooting on Wednesday, President Trump is threatening to invoke a centuries-old law. According to the Department of Homeland Security, an agent was attempting to detain an illegal immigrant when the man fled on foot. As the agent caught up to him, two more illegal immigrants emerged from a nearby apartment and began attacking him with a snow shovel and broomstick, DHS said. The agent fired a shot in self-defense, striking the first man in the leg. All three men were eventually detained. On Thursday, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act unless “the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E.” The 1807 law authorized the president to deploy the military on U.S. soil to suppress an insurrection or violent unrest when the state is unable to do so. It also applies to cases in which a state is unable or unwilling to enforce federal law. Trump Eases Tensions With Iran, But Military Threat Remains President Trump keeps the world on edge with his plans for Iran. On Tuesday, speculation circulated that an American strike against Iran is coming soon. Iran closed its airspace, and reports said some American personnel were evacuating the region. But Trump took a step back, telling reporters that his administration had been informed that the Iranian regime had stayed executions scheduled for Wednesday. Still, reports suggest the United States is moving military assets into the region, and the White House insists that Trump has not ruled out military action. The situation between Washington and Tehran remains tense. Senators Scrutinize Abortion Pill Senators heard testimony this week about the abortion pill, now by far the leading means of abortion in the United States. Particularly at issue is the Biden-era policy that stripped away the requirement that a woman consult with a physician in person before taking the pill, mifepristone. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, spoke to Morning Wire about a recent congressional hearing on abortion pills. According to Cassidy, Americans need to be better informed about the risks. He also said that lawmakers need to reverse Biden-era rules that allow people to obtain the pills without an in-person interview with a doctor. That change would eliminate cases “in which someone else ordered the abortion pill and forced the pregnant woman to take them,” Cassidy said.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly met with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday in Caracas to discuss economic cooperation and intensifying efforts against drug trafficking.  An American official told The New York Times that the purpose of Ratcliffe’s meeting was “to deliver the message that the United States looks forward to an improved working relationship” with Venezuela. Rodriguez, who spoke with President Donald Trump during a phone call on Wednesday, became the interim leader of Venezuela after American forces captured dictator Nicolás Maduro. “During the meeting in Caracas, Director Ratcliffe discussed potential opportunities for economic collaboration and that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for America’s adversaries, especially narcotraffickers,” an American official confirmed to CNN.  The unidentified American official told the Times that allowing Rodriguez to remain in power for now would help prevent Venezuela from “descending into some chaotic situation” and would allow her to “cooperate and coordinate with the U.S. government.” Before Maduro’s capture, the CIA carried out a reported strike on a Venezuelan port that U.S. officials said was used to load drugs onto boats bound for North America. Earlier this month, Trump announced a controversial oil deal with Venezuela in which the country would provide the United States with between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude oil. With the money made from oil sales, Trump said that Venezuela would purchase American agricultural, medical, and electrical equipment.  Ratcliffe’s meeting with Rodriguez came after Trump met with Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado.  “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done,” said Trump. “Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you, María!” Top Trump officials have reiterated the administration’s commitment to long-term democratic elections in Venezuela; however, the president has not set a timeline for when elections might take place. ​​“We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election. There’s no way the people could even vote,” Trump said in an interview last week. “No, it’s going to take a period of time. We have to nurse the country back to health.”

