The Justice Department moved Friday to block a lawsuit from Missouri challenging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for allowing the abortion drug mifepristone to be shipped through the mail.  A filing from the DOJ argued that allowing the suit to move forward would inhibit a safety study on the abortion pill being conducted by the Trump administration. Missouri and several other Republican-led states have asked a judge to block a COVID-era policy that relaxed regulations for dispensing the abortion pill.  “Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho are not the only plaintiffs to have challenged the current conditions of use for mifepristone,” the Justice Department wrote. “Given this widespread debate over the safety of mifepristone, FDA has concluded that the best path forward is for the agency to undertake its review based on all the evidence before the agency.” The filing asked the judge to put the lawsuit on hold while the FDA reviews the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifepristone or dismiss the case altogether. It comes as pro-life advocates and lawmakers have called for the Trump administration to crack down on mail-order abortion pills.  Last year, FDA Administrator Marty Makary and Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that they initiated the REMS review. The study has yet to be released, and pro-life lawmakers and advocates have grown impatient as abortions continue to increase in states where medication abortion is banned due to an influx of outside pills.  A spokesman for the Justice Department told The Daily Wire that the intent of the filing was to allow the FDA to oversee drug policy, not the federal court system.  “In this filing, the Department of Justice requested more time from the court for the FDA to complete its review of mifepristone REMS,” the spokesman said. “As the Supreme Court recognized in a unanimous ruling less than two years ago, it is the role of the FDA – not the federal courts – to evaluate drug safety data and impose appropriate precautions.” The filing from the DOJ dismisses concerns from pro-life states that FDA policies allow abortionists to ship pills into their states. The department said that states “remain free to make and enforce their pro-life policies” and that the federal government is not “standing in the way of Intervenor Plaintiffs enforcing their abortion laws against out-of-state prescribers of mifepristone.” The filing mirrors another one from January, where the DOJ asked a judge not to grant a request from Louisiana also seeking to block the FDA’s abortion pill mailing policy. Data indicate that tens of thousands of abortions are still happening in states like Texas, where medication abortion is banned. While Attorney General Ken Paxton has attempted to penalize abortionists accused of shipping pills into the state, New York has so far refused to cooperate due to shield laws put in place for abortionists.  The Friday filing was condemned by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s handling of medication abortion.  “The pro-life movement has very simple demands,” she said. “There should be no place on the market for drugs meant to poison and kill innocent human beings – but at the very least, this administration can and should take them out of the mail. This is no more or less than the policy of the first Trump administration.” The Justice Department spokesman told The Daily Wire the department remains “committed to advancing President Trump’s pro-life agenda, including through dismissing criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits against peaceful pro-life advocates targeted by the previous administration, and using the FACE Act to protect pro-life pregnancy centers.”

The Justice Department announced Monday that it may have reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment. Though nothing is confirmed yet, the DOJ announced in Manhattan federal court that the case was likely nearing a conclusion after the term sheet was signed on Thursday, per the Associated Press. An unnamed official told the outlet that the terms included Live Nation paying a fine of up to $280 million and divesting some properties to allow for more competition in the ticket sales industry. The official said the settlement was a “win-win for everybody.” Certain states were allegedly not on board with the proposed terms, however, and Judge Arun Subramanian called the terms “entirely unacceptable.” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the settlement “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case.”  “My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” she said, adding that she preferred to move forward with the trial. Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has a similar take, saying, “[the] case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers and restoring competition to this market,” the outlet noted. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration, as WSJ reported. About 40 states came together to sue the entertainment company. U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements last Tuesday, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.” Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response. The complaint alleges that the company engages in “anticompetitive conduct” that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans — and bots — swarming the site all at once. This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023. Ticketmaster was founded in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has clashed with fans and artists, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.

