Trump: ‘Totally Destroying’ the Iranian Regime; Cuba Confirms US Talks | NTD Evening News (March 13)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump declaring the U.S. is totally destroying the Iranian regime. Thus far, the White House and Pentagon condemned media coverage of Operation Epic Fury. Mario Azzu at the White House. Six U.S. service members have died in an aircraft accident in Iraq. And as the war against Iran continues, the U.S. says the Iranian Navy is now quote combat ineffective. Jason Perry has the latest. Cuba confirms contact with the United States as pressure on the island mounts. Chris Bobb with those updates. In Michigan, authorities identified the suspect who rammed his truck into a synagogue as a naturalized citizen born in Lebanon. New details are emerging after yesterday's deadly shooting at Old Dominion University. Officials say ROTC students rushed the gunmen and helped stop the attack. Cristina Corona reports. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. President Trump declaring the U.S. is totally destroying the Iranian regime. He says their Navy, Air Force and leadership is gone. That says the Pentagon and White House are condemning media coverage of the operation. We now go live to NTD's Washington correspondent Mario Azzu at the North Lawn of the White House. Mario, good evening. You were at the Pentagon pressure today. What is the latest from the War Secretary on the strikes in Iran? Hey Tiff, good evening. Yeah, that's right. This morning, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury 13 days ago, over 15,000 targets have been struck inside Iran from both. That's combining both the forces of the U.S. and the Iranian forces there. He also says that Iranian missile volume is down 90 percent and Iranian drone attacks are down 95 percent. Take a look. As our intelligence gets better and better and more refined, looking up, the IRGC and Iranian regime sees only two things on the side of aircraft, the Stars and Stripes and the Star of David. The evil regime's worst nightmare. This coming as President Trump declares the U.S. is totally destroying the Iranian regime, saying overnight, quote, Iran's navy is gone, their air force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition and plenty of time. Meanwhile, the State Department is offering a reward of up to 10 million dollars and the right to move to America if Iranian citizens inform on the whereabouts of 10 senior Islamic Republic leaders. Iran's leadership is in no better shape. Desperate and hiding, they've gone underground, cowering. That's what rats do. We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured. I think he probably is, I think he's damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form. This coming as the Pentagon and White House are condemning media coverage of the Iran strikes from, quote, parroting the Iranian regime's propaganda, to airing uninterrupted segments of Iranian state TV, to pushing the narrative that there's been, quote, mixed messaging or internal contradictions about the objectives of Operation Epic Fury. Mideast war intensifies, splashing on the screen the last couple of days alongside visuals of civilian or energy targets that Iran has hit because that's what they do. What should the banner read instead? How about, Iran increasingly desperate? Because they are. Fake news from CNN reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran war's impact on the Strait of Hormuz. Patently ridiculous, of course. For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do, hold the Strait hostage. CNN doesn't think we thought of that. It's a fundamentally unserious report. Another example of a fake headline that I saw yesterday, war widening. Here's a real headline for you for an actual patriotic press. How about Iran shrinking, going underground? And TIF, the State Department is announcing that since the beginning of the operation, over 50,000 Americans have safely returned home to the U.S. and over four dozen U.S. charter flights have brought Americans back. And Mari, since Operation Epic Fury began, Iran has shipped at least 11.7 million barrels of crude oil to China through the Strait of Hormuz, while Beijing has publicly backed Iran against U.S. and Israeli strikes. Now, that is the backdrop for President Trump's expected meeting with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in a couple of weeks. Now, I heard you were set to travel with the president, but ran into a credentialing hiccup. What is the latest? Yeah, TIF, so my cameraman and I were very much looking forward to covering that as a continuation of our coverage back from the fall when we traveled with the president to cover his meeting with CCP leader Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. And our credentials, we were actually approved and confirmed by the White House, and only to hear that our visas were then denied by the Chinese embassy. And while this outcome is disappointing, it's not completely unexpected, given NTD's history and its stance that it's taken on communism. The Epoch Media Group, which encompasses NTD, was founded in 2000 by Chinese dissidents to provide uncensored information amid the CCP's persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners that began in 1999. And just this week, on March 11, Senators Ted Cruz and Jeff Merkley introduced bipartisan legislation called the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act, which would impose sanctions on those involved in the heinous act of live forced organ harvesting in China. Take