Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Good morning, and welcome to RedState’s “Morning Minute” — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day. 

TOP O’ THE MORNIN’

Red-Hot at RedState 

Senator John Kennedy Levels Reporter Who Gushed Over Charlie Kirk Assassin’s ‘Loving’ Messages

It’s remarkable, really, when you consider the media spends a good chunk of their time dehumanizing people like President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and some of their friends … like Charlie Kirk. But then finds an assassin to be a romantic figure to be admired.

Kash Patel Drops the Mic on Dick Durbin, Completely Shuts Down Richard Blumenthal

This wasn’t about finding out any truths for Durbin.

Chicago Continues to Roil From Crime, While Memphis Welcomes the National Guard With a Warm Meal

It’s a stark contrast, and we have yet to see how the Memphis intervention will change the landscape. But if the shift is as dramatic as D.C., then Pritzker and Johnson may wind up eating crow in the long run.

Trending Across Townhall Media

Sandy Hook Survivor’s Daughter Makes Admission that Damns Media

Yes, there’s a problem, but when you bombard people with the problem and pretend gun control is the only solution, it’s not hard to imagine that some of them are just going to start shrugging when terrible things happen, especially to people they didn’t like in the first place.

Charlie Kirk’s Impact Is Much Larger Than I Expected

This is a moment to reach out to people who are opening their eyes to the lust for blood that is all-too-common on the left. We should hold our vigils, pray proudly and publicly, and chastise those who deserve to be. 

Horatius Cocles, Meet Kash Patel

Although his words are his sword, Patel is doing what Horatius did: buying time, holding the line, and keeping America from being placed in greater danger by a recklessly left-wing movement determined to break through.

CNN Was an Absolute Disaster Yesterday After Liberal Narrative on Charlie Kirk Suspect Imploded

I don’t know how CNN’s Scott Jennings doesn’t drink during these segments.

Kaitlan Collins Plays Dumb on Charlie Kirk’s Killer: CNN’s Finest Fumbles While the Truth Screams

Senator Cruz tried to explain it to her, but she is being willfully stupid. 

WHAT’S ON TAP?

Today on Capitol Hill…

Boatloads of meetings and hearings on Wednesday on the Hill, including:

• House Judiciary — “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation” [He’s ba-ack: FBI Director Kash Patel to testify]
• House Oversight and Government Reform, Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee — “Opening Doors to Opportunity: The Promise of Expanded School Choice and Alternatives to Four-Year College Degrees”
• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions — Hearings to examine reviewing recent events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and implications for children’s health [Former CDC Director Susan Monarez to testify]
• House Financial Services — Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity: Less Mandates. More Independence
• House Oversight and Government Reform, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee — “Shaping Tomorrow: The Future of Artificial Intelligence”
• House Oversight and Government Reform, Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee — “Underfunded and Overlooked: Assessing U.S. Southern Command’s Role in Defending the Homeland”
• Senate Judiciary, Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety Subcommittee — Hearings to examine missing unaccompanied alien children and criminal sponsors
• Joint Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) — Hearings to examine conspiracy theories, antisemitism, and democratic decline
• Senate Aging (Special) — Hearings to examine drug safety, supply chains, and the risk to aging Americans
• Senate Veterans’ Affairs — Hearings to examine strengthening services for veterans with spinal cord injury and disorder

In case you missed any of the fireworks on Tuesday involving FBI Director Kash Patel’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, be sure to check them out here. 

White House What’s Up

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania pay a visit to Windsor Castle, where they’ll participate in a private luncheon with King Charles. Later, they’ll head to St. George’s Chapel and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II. After that, they’ll return to Windsor Castle, where they’ll take in a musical performance of “Beating Retreat” before participating in a state banquet, followed by a post-dinner program.

Also on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance will visit a precision metal stamping facility in Howell, Michigan, where he will deliver remarks on President Trump’s tax cuts for working families and businesses.

Keeping Up With the Cabinet

Sec. War – Pete Hegseth — Hegseth recently shared and affirmed the White House post regarding the defense of the homeland from narco-terrorists:

Narco-terrorists are enemies of the United States — actively bringing death to our shores.

We will stop at nothing to defend our homeland and our citizens.

We will track them, kill them, and dismantle their networks throughout our hemisphere — at the times and places of our… https://t.co/abOWXe2afE

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) September 15, 2025

Full Court Press…

I finally — finally! — got my round-up of recent court decisions done: