A Variety writer is getting absolutely annihilated online for his headline about legendary action star Chuck Norris’s death last week. While most mainstream outlets spoke highly of Norris and his career, William Earl, writing for Variety, chose to focus on the martial arts star’s politics instead. His headline said, “Chuck Norris Was a Great Action Star — but Politics May Overshadow His Legacy.” In the article, Earl asks, “When a star is the poster boy for American exceptionalism and might, at what point does his legacy transition from escapism to dangerous propaganda?” Social media critics were not on board with the author’s opinions and weren’t shy about letting him know. “No normal person thinks about politics when Chuck Norris’ name is brought up,” one X user wrote in reply. “However much you hate the press, you do not hate them enough.” “Chuck Norris was an action legend and a great American. ‘Variety’ is an example of why so many people detest the media,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis agreed. “What a crappy way to honor a legend. You guys suck,” a third person echoed. “All day people were telling Chuck Norris jokes. That was 100% shaped by his action movies and shows. Nobody was discussing Chuck’s politics. This is just stupid and lazy Variety. Be better,” another said. “Chuck Norris remains an American legend whose tough guy roles defined an era. Ignore Variety’s biased political nonsense,” another commenter agreed. Norris, who died on March 19, was one of the few unapologetic and wildly successful Christian conservatives working in Hollywood. He advocated for Republican politicians, supported gun rights, pushed for the Bible to be brought back into schools, and published a regular column at conservative website WorldNetDaily, as The Daily Wire previously reported. Besides advocating for his faith and for Bibles to return to public schools, the martial arts star was a fervent supporter of the military and took several trips overseas to visit deployed troops. Norris was a patriot with a strong sense of national pride. He was also a big supporter of President Trump, which clearly didn’t win him any friends at Variety.

President Donald Trump rejected a pitch to fund other agencies under the Department of Homeland Security except for ICE, multiple sources confirmed to The Daily Wire on Monday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated to the president that Senate Republicans and some Democrats would back the pitch in hopes of ending the shutdown that started in mid-February, according to Punchbowl News. In exchange, funding for ICE would be handled through a future reconciliation bill that would only need Republican votes to pass, the report noted. “I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday. A source familiar with the talks said that there is a “bipartisan negotiation train that is still working” that met with White House border czar Tom Homan last week. In addition, one GOP Senate staffer indicated to The Daily Wire that Democrats are “letting go potentially of judicial warrants and face masks” in exchange for not allowing further ICE funding through the appropriations process, with some exceptions like Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The staffer noted that it could be a “true compromise” because Republicans already have much of what they want for ICE funding with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed by Trump last year. According to the source, the Democrats in the conversation include Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and some of the “moderate Dems who voted to reopen the government during the last shutdown.” “They’ve been dragging their feet the whole time. They’ve been slow walking it, and they keep moving the goalposts of what they actually want, while TSA continues to be held hostage,” the source said, noting that it took 18 days for Senate Democrats to send an update counteroffer to the White House. Democrats backed out of a meeting with White House staff on Saturday, according to a GOP Senate staffer on background, and the White House did not end up meeting with Senate Democrats on Monday. As for the Monday meeting, the White House said that it has to do with Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) likely confirmation to become DHS secretary on Monday night. “Given that Democrats turned down a previous meeting and that Mullin is likely to be confirmed tonight, it seemed appropriate to wait until after his confirmation to allow him to be a full participant in ongoing conversations,” a White House official told The Daily Wire on background Monday. Some of the most contentious parts of the negotiations have been on the proposed use of judicial warrants and the end of masking for agents, two of the most notable items that Democrats have requested for federal immigration enforcement reforms, according to Punchbowl News. The White House sent its counteroffer to the Senate last week, which included proposals such as “[expanding] the use of body-worn cameras and to ‘limit civil immigration enforcement activities at certain sensitive locations,'” along with heightened oversight of ICE detention facilities. While the talks continue, the president sent ICE to numerous airports in hopes of speeding up wait times in security lines, as hundreds of TSA agents have walked off the job with no paycheck in sight. Senate Democrats have argued that Republicans have been unwilling to fund TSA by itself, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) forced an ultimately unsuccessful vote to just pay employees from that specific agency on Saturday, The Hill reported. “Instead of sending ICE agents to harass travelers at airports, why don’t Republicans get their act together and agree to pay TSA workers like we’ve asked them to SEVEN TIMES now?” Schumer posted to X on Sunday.

Egregious wait times at airports have quickly become all the rage — quite literally — as traveler frustration boils over, but the severity varies widely from one airport to another. While some airports are reporting delays of six hours or more, others are moving travelers through security in six minutes or less. Why? The answer lies in staffing models and privatization. During the government shutdown, private contractors continue to be paid through pre-funded contracts, while federal TSA employees are not. As a result, many TSA officers have called out or quit, while privately staffed airports remain largely unaffected. On Sunday, more than 10% of TSA agents called out nationwide. New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) saw the highest rate, with 42.3% of agents absent. “This pointless, reckless shutdown of our homeland security workforce has caused more than 400 TSA officers to quit and thousands to call out from work because they are not able to afford gas, childcare, food, or rent,” said Lauren Bis, acting assistant DHS secretary. Roughly 20 airports in the United States participate in the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which allows private contractors to handle security screening instead of federal TSA officers. Most travelers do not even notice the difference. The private contractors are held to the same standards as federally employed officers. Unlike TSA, private screeners are paid through pre-funded federal contracts, meaning their compensation is not disrupted during a government shutdown. TSA officers, however, are paid directly by the federal government and can be affected when funding lapses. Dr. Evette Richards, who flew from one of the private contractor airports in Kansas City, Missouri, told the Daily Wire she had a smooth experience.  Here’s the not-so-surprising reason your airport may have a longer wait time than others… pic.twitter.com/Bim0GhwMuy — Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) March 23, 2026 “I walked right in,” she said. “I believe our airport has contract TSA, so we are not in the long lines and the difficulties other people are experiencing, and hopefully we can get that resolved quickly because all those individuals [federal TSA employees] working without pay is just unbelievable.” The partial government shutdown started on February 14, when the Department of Homeland Security’s funding expired. That meant February marked the last paycheck for TSA agents. They won’t see one again until Congressional Republicans and Democrats can agree on funding. Democrats will not fund the department without limitations and oversight placed on ICE and Customs and Border Patrol. Republicans want DHS funded without those conditions. TSA is simply caught in the crosshairs. Amidst the drama, President Trump turned up the temperature by deploying ICE agents at fourteen airports on Monday to assist TSA. But funding DHS does not seem to be the president’s top priority for Congress. Trump said Congress should focus on passing the SAVE Act, which would require voters to bring legal identification to the polls. He even suggested Congress should forgo Easter to get the legislation done.