a look. The Chinese government has for a long time persecuted the Falun Gong and has in particular carried out the horrific and barbaric practice of organ harvesting. And it is a grotesque human rights violation. And we should stand united against it. I hope that President Trump raises it when he has any meetings with Xi Jinping and that it becomes a condition that action be taken to end this in the context of other issues that we work on with China, trade relations and so forth. The Epoch Media Group has become one of the most relied on sources for Chinese current affairs, including the CCP's human rights abuses and the current ongoing power dynamics and struggles inside of China. And despite interference, NTD does broadcast via satellite into China, providing an alternative to the state run media there. And our outlet also triggered the Quit the CCP movement through the editorial series Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, which resulted in over 410 million renunciations from the Communist Party there. And so given this longstanding editorial stance that we have taken with regard to communist China, it really is a no surprise. And this denial does align with the CCP's pattern of restricting access for our staff. However, Tiff, we do look forward to reporting on President Trump's visit with Xi Jinping here from the White House. Back to you. All right, Mari, thank you. Six U.S. service members have been tragically killed in a military aircraft accident in Western Iraq. And as Operation Epic Fury continues, America's top general says the Iranian Navy is now combat ineffective. NTD's Jason Perry has the war update. The United States Central Command said on Friday that a U.S. refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq. The KC-135 allows U.S. fighter jets to refuel midair and continue their missions. The refueling aircraft went down on Thursday after an incident involving another aircraft in Western Iraq, tragically killing six U.S. service members. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Cain at the Pentagon commenting on the situation. The incident occurred over friendly territory in Western Iraq while the crew was on a combat mission and, again, was not the result, as CENTCOM has said, was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. He also gave an update on U.S. operations in Iran, saying the Iranian Navy is now combat ineffective. We've attacked over 6,000 targets and our strike packages continue to launch every hour. We've made progress, but Iran still has the capability to harm friendly forces and commercial shipping. And our work on this effort continues. And in the meantime, Iran continuing to launch missiles at Israel. Sirens sounding over Tel Aviv as incoming Iranian missiles were seen overhead. Emergency crews responding to the scene and putting out fires at an impact site in central Israel, with an Israeli official saying no casualties were immediately discovered. Also on Friday, Israeli forces reported launching another wave of attacks across Iran, using 90 fighter jets to launch about 200 strikes against what they call terrorist infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime. The spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces saying Israel struck three separate areas in Iran simultaneously. We struck last night a facility of the Hadam al-Nabiyah Intelligence Directorate. The strike took place while several senior officials from the Intelligence Directorate were present. Additionally, we targeted a central base of Iranian defensive systems, regime command centers and missile production and storage sites intended for launch toward Israel. Israel also reported launching over a thousand strikes so far on terrorist targets in Lebanon, including striking this bridge over the Latani River. Israel said that Hezbollah terrorists used the bridge to move from northern Lebanon to the south to prepare attacks against Israeli soldiers. Jason Perry, NTD News. And what do Americans make of President Trump's handling of the war in Iran? NTD's Sam Wong was out on the National Mall in D.C. to hear from the people. We're almost two weeks into Operation Epic Fury. How do you think the president has been handling it so far? I'm very pleased with it. I really trust him and all of his advisors that they know what they're doing. I think the president is handling everything with resolve. He's being very tough. I think you have to be against an enemy like that. An enemy like that is about to destroy us from within. I feel like something needed to be done for all the stuff that they're doing, killing their own people. I mean, we would not do that here. We understand that the Ayatollah was a bad guy and his regime is a terrible regime. I get that. But I just think we just kind of rushed into danger before we thought ahead about the ramifications of it. And I think one of the other ramifications is going to be boots on the ground. What we do know is you leave Iran to get a nuclear weapon and they absolutely will use it as they've sworn to do. When they talk about wiping Israel off the face of the earth and the death of America, they've already stated their goals, right? I know people are concerned with the gas prices going up and the things that are happening in the Strait of Hormuz, but I think most people are glad to see Iran, the Ayatollah no longer and a lot of the things that the United States and Israel is doing. Do you have any message to the Iranian people right now who have been suffering under this brutal regime for decades? Well, I hope