The Department of War released the names of four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in an Iranian attack in Kuwait over the weekend. Those fallen include Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, according to the Pentagon. All four of the soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Des Moines, Iowa, and were supporting Operation Epic Fury. The department is continuing to investigate the incident that occurred in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, during an unmanned aircraft system attack. Two other service members were also killed in the attack but have yet to be identified publicly. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that the troops were killed after an Iranian missile slipped through U.S. air defenses during heavy incoming fire. “You have air defenses and a lot coming in — and you hit most of it,” Hegseth said. “Every once in a while, you might have one — unfortunately, we call it a ‘squirter’ — that makes its way through.” “These are powerful weapons,” he added. President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to the fallen, but said “there will likely be more” before the operation ends. “We honor our fallen heroes, who served fearlessly and selflessly in defense of our nation. Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten,” Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, said. Capt. Cody Khork Khork, a resident of Lakeland, Florida, first joined the National Guard in 2009, where he worked as a 13P (Multiple Launch Rocket System / Fire Direction Specialist). In 2014, he became a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve, serving as a Military Police officer. Over the course of his service, he deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2018, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2021, and Poland in 2024. Khork’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 10 Year Device and “M” Device, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor Amor, a resident of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, enlisted in the National Guard as a 92A (Automated Logistics Specialist) in 2005. She transferred to the Army Reserve in 2006 and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. Amor’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens Tietjens, a resident of Bellevue, Nebraska, enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2006 as a 91B (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic). He had two deployments to Kuwait in 2009 and 2019. Tietjens’ awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. Sgt. Declan J. Coady Coady, posthumously promoted from specialist, was a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as a 25B (Army Information Technology Specialist). Coady’s awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. “To the families and teammates of these Cactus Nation soldiers: you have my deepest sympathy and my respect,” Maj. Gen. Todd Erskine, commanding general, 79th Theater Sustainment Command, said. “Our nation is kept safe by folks like these — brave men and women who put it all on the line every single day. They represent the heart of America. We will remember their names, their service, and their sacrifice.”

While critics of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy push the narrative that his Iran strikes are dividing MAGA, a closer look at the data suggests that any cracks are at the surface rather than deep in the president’s Republican base. The RealClearPolitics Average showed that overall support for Operation Epic Fury, the joint military campaign undertaken by the United States and Israel over the weekend, had the president underwater a bit with 39% approving of the action and 52% disapproving. A breakdown of some of the individual polls showed that Republicans were united on the issue, with no one poll showing more than 18% opposing military action in Iran. The vast majority of the disapproval came from Democrats — who were also fairly united — and, to a lesser extent, independents. A CBS/YouGov poll taken between March 2 and March 3, for example, showed that just 10% of Democrats approved of military action in Iran and 90% disapproved. Among independents, 63% opposed the action and 37% were in favor. A majority of Republicans (85%) supported military action and just 15% did not. A similar result came from a Washington Post poll taken on March 1, which showed Democrat opposition at 87% and support at 9%. On the Republican side, 81% approved and 12% did not — and independents once again fell in the middle, with 59% against military action and 28% in favor of it. A Reuters/Ipsos survey followed the same pattern, with 5% of Democrats supporting military action in Iran and 95% against it. Republicans came out largely in favor of military action, showing 82% approving and 18% disapproving. Among independents, 67% disapproved and 29% supported the action. The apparent outlier included in the average was a poll from InsiderAdvantage taken on February 28, but it still showed similar numbers from Republicans: 79.3% in favor and 12% opposed. The numbers for Democrats shifted slightly, with 62.5% disapproving and 32.1% approving. Independents also showed much higher numbers in favor of military action, with 45.3% supporting and 40.3% opposing. Sentiments had been moving in Trump’s favor, if only slightly, just prior to the first strikes, however. A CBS/YouGov poll taken on February 24 showed 47% in favor of Trump taking military action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and 53% opposed. Just three days later, 51% were in favor and 49% opposed. A Fox News poll conducted between February 28 and March 2 showed overall approval and disapproval deadlocked at 50% on either side — but also showed that a majority (61%) view Iran as a national security threat. Among Republicans, as in the other polls, the sentiment lies primarily (84%) on the side of taking military action against Iran. Among independents, support for military action was just under half, at 40% — and only 20% of Democrats were in favor. The Fox News poll went a bit deeper as well, noting that among those who had served in the military, a majority (59%) favored the campaign against the Iranian regime and 39% opposed it.