Most Americans want more faith in the public square and want to have more say over what their children learn in the classroom, according to a new survey of attitudes toward religious liberty released Friday. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty released its annual Religious Freedom Index, documenting a rise in support for Americans to practice their faith in public and private. The index surveyed over 1,000 Americans and asked them for their opinions on a range of topics from curriculum opt-outs to sharing faith in public. “This year’s Index shows that Americans – and especially younger generations – increasingly share a vigorous vision of religious liberty, one that is not confined to churches and private homes but expressed openly in the public square,” Becket wrote in its report, which was first obtained by The Daily Wire. Becket found that 73% of Americans believe that parents should be able to opt their kids out of public school curriculum. That is a ten point increase since 2021 and comes after the Supreme Court ruled last year that a group of Maryland parents should be allowed to take their kids out of classroom instruction involving LGBT and sexuality-focused materials. That case was brought by Becket on behalf of a coalition of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim parents. The survey found that 62% of Americans supported that decision. “When it comes to raising children, mom and dad know best. That common-sense idea commands overwhelming support, with nearly three-quarters of Americans agreeing that parents should have the final say on what their children are taught in public school. It’s a powerful reminder that in our nation, families—not government officials—are the primary educators of the next generation,” Eric Baxter, the vice president and senior counsel at Becket, told The Daily Wire. More Americans also believe that Americans should be free to share their faith in public, including at work and school. “[Fifty-seven percent] of Americans agree that religious freedom is inherently public, and that Americans should be free to share their faith in public spaces, such as at school, work, or on social media — a five-point rise since 2020,” the index found. Notably, new guidance issued by the Trump administration last year made it clear that federal workers are allowed to invite their co-workers to church and share their religious beliefs with them. The survey also found that a plurality of Americans (47%) believe that Christian counselors should be allowed to guide children away from gender-confusion, 58% say that bakers and cake artists should not be forced to create a product that violates their conscience, and 65% approved of a recent Supreme Court decision that sided with a Catholic charity that sued Wisconsin after it made it pay certain taxes that other religious organizations were exempt from.

Since Inauguration Day, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been working nonstop to make America safe again. Thanks to their operations, the Trump administration has deported more than 600,000 illegal aliens, including predators, gang members, drug traffickers, and violent criminals. Another 1.9 million have chosen to self-deport rather than face arrest. In Tennessee, we are seeing how these efforts are transforming communities for the better. ICE officers have played a vital role in President Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force, helping restore law and order in a city that last year recorded the highest crime rate in the country. Since the task force launched in September, overall crime has dropped 44%, including a 70% reduction in car thefts and a 44% decline in murders. In total, the task force has conducted more than 5,800 arrests, including hundreds of warrant arrests for domestic violence and aggravated assault and dozens more for narcotics, weapons, robbery, homicide, and sexual assault. Nearly 800 have been immigration arrests conducted by ICE officers, apprehending aliens charged with some of the worst crimes imaginable: child abuse, human trafficking, assaulting police officers, domestic violence, aggravated assault, drug dealing, and more. A big part of this success: local, state, and federal law enforcement are working closely together to identify and detain criminals, including illegal aliens. In November, the Shelby County Sheriff signed a 287(g) agreement that allows law enforcement to detain and transport illegal aliens wanted by ICE, serving as a model of what can be accomplished when authorities at all levels of government cooperate to enforce our immigration laws. Beyond Memphis, ICE has detained dangerous criminals across Tennessee. Just last weekend, agents arrested a criminal meth dealer in Monroe County. In Nashville, agents have rounded up violent criminal illegal aliens, including Tren de Aragua gang members who operated a transnational sex trafficking ring. Operations like these are making communities safer for Tennesseans and Americans nationwide. Yet for months, Democrats have smeared these officers for doing their job and enforcing the law. California Governor Gavin Newsom compared them to “secret police.” Minnesota’s Tim Walz likened them to “modern-day Gestapo.” Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) called ICE’s operations “vile and beyond cruel,” while Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) claimed agents are “turning our country into a fascist police state.” This reckless rhetoric has put a target on the back of the brave men and women of ICE, who are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults over the last year. In response, far-Left activists have mobilized to disrupt lawful ICE operations, endangering both agents and the public. We saw this in Minneapolis, where 37-year-old Renee Good attempted to impede federal officers and hit an ICE agent — forcing the officer, who suffered internal bleeding, to use lethal force to stop her. This tragedy should have never happened. But instead of dialing back their incendiary language, Democrats have doubled down. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instructed ICE agents to “get the f— out” of the city, and Minnesota is suing the Trump administration to block their law enforcement operations. In Congress, Democrats are threatening a partial government shutdown to block funding for the agency. Some media outlets have only made matters worse by amplifying false narratives. Just this week in Tennessee, a local news outlet claimed that state troopers ran over a man protesting ICE. Dashcam footage later showed that the protester flagged down the vehicle, bent down in front of it, and walked off unharmed. The lies, slander, and mischaracterizations can’t hide the truth: ICE agents are putting their lives on the line every single day to protect the American people — from Memphis to Minneapolis and everywhere in between. And they deserve our full support as they uphold the rule of law. * * * U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn represents the state of Tennessee and serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.