this is a start for them to have a little more freedom. I'd say reclaim the freedom you once had. Any time you can eliminate a terrorist organization, take them kind of off the map, if you will, you end up making not only our country safer, but the whole world safer. Once this regime falls and these people are able to speak more freely, you'll hear a lot more from the people inside of Iran. I mean, just like all those protesters, what, the 35,000 that were killed, 33,000 that were killed just, when was it, a few weeks ago, so by their own government, so I think it's pretty clear. Yeah, I would say stand firm, do what's right for your country, just reflect on where you've come from and where you are right now with this regime. The Iranian people have been brave and just they need to know that the American people are behind them and want only the best for them and I think they realize that and they're rejoicing over getting rid of such an awful dictator. New signs of contact between Washington and Havana as Cuba struggles with economic collapse, prolonged blackouts and fuel shortages caused by the loss of Venezuelan oil. NTD's Chris Bobb reports. Cuba's leader Miguel Diaz-Canel confirming that officials from his regime have recently held discussions with representatives of the United States. Cuban officials recently held talks with representatives of the United States government seeking, through the avenue of dialogue, a potential resolution to the bilateral differences that exist between our nations. Diaz-Canel saying that contacts were facilitated by international intermediaries and remain in the early stages. The acknowledgement comes as Cuba, still under one-party communist rule, born of the deadly 1959 revolution, struggles under mounting economic strain and a failing state system. Earlier this year, the United States moved to halt shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island after Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was removed from power, cutting off a key source of energy for Havana. The pressure is already being felt across the island. A major blackout last week left much of Cuba without electricity. Over the last few years, prolonged power outages have left much of the island in darkness, forcing many residents to rely on makeshift devices for electricity. With a lack of fuel, Cubans are also being driven to cook with wood and charcoal using improvised stoves in their homes and yards. Cuba's regime also announcing that the FBI will travel there to assist in investigating the deadly clash at sea in February, involving Cuban security forces and a group attempting to reach the island. Cuban forces killed four people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat, including one US citizen and a fifth crew member later died from his injuries. The developments have also drawn sharp reactions in the United States. Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, who represents part of South Florida's Cuban exile community, posted several messages on X, criticizing any suggestion of renewed engagement with Havana. There will be no investment from the United States and Cuba unless there are decisive political changes on the island. There is nothing the regime has that the United States wants. The regime needs us. America doesn't need them. The communist leaders said the conversations are focused on identifying the key issues between the two countries, exploring ways to resolve them, and assessing whether both sides are willing to take concrete actions that benefit their populations. He noted that the discussions also aim to identify areas of cooperation that could help address shared threats and promote security and stability in both Cuba and the wider region. Chris Bobb, NTD News. And Michigan officials are calling yesterday's attack on a local synagogue a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community. The suspect, who authorities say drove his truck into the house of worship, was a naturalized citizen born in Lebanon. NTD's Dave Martin has more. Authorities identify 41-year-old Ayman Mohamed Ghazali as the man who allegedly drove his truck Thursday into a Michigan synagogue while carrying a rifle. The truck caught fire shortly after crashing through the front doors. Security guards then fatally shot the suspect. Fortunately, none of the staff, teachers, or the 140 children being watched at their daycare center were injured. I heard a loud crash and I saw some debris from the car and knew that something was very wrong. I heard a bang, which was a shot, and grabbed the staff members that were around me and we ran into my office, which was very close by, and just barricaded the door and hid under my desk and stayed there. Although no children or staff were hurt, the head of security was taken to the hospital after being hit by the truck. And we've had 30 law enforcement officers taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. So a lot of our folks from my SWAT team and other agencies are still in treatment because that building became engulfed in the car, and we'll learn all of that through the investigation, why it became engulfed in flames. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, quote, yesterday's attack was anti-Semitism. It was hate, plain and simple. We must lower the rhetoric in this state and in this country, especially at this moment where we have seen such a rise in anti-Semitism and more attacks on the Jewish community. To add to that, this wasn't an attack on just Jews. This was an attack on all of us and our way of life. You should all be free to pray wherever you want. This is not just about us, this is about the community and how we should live as humans. Ghazali, born in Lebanon, came to the U.S. in 2011 as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. He became naturalized five years later. Officials say he lost four family members last week in Lebanon as a result of an Israeli airstrike. This is Dave Martin for NTD News. Federal and state agencies are now holding a joint press conference to provide updates on this incident. Let's tune in. I'm in charge of the FBI Detroit field office. First, our hearts continue to be with the Jewish community and the victims here in Michigan as they recover from this devastating attack. Thankfully, the brave officers and security personnel who protected the temple yesterday are recovering and we continue to pray for their speedy recovery, their speedy healing. Acts of violence against houses of worship, schools and our communities have no place in Michigan and the FBI continues to work tirelessly to provide support for these families and to investigate the events that led up to this ruthless act of violence. Now I'd like to provide an update about this active and ongoing investigation. We are aware that there's been a significant amount of public reporting about the assailant. However, because we are only 30 hours into this active investigation, it would be irresponsible for me to speculate about his motive at this time. Our team has been working around the clock to ensure that we remain focused on providing confirmed facts about this investigation rather than uncorroborated speculation. The FBI continues to process the evidence we've collected from the temple, the vehicle and surrounding locations. At this time, there are no new known threats to the community and the FBI has no indications that this attack was connected to the shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The FBI has forensically confirmed that the assailant responsible for carrying out this attack was Ayman Mohammed Ghazali, age 41, from Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He has no previous criminal history and no registered weapons. He also has never been the subject of an FBI investigation. As for the preliminary timeline of yesterday's events, here's what I can provide. At approximately 9.58 a.m., Ghazali drove his gray Ford F-150 into the parking lot of Temple Israel. From approximately 10 a.m. to 12.15 p.m., Ghazali remained parked in his vehicle in the parking lot. No other persons or vehicles were observed associating with him. At approximately 12.15 p.m., Ghazali starts driving through the parking lot and approximately 12.19 p.m., Ghazali drives his vehicle into door five on the southeast corner of the building, hitting a security guard on his way in. At approximately 12.20, Ghazali's vehicle gets jammed between hallway walls and he begins firing through the windshield of his vehicle. Ghazali and the first security officer engage in a gunfight through the rear window of Ghazali's vehicle. At this point, Ghazali is unable to extract himself due to the vehicle being jammed in the hallway. At approximately 12.22 p.m., a second security officer engages Ghazali in a gunfight from the front of the vehicle. And soon thereafter, Ghazali's vehicle, his engine compartment catches on fire and at some point during the gunfight, Ghazali suffers a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. In the bed of the truck, we found large quantities of commercial-grade fireworks and several jugs of flammable liquid we believe to be gasoline, some of which has been consumed in the fire. Again, I'd like to commend the teachers and the staff who successfully evacuated the children during this attack. We realize this is a traumatic event for everyone, and as a result, we have set up the Family Assistance Center to provide victim services, support, and resources here at the J Detroit for any individuals affected by this tragedy. For those looking to recover their personal items that were left at Temple Israel during this attack, you and your family can recover your items here at the Family Assistance Center at the old fitness area of the J throughout the weekend. For the public, I continue to ask everyone and anyone, if you have any additional information about this subject or this incident, to submit a digital media tip at www.fbi.gov forward slash West Bloomfield attack or to call our tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. We ask that you continue to provide any information that you deem helpful, no matter how small you think it is. Additionally, if you or someone you know, a family member, a coworker, or a friend is exhibiting concerning behavior or making threats towards themselves or others, please call your local police department or the FBI once again at 1-800-CALL-FBI. We need the community's help to keep everyone safe. I would also like to thank our state, local, and federal partners, along with the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Security, and the Temple Israel Security, as well as the local community, for all of their collaboration as we continue to work this investigation. Our partnerships and efforts are focused on keeping these communities safe, and we cannot mitigate or fully investigate these incidents without their tireless support. Lastly, I just want to leave you with this. The FBI will continue in our no-fail mission to defend the homeland against those who intend to create fear or harm, and I also encourage all of our places of worship