The FBI on Sunday raided the homes of two men who have since been charged in an ISIS-inspired attack outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence.  The Pennsylvania homes of 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi were searched Sunday after they allegedly attempted to light an improvised explosive device (IED) outside of Mandani’s mayoral mansion during a protest on Saturday. The device did not detonate, but officials said it could have been deadly. “Earlier this evening, federal and local law enforcement conducted investigative activity in Middletown Township and Newtown related to an incident that occurred yesterday near the New York City Mayor’s official residence,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on Sunday. “Authorities have indicated that there is no known threat to the surrounding community, and the situation remains under the control of law enforcement. The activity was not related to immigration enforcement.” On Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media: “We have charged the two alleged ISIS-inspired terrorists who attempted to bomb a protest in New York City. We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation. Our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant.” Both suspects reportedly made pro-ISIS statements while in custody, Fox News reported. On Monday, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attempted bombing was an “act of inspired ISIS terrorism.” Police in Newton Township, where Kayumi resides, said Sunday that they were working with the FBI on an investigation. His family’s 5,800-square-foot home is worth $2.25 million, the New York Post reported. His parents are reportedly from Afghanistan and were naturalized between 2004 and 2009.  The home of Balat in Middletown Township was also searched on Sunday. That 3,200-square-foot home is worth $653,000, the New York Post reported.  “The FBI, along with specialized federal teams, is conducting a court-authorized search warrant as part of a federal investigation related to an incident that occurred yesterday in New York City,” Middletown Township said. “There is no known threat to the public at this time, and this activity is not related to immigration enforcement.” Balat is a high school senior in the Neshaminy School District, according to school officials. His parents are reportedly from Turkey and were naturalized in 2017.  Middletown Township Police Department. An additional residence in New Jersey was raided as part of the investigation, Fox News reported.  “FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the matter with our partners at NYPD as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York,” the FBI said on Sunday. “Preliminary analysis confirms one of the devices ignited and deployed by the subjects was an IED explosive. Tests remain ongoing for other devices.”

WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice has charged two “alleged ISIS-inspired terrorists” who authorities say attempted to bomb a New York City protest, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday. Defendants Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, are charged with five counts, including knowingly attempting to provide “material support or resources” to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization; use of a weapon of mass destruction (an explosive device); transportation of explosive materials, interstate transportation and receipt of explosives “with the knowledge and intent that it would be used to kill, injure, and intimidate;” and unlawful possession of destructive devices. “We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation,” Bondi said in a statement on Monday. “Our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant.” The two alleged terrorists are accused of attempting to detonate explosive devices near Gracie Mansion in Manhattan during a protest in the area, according to the unsealed DOJ complaint. Gracie Mansion is the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The protest was “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer,” and there was also a counterprotest called “Run Nazis Out of New York City.” “Preliminary results of testing of one of the devices indicates that it contained a quantity of triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly volatile explosive material used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade,” the complaint states. After the New York City Police Department arrested them, both Balat and Kayumi made statements “referring to ISIS,” authorities said. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks alongside New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch (L) during a news conference at Gracie Mansion in New York City on March 9, 2026. (Photo by Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP via Getty Images) “For example,” the complaint says, “as Kayumi was being placed inside an NYPD vehicle to be transported, an individual from the surrounding crowd yelled to Kayumi and asked, in substance and in part, why he had done this. Kayumi responded, in part and as captured on NYPD body-worn camera footage, ‘ISIS.'” Both Balat and Kayumi also discussed ISIS in recorded post-arrest statements that they made after they received their Miranda rights, the complaint says. Balat wrote on a piece of paper that he had “pledged allegiance to the Islamic State,” and Kayumi said that he was affiliated with ISIS, watched ISIS propaganda on his phone, and was partly inspired to “carry out his actions that day by ISIS.” Balat also said they wanted to carry out an even bigger attack than the Boston Marathon, which he said caused only “three deaths.” Around 12:15 pm on Sunday, Balat ignited and threw an explosive device toward the area where the protestors were gathered, according to the complaint. Pictures show the alleged terrorist holding the device. Immediately after he allegedly threw it, he ran to another location down the block where he “received a second item.” After he allegedly ignited it, he dropped the device near several police officers, ran away from them, and jumped over a barricade before he was tackled and arrested by the NYPD. His cohort, Kayumi, was also arrested at the scene. When Balat was arrested, he had a Turkish government identification card on his person that identified him as “Emir Balat” as well as a Pennsylvania driver’s license with his photograph and name. Authorities identified Kayumi through Border Patrol facial-recognition databases, the complaint states. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. 