A North Austin church attended by Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D-TX) is drawing increased attention amid his U.S. Senate campaign, with church leadership citing both heightened visibility and security concerns. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, where Talarico has been a member since childhood, has recently hosted and is continuing to promote a series of events that include political organizing and activist training sessions. Pastor Jim Rigby told congregants in a Facebook post that the attention surrounding Talarico’s campaign has led to an increase in both positive engagement and “hostile press” and negative communications. “Because we have also received some hostile press and an influx of negative communication, we have temporarily hired plain clothes security as a safety precaution,” Rigby wrote, adding that the church is considering longer-term safety measures. Among the events promoted by the church was a gathering tied to the “No Kings” protest movement, which took place Sunday, June 22, following the church’s morning service. “Join us this Sunday following the 11:00 service in the sanctuary as we prepare together for the upcoming No Kings protest,” the church said in an event listing. “We’ll review key materials and relevant training, set up shared communication channels … and close with a digital safety training.” The session included guidance on “personal privacy, protest device recommendations, and best practices for keeping yourself safe,” according to the church’s website. A third wave of “No Kings” protests is scheduled to take place nationwide on June 28, including an event in Austin planned from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CDT. The church has also advertised a self-defense seminar, coached by a man described as “a martial artist trained in boxing, MMA, and traditional disciplines.” The event, open to the public, notes that instruction will incorporate “gender-neutral and body-affirming language.” Rigby has not replied to The Daily Wire’s request for comment on the training at the time of publishing. Talarico, an Austin Democrat, is running in a high-profile Senate race that will pit him against either Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton or Sen. John Cornyn, depending on the outcome of the Republican primary runoff. Conservatives have highlighted Talarico’s public statements about Christianity, such as abortion being a biblical teaching and that God is nonbinary, arguing that his views are out of step with many Texas voters. Talarico, who began pursuing a master of divinity degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2022, has defended his positions as grounded in his faith. He has also criticized Republican-backed policies, including a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools, describing such measures as inconsistent with Christian teaching. Talarico has said he aims to “reclaim Christianity for the Left,” framing his political positions as rooted in biblical principles and social justice concerns. His approach reflects a broader trend within mainline Protestant denominations that have aligned with progressive political priorities. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the denomination to which St. Andrew’s belongs, has experienced decades of membership decline, falling significantly from its peak in the mid-20th century, even as more theologically conservative Presbyterian groups have reported growth in recent years. As Talarico’s Senate campaign gains national attention, his home congregation will likely continue to be viewed not just as a place of worship, but as a venue where faith and contemporary political activism intersect in highly visible ways.

In a society that loves to “blur the line” between man and woman, the result can be a strenuous casting process that might almost postpone production. Take FX’s “Love Story.” In the new show, viewers embark on the romantic yet tragic story of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, America’s most beloved couple in the 1990s. Ever known for their iconic fashion and good looks, choosing the right actors was indeed going to be a high task at hand. Executive producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson shared with People that selecting Sarah Pidgeon to play Bessette was a swift and easy choice: she “jumped out and stole the role” and immediately “won our hearts.” But the same could not be said for Kennedy. “We were three weeks away from shooting and we still [had] not cast him,” Simpson said. “We’d seen every male actor between the age of 25 and 38.” “We were about to shut down production and pause because we couldn’t find him,” he added. The show’s creator, Connor Hines, admitted he even sought out people on the street and at the gym to come read for the role.  But the problem wasn’t that they didn’t like their interviewees, Simpson said. There was something else missing. “Part of it was just that sort of ’80s, old school masculinity — a man with hair on his chest, sort of Richard Gere, Tom Selleck — the classic chiseled looks,” he said. “We’re not making those guys anymore, for some reason, and he really needed to have that.” In a GQ article, Simpson elaborated further: “It’s these men with broad shoulders and they are in shape, but they’re in shape because they’ve been throwing a football around, not because they’ve been working on every muscle in their body for a Marvel movie.” “We live in a world of electrolysis men, and it was a real challenge to find that sort of guy — a guy that women and gay men are attracted to, but also guys want to hang out and have a beer with.” Something needs to be said if even Hollywood starts admitting there’s a masculinity problem. The producers retraced their steps and considered the self-tapes they had already received, pulling out 13 new guys to come in and read. To their luck, Paul Anthony Kelly was among that group. “You’re crazy if you don’t cast him,” Simpson recalled a makeup artist saying as she walked past. Beyond his similar look to JFK Jr. — tall height, handsome, and yes, even chest hair — Simpson said Kelly had an “ease and charm” about him that was immediate. After a chemistry read with Pidgeon, there was no doubt the producers had found their Kennedy. Now, Kelly is marking his first major debut and becoming his own American heartthrob.