to remain vigilant. I'd like to encourage our houses of worship and schools to work with their local, state, and federal partners to get active shooter training, such as the FBI's Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness Training, to ensure everyone is protected while our first responders arrive to stop threats. At this time, I'll turn it over to Sheriff Couchard. Thank you. First, I'd like to say thank you to everybody that did respond, the state, federal, all of our partners. There was a total of 605 law enforcement officers that responded to the scene, from 42 different agencies. That's the way we work in this area. You know, time and time again, you see things on television, on TV shows, where there's animosity between agencies. We don't see that here. We have a shared mission, and that's to keep the community safe. It operated seamlessly. Everybody came from wherever they could, and one of the things that's amazing to me, given that you had 605 law enforcement coming here with breakneck speed, there was only one accident where one detective on the way here, lights and siren, had an accident, and that person will be okay. So that's a miracle in and of itself. I'd also like to say that a total now of 63 law enforcement officers were sent to the hospital as a result of the smoke inhalation, the situation when the car caught fire. They continued to pour into the building to make sure, A, that the threat was neutralized and there was no follow-on threat, and B, the innocent were evacuated. They accomplished that seamlessly with the great work of not only the security team, but the staff that knew how to marshal these young kids and get them moving in a way that got them out of the building quickly. I mean, we're talking kids from zero to five. This wasn't a group that knew what to do or how to do it. They relied on the staff that was there to get it done, and they did it in a great way. So that doesn't come by accident, and we talked a little bit about this before, training, training, training. We have all been training together for many, many years. Sadly, we have responded to multiple similar kinds of events around the county and in Michigan where active shooters were, and it comes from that deep training and participation and a willingness to help each other to be better prepared to respond to things that, sadly, we have to in today's world. So as you saw this play forward, again, it's not a time to make a plan at the door. That's why you have to train in advance, communicate in advance, and then execute when something like this begins to happen. Security did a great job. Staff did a great job. First responders did a great job, and it doesn't come without training. There's been questions about, well, it's kind of coincidental that there was training at the temple fairly recently, and is it connected, or was there something suspected? The answer is no. We're training all the time as agencies with our partners, with our houses of worship, with our schools, and that was one of those such trainings. There was no credible intelligence or belief that it was about to get hit, but it's ongoing training throughout the community, and they did a great job executing that training. Also, I'd like to thank the community at large who has really poured out their support and affection for everyone involved. The Jewish community, first and foremost, has been, I think, uplifted and hugged from our community, and that's appreciated and is encouraged. If you know someone in the Jewish community, tell them you're with them. You stand against anti-Semitism. It's not tolerable on any level anywhere, period. And new details are also emerging after yesterday's deadly shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Authorities say the suspect had previously served time in prison for attempting to support the Islamic State terrorist group. NTD's Christina Corona tells us more. Authorities are releasing new details after a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia on Thursday. Police say one person was killed, two others were injured, and the suspected gunman is also dead. Investigators say the suspect, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailar Jalloh, opened fire inside a classroom connected to the university's ROTC program. Authorities say Jalloh previously served time in federal prison after being convicted of attempting to provide support to the Islamic State terrorist group. Records show that he was released in 2024 and was still on supervised release or probation at the time of the attack. Officials say the person killed was Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shaw, an ROTC instructor and decorated Army veteran. Two other ROTC members were wounded. Authorities say one has since been treated and released from the hospital, while another remains hospitalized in critical condition. Officials say the situation could have been far worse if not for the actions of the ROTC cadets who rushed the suspect and helped stop the attack. Authorities say the students confronted the suspected gunman and subdued him. The FBI says the cadets ultimately rendered the suspect, quote, no longer alive, adding that he was not shot. The Old Dominion University president, Brian Hemphill, thanked first responders and the ROTC students. I want to thank law enforcement officers and the first responders who acted so quickly. Their swift response truly saved lives. Those present in the class also saved lives with their bravery and courage in taking down the shooter. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger shared in a social media post Thursday, Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shaw was killed today in his classroom at Old Dominion University. A devoted ROTC instructor, Lieutenant Colonel Shaw didn't just lead a life of service to our country, he taught and led others to follow that path. The FBI says the shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism as authorities review the suspect's background and what led up to the attack. On Friday, people left flowers, candles and messages outside Constant Hall where the shooting occurred. Old Dominion University has canceled classes Friday and official state counselors will be available for students and staff as the campus community mourns the loss of a respected instructor. Christina Corona, NTD News. A pivotal part of President Trump's foreign policy this term has been countering the communist Chinese regime through high tariffs, restricting critical technology, and most recently, squeezing Beijing's oil supply with operations in Venezuela and Iran. The latest strikes on Iran have reportedly rattled top Chinese leadership who are worried that a chain reaction could threaten the regime's own stability. This comes after the CCP conducted a military purge earlier this year in which senior officials were removed. So why is countering the Chinese regime so important to the administration? Is it purely economic competition or is it about something greater? To unpack all of this, we have an excellent panel of guests. Adam Savitt, Director of the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute. Marcus Schackes, the Editor-in-Chief of Epoch Times Brazil. He's also the Latin America correspondent for the paper's U.S. edition. And J. Michael Waller, former CIA operative and Senior Analyst for Strategy at the Center for Security Policy. Thank you all so much for being here. Adam, starting with you, as Director of the China Policy Initiative, help set the stage for us here. Do you see many of the Trump administration's policies, foreign trade, energy as being fundamentally aimed at countering threats from China? Many many policies could be framed correctly as as countering China, as you know, in your opening, picking off their client states one by one, Venezuela, Iran, not only sources of cheap energy, but also launching pads for terrorist groups, for subversive political movements, strategic choke points, Iran's clients, the Houthis closing off the Red Sea would be one example. Also the Greenland moves that the president has been making very strong moves towards Greenland aimed at Russia, yes, but also underlying that at China, because China is really the country with the weight to use those Arctic sea lanes for meaningful economic activity. Let's look at another initiative of the State Department, Pax Silica. That's a collective group, including now some allies, including Japan, South Korea, Israel, adding all the time. And that is a common group that is trying to secure critical mineral and semiconductor supply chains. And that is aimed directly at China, trying to cut them out of AI and the digital future in general. And Marcus, Cuba's president has confirmed talks with the U.S. amid an ongoing economic and energy crisis on the island. Talk to us about how Cuba fits into the broader picture here, especially when it comes to China. Sure. So dating back to the past century, we can see Cuba has been a strategic launch point for U.S. adversaries. You need look no further than the 1962 missile crisis, which nearly started World War III with the Soviet Union getting missiles in there. When we talk about the 21st century and really how the Chinese regime has essentially replaced the Soviet Union as the hegemon that commands the Cuban elite, we see how that can play out in a much more sophisticated way, be it with raiders, with detection, with spy activity, and other forms of pressure. When we talk about U.S. adversaries, you can also get modern Russia in there. Let's not forget that in 2008, 2014, and 2022, every time when Russia was about to take invasions or undertake other sorts of hostile actions in its near abroad, so Georgia, Crimea, etc., it would send emissaries or do some sort of military exercise in a symbolic fashion in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. So both in the way of a national security threat with a very modern sense, but both in the way of a symbolic presence of a communist regime in Latin America, Cuba plays a big role in this, and now with the negotiations, it seems to be drawing to a very similar scenario to Venezuela. Let's not forget they have had blackouts affecting 7 million people and are under tremendous pressure after Venezuela, which exported most of the oil that Cuba imported, has been essentially replaced by a U.S.