Between lengthy TSA lines and increased concerns about national security threats amid the conflict with Iran, conservative experts told The Daily Wire that there are serious risks associated with the continued shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, as talks in Washington stall. DHS has faced a lapse in funding since Feb. 14, as Democrats and Republicans are at odds on federal immigration enforcement tactics, despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection already being heavily funded through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year. Still, other agencies under DHS like TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard are unfunded. “We’re dealing with a heightened threat environment right now, and we need the federal government security capabilities to be firing on all cylinders,” Nathan Sales, former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, said. “If you’re a Hezbollah operative and you want to carry out an attack in the United States, you have to cross the border, and that’s a DHS responsibility,” he noted, later adding that “this is not the time to be playing politics with national security.” Sales specifically highlighted the risks of FEMA not having the money it needs to fully operate. “What happens if, God forbid, there is a terrorist incident on American soil and we need an immediate federal response to that,” Sales asked. “It’s not a great time for FEMA to be sitting on the sidelines either.” Meanwhile, Garrett Exner, an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute focusing on terrorism, national security, and defense, slammed the lack of funding for TSA as “insane,” saying “it’s not a good faith argument” for Democrats to use the other agencies under DHS as leverage for immigration reform. “We have 11 million people that came here, and we don’t know who they are, and ICE is doing the legal business of moving those people out of the country, and Democrats are trying to stop that. They’re trying to slow it down,” Exner said, referencing the Biden-era border crisis. Recent incidents like the attempted ISIS-style terrorist attack outside the New York City mayoral residence, along with the Southwest Airlines flight bomb threat over the weekend, are also sparking concerns, according to Lora Ries, the director of The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center. “The House passed the DHS funding bill last week, so now it’s down to the Senate, and Senate Democrats are playing chicken with terrorists in this country,” Ries said, adding that it’s a “dereliction of duty by refusing to fund securing our homeland.” In addition, the FBI is currently investigating the Austin, Texas, bar shooting from March 1 as a possible act of terrorism, as the alleged shooter was wearing a “Property of Allah” hoodie and a pro-Iran shirt. Outside of the security risks, those who are essential workers, like TSA agents, are now working without pay, which will likely lead to a higher number of callouts at airports nationwide. “They’re not getting rich doing these jobs. They live paycheck to paycheck,” Ken Cuccinelli, a former top Homeland Security official during the first Trump administration, pointed out regarding TSA, as shutdowns can “dissuade people from doing those jobs.” Cuccinelli noted potential for the shutdown to hurt “morale” within DHS, and it could also create a ripple effect as FEMA responds to disasters like the recent Potomac River sewage spill. TSA and other essential workers, like air traffic controllers, also bore the brunt of the 43-day-long full federal government shutdown last fall, which was triggered by Democrats pushing for an extension of the Affordable Care Act’s pandemic-era subsidies, but no permanent deal on the subsidies was ultimately reached. The remainder of the federal government is fully funded through September. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will be leaving her role at the department at the end of the month amid multiple controversies, and President Donald Trump plans to replace her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). However, Noem’s ouster is not considered enough to warrant a deal with Senate Democrats. “I’ve been asked if I would support Sen. Mullin as Noem’s replacement. The answer is a resounding NO. The rot in DHS is deep, much deeper than any individual. It’s a question of policy not personnel. The Senate should not consider any DHS Secretary nominee until DHS and ICE are reined in,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X last week.