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said on Tuesday that he didn’t understand a reporter’s question comparing President Donald Trump’s recent military action in Iran with former President Barack Obama’s military action in Libya in 2011. Jeffries took the question from Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin, who referenced 2011 comments from then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). At the time, Pelosi had insisted that Obama did not need prior authorization from Congress to strike Libya, nor did he need authorization to continue military action there. WATCH: NEW: I asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) about Nancy Pelosi saying in 2011 that President Obama didn’t need Congressional approval to bomb Libya, but Dems now say President Trump needs approval to bomb Iran? Jeffries said Iran is “very different” & told me “I… pic.twitter.com/SkLr1R5wr1 — Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 3, 2026 “House Democrats say Trump needs that approval to bomb Iran,” Melugin said. “What’s the difference?” “Well, obviously, Libya and the circumstances connected to that were very different than the circumstance that we face in Iran right now,” Jeffries said, adding, “I mean, I don’t even understand the genesis or basis of that question, not suggesting you’re asking it in bad faith.” “Libya went on for seven months,” Melugin pointed out. “But I’ve said — as I’ve indicated — first of all, I was not in Congress at the time, so we’re dealing with what we’re dealing with right now, which is a catastrophic endless war as Donald Trump has characterized it,” Jeffries claimed despite the fact that the current operation was just over 72 hours old and Trump’s initial prediction was that the mission could be accomplished in a matter of weeks. Jeffries went on to complain that the Trump administration had acted without intelligence indicating “a preeminent attack on the United States” or American interests and claimed that if such action was necessary, it meant that the president had not been telling the truth when he said that the airstrikes last year had completely wiped out Iran’s nuclear program. Multiple Democrats — including Jeffries — have criticized Trump for authorizing action against Iran without first consulting Congress for authorization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that the Gang of Eight had been informed, and then cited the War Powers Resolution of 1973 to assert that the Trump administration had done things by the book. The War Powers Resolution states that the president can engage in military action for up to 48 hours without informing Congress, and can continue to wage war for up to 60 days — with an additional 30 days for any necessary troop drawdowns — without going to Congress for authorization. As Rubio also noted, no presidential administration — Republican or Democrat — has ever accepted the War Powers Resolution as constitutional.

Police body-camera footage has been released showing the moments after a former “American Idol” contestant and worship pastor allegedly killed his wife in the early morning hours of February 16 in Tipp City, Ohio, just north of Dayton. Caleb Flynn is in jail on a $2 million bond after being charged with the murder of his wife, Ashley. The newly released video shows the Tipp City Police responding to what they believed was a burglary call that ended with Ashley being shot. Now, officials say Caleb shot his wife and staged the burglary scene. “Is she gone?” Caleb, who once raved on “American Idol” about how much he loved his wife, asked investigators as they canvassed the crime scene. Caleb seemed in pure shock that his wife was dead. Investigators asked Caleb if he had any weapons. He said he had guns in the house and referenced one specifically in his truck’s glove compartment. Hours of body-cam footage were released this week as the investigation into Caleb continues. In one of the videos, Caleb is confiding in another woman, believed to be Ashley’s mother, in the yard as officers work to secure the scene. “She told me to sleep on the couch … I shouldn’t have listened,” Caleb said. The father of two was wailing and even throwing up at one point during the police’s initial search of the home. Caleb and Ashley’s daughters were inside during the alleged shooting. Caleb Flynn, a former American Idol contestant, is accused of staging a burglary and killing his wife. Newly released body cam footage shows him sobbing at the scene.#CalebFlynn #AmericanIdol #CrimeNews #BodyCamFootage #CourtCase #fyp #explorepage pic.twitter.com/eNa47faFGm — MEAWW (@meawwofficial) March 3, 2026 Later that morning, the footage shows Caleb agreeing to go to the police station for questioning. While sitting at the station, he asked about getting his phone back as well as where Ashley was. “Where did you take her?” Caleb asked the detective. The detective responded by saying Ashley’s body was still at the house as investigators were “scouring” everything. Three days after Caleb voluntarily went in for questioning, he was arrested and transported to the Miami County jail, where he remains on charges of homicide, two counts of felonious assault, and two counts of tampering with evidence. After Caleb’s arrest, Ashley’s family released this statement: “Our hearts are shattered. Ashley brought endless light to our world and we are trying to navigate this immense loss. Our family believes this arrest was made carefully and not without serious consideration. After speaking with both local police and federal authorities, we trust the proper steps were taken and the process is being handled appropriately. We kindly ask for privacy as we work through this complex situation. We are clinging to our faith – just as Ashley did each and every day.” Prior to Caleb’s arrest, Ashley was set to have a public celebration of life, but because of the tragic circumstances, she was laid to rest privately. Caleb is being represented by Patrick Mulligan, who spoke out about his client’s $2 million bond. Per the Dayton Daily News, Mulligan said the bond was unnecessary. “It denies him the opportunity to be at the funeral for his wife, which is an unspeakable tragedy,” Mulligan said at the time. Caleb made his first court appearance on February 20, where he told the judge, “I just want to take care of my daughters, I’m not a risk.” Caleb’s preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for March 26. The 39-year-old competed on Season 12 of “American Idol.” He described himself as a devoted husband, worship pastor, and Christian. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A new report is adding fuel to Republican efforts to frame 2026 as the opening salvo in President Donald Trump’s so-called “War on Fraud,” just days before House lawmakers are set to question Minnesota’s top officials over what the president has described as one of the largest public-fraud scandals in the country. The State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF) report, released Tuesday morning, claims that 40 conservative state treasurers, auditors, and comptrollers across 28 states recovered or returned $28 billion in taxpayer funds this year through efforts targeting waste, fraud, abuse, unclaimed property, and investment mismanagement. The organization says the report will be issued annually. In a letter accompanying the report, SFOF CEO OJ Oleka wrote to Vice President JD Vance, who was tasked during the State of the Union with helping lead the administration’s anti-fraud initiative, pledging state-level cooperation with federal enforcement efforts. The letter was also sent to Associate Deputy Attorney General Colin McDonald, recently nominated by Trump to serve as the first Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement at the Justice Department, a role supporters have dubbed the administration’s “fraud czar.” It comes at an auspicious time for the administration and his supporters. The United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability is preparing to question Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison over oversight failures connected to a sweeping pandemic-era fraud case involving a federally funded child nutrition program in Minnesota. During his State of the Union address, Trump singled out Minnesota as a “stunning example” of systemic fraud, alleging that billions in taxpayer funds were siphoned off through fraudulent schemes. Federal prosecutors have previously charged dozens of individuals in connection with the case, which centered on misuse of COVID-relief funds intended to feed low-income children. Court filings have detailed large sums improperly obtained, though the precise dollar totals remain the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. Republicans argue the case reflects broader governance failures in Democratic-led states. In a statement obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire ahead of the Oversight hearing, Republican Minnesota State Senator Jordan Rasmusson said taxpayers “deserve answers on why billions of taxpayer dollars were stolen through fraudulent schemes under the failed leadership of Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison,” adding that federal intervention has been critical in prosecuting offenders. Oleka framed the Minnesota case as a cautionary tale. In his statement, also exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire,  he called it “a criminal heist of historic proportions” and argued that eliminating the state treasurer’s office in Minnesota diffused financial oversight authority. Minnesota voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1998 abolishing the elected treasurer position, consolidating certain duties under other state offices. Supporters of Walz and Ellison have previously maintained that the fraud was uncovered through state and federal cooperation and that prosecutions demonstrate the system ultimately worked. The governor’s office has said it has implemented additional oversight mechanisms since the scandal emerged. The SFOF report contrasts what it describes as aggressive fraud recovery efforts in red states with what it characterizes as lax oversight in states like Minnesota. The new report from the State Financial Officers Foundation details what it describes as a coordinated effort by conservative financial officers to aggressively police public spending and return money to taxpayers. According to SFOF, its members uncovered $5.7 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse in 2025 alone, while generating or returning another $22.3 billion through investment earnings and unclaimed property programs, totaling $28 billion in what the organization calls protected or restored taxpayer funds. Among the largest waste and fraud findings highlighted in the report were in Florida, where Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia identified roughly $1.86 billion in what SFOF described as excessive or wasteful local government spending, and in Kentucky, Auditor Allison Ball flagged approximately $1 billion in Medicaid waste and lapsed education funds. Whether the upcoming Oversight hearing produces new disclosures remains to be seen. But with the White House publicly elevating fraud enforcement as a national priority, and state financial officers positioning themselves as frontline partners, the Minnesota case is likely to serve as a test of competing narratives: one arguing systemic executive failure necessitating strong preemptive action, the other pointing to eventual detection and reaction as evidence of accountability.