-friendly regime at the moment, and to be transitioned at some point to a democratic government. So that's how we can see that playing out in Cuba. And Michael, speaking of oil, many know that the U.S. operations in Venezuela have essentially taken over oil that could have gone to China, similar to Iran. Do these moves put more pressure on China? How are you reading this? They do because right along the coast, Chinese companies built refineries that were made just to handle Venezuelan crude, that particular type of crude oil. Venezuela was repaying the CCP its Belt and Road and other debts with that oil at a discounted rate because it was sanctioned oil. All that is gone now. So CCP has to pay market rates for all of this. And if they want Venezuelan oil, they have to go through Donald Trump. And Adam, on the economic front, the Trump administration has just launched unfair trade investigations into multiple countries, with China literally at the top of that list. How could this impact the expected Trump-Xi meeting in April? That's right. Those are the Section 301 tariffs, which are based on unfair trading practices and do require an investigation. So investigations were opened into 16 countries, as you know, with China at the top, the most important strategic feature of that. This is important because last month, the Supreme Court struck down the IEPA tariffs. Trump is using these emergency presidential powers to enact, remember, almost a year ago, the reciprocal tariffs that he put on nearly every country, modulated strategically for every country. Now, the Supreme Court said that's not allowed. In the meantime, we have the Section 122 tariffs that were invoked at 10 percent, but those max at 15 percent, and they expire in 150 days. So a lot of commentators were saying going into the talks, Trump was at a deficit because he no longer had those IEPA tariffs in his pocket. Now, with these investigations going on, he has a new tool. And so it absolutely helps him going into these talks. And Marcus, narrowing in on Iran, many analysts like Gordon Chang say that this is effectively about countering China. How big of a blow is the Iran operation and its terror proxies to China and its goals of destabilizing the West? So it's a huge blow. And I see that that's a very sober analysis that this is ultimately also about curbing China. When you talk about the general gist of the U.S. foreign policy during this administration, we see the threat of terrorists in the near abroad through deportations being dealt with. We see the threat of Hezbollah and other Iran-related terrorist groups acting in Latin America and going in through the southern border, also being neutralized. When we take this more broadly, Iran has essentially been a hub of cheap energy to China, exporting at discounted rates, and 90 percent of Iran's oil, of course, goes to CCP-related entities. When we talk about this in the broader sense of threats to national security in the United States and how that serves China, Iran has essentially been using the money it gets from selling oil to China to fund Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis. And like we just heard, of course, that does cause disruptions to global trade, like we've seen with the Houthis in the Red Sea. But in a broader sense, Hezbollah has been active in Latin America with the region's two largest terrorist attacks ever in Buenos Aires in 1992 and 1994. In 2007, a terrorist plot was planned to bomb JFK Airport, being planned from Hezbollah underrun through Venezuela and Guyana. So all of those threats essentially do the CCP's bidding in threatening America's national security, keeping the FBI, the CIA and other agencies busy. Besides the focus, we have also cheap oil and the threat to national security. So that really helps us see how Iran plays into the CCP's broader picture globally. And Michael, the Epoch Times is reporting that Beijing is afraid this war with Iran could spur uprisings in China. CCP officials are reportedly scrambling to ensure loyalty and ideological alignment. There's also reported online censoring for issues like regime change. Is this a pivotal moment for U.S.-China relations? It could be a pivotal moment because what we see with the CCP interfering in our own internal affairs gives us the right and indeed the obligation to reciprocate. They have done this to us. It's now time for us to really facilitate everyone in China who's against the CCP, facilitate divisions within the CCP, just the way the Trump administration is doing that right now in the Cuban Communist Party and in the Iranian Islamic regime. This is a great time right now with the purges in the Chinese military, the unpredictability of a Chinese oil supply necessary to invade Taiwan. It's the perfect time to go in and break apart the Chinese Communist Party. And Adam, what would you say to the argument that America should just focus on its own backyard, that concerning ourselves with China shouldn't be a priority? Sure. Well, I mean, that somewhat isolationist argument has been coming up lately in the right-of-center discourse. But here's the problem. It doesn't matter because China is in our backyard already. They are influencing our politicians through money and through influence operations, placing their agents. They're buying land near critical infrastructure, agricultural land, other strategic land near military installations. They're partnering with our universities, getting funding for research projects in STEM fields that immediately benefit the People's Liberation Army. The list goes on. So the problem is they are active in our civil society, in our universities, in our corporations, in our government. So we have no choice. And Marcus, what about holding China to account over its human rights abuses? We saw the president stand up for Iranians against an oppressive regime. Is this setting a precedent on the world stage? Well, I mean, it certainly seems so. When we talk specifically about China, which has brutally been persecuting Falun Gong practitioners, Christians and Muslims for over two decades recently, besides its history of human rights violations, we talk about that in the sense that this is a modern-day Holocaust, essentially, that was classified as a genocide by Mike Pompeo when he was leaving the State Department under the first Trump administration. And Marco Rubio, as he was chosen to be the Secretary of State under his administration, came in already sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party for having previously entered into the Senate the Falun Gong Protection Act. So there is a precedent in Iran, apparently. Of course, we have to see how this precedent is going to play out as the war goes on. But I would say so. I would also add that countering the persecution of Falun Gong and other human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party is very much a geopolitical threat because that involves transnational repression. We've seen the Safeguard Defenders Organization report on, of course, the explosive report on essentially police stations being planted on US soil for transnational repression. Besides, we see companies leveraging human rights violations for cheap labor, even cheap organ supply, according to some of the most investigative reports on this. So I would say it is a precedent. And I would also say it's a national security matter for the United States. And Michael, speaking of repression, China uses that through its technology. Now, some are raising questions about the effectiveness of Chinese-made military tech in both Iran and the Venezuela operations. How are you reading that? What do we know about Chinese tech versus American tech? Well, we know a lot about Chinese tech because they've stolen so much of it from us. But the whole world has seen the performance of their military tech where it simply doesn't work against American and Israeli systems anymore. It's junk. They have basically fleeced the rest of the world in who they're supplying arms to. So it's a great thing to see that people aren't going to want their products anymore. But even more interesting is the fact that the Israelis in the US could watch inside the bunkers through the Iranian security cameras that were supplied by the CCP and could watch all the movements of the mullahs and their whole command structure, even as the bombs were coming in to get them, shows that those systems are 100% vulnerable to the Americans and the Israelis, meaning we can hack the whole entirety of the CCP through those same camera systems. And Adam, do you think the US has a moral responsibility to counter the threat of the Chinese Communist Party, kind of like what we saw during the Cold War in the Soviet Union? Absolutely. And, you know, there are debates as to is the CCP still a communist? It doesn't really matter. They're totalitarian. And just to reprise what both guests have said and combine them, you know, it's their police state, their surveillance state. They have the most modern tools to, you know, enact the most cruel, barbarian, you know, political system on their people, their own, you know, Han ethnic majority. And as you guys pointed out, also oppressing the Uyghurs in the Western territories, destroying political rights in Hong Kong when they promised that they would remain, menacing Taiwan, menacing the South China Sea, building illegal islands as military bases, infiltrating free societies in the West. Yes. And they absolutely must be confronted like the Soviet Union. But unlike the Soviet Union, they're embedded into our civil society. They're embedded into our economy. It's much harder to shake them off. And Michael, with all of the news happening here, final thoughts on what you're watching out for as we approach that Trump-Xi meeting in April? Well, we're watching Xi take he's starting to reverse his policies. He's becoming more conciliatory. He remember how aggressive he was against Japan just a few weeks ago and against Taiwan just a few weeks ago. He is he's backed away from that. He's even gone to the point of chiding the Iranian government for attacking shipping in the Persian Gulf. So he's he's no longer looking like this invincible character anymore who who is, you know, everything surrounds him. And he is the source of all that is good and successful. He's failing. I don't see how that's going to benefit him with inside the party, with inside the PLA and certainly with Donald Trump coming in to visit him. I'm sure Trump is going to do his special thing to put Xi Jinping in his place. Adam Savitt, Marcus Shonkis and Jay Michael Waller, thank you all so much for joining us. Thank you. And turning back to domestic news, a Utah judge overseeing the Charlie Kerr criminal case today denying the defense's request to block public access to certain court filings. NTD's Arlene Richards has more. The defendant does not provide any specific specificity explaining why the potential evidence discussed in the underlying motion is of such nature that its disclosure contains the jury pool. Utah State Court Judge Tony Graff is overseeing the criminal case against Tyler Robinson, the 22 year old man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. During a hearing Friday, he denied defense attorneys request to block the public's access to certain court filings and in particular the media. The defense arguing that media coverage is highly prejudicial to their client. We are asking the court to classify this motion and the attachment as private. We believe that the release of this motion and the evidence has a reasonable probability of impacting our ability eventually to impanel an impartial jury and for our client to have a reliable penalty phase should that occur. The judge says Robinson's rights can be protected through the jury selection process and that the public already has access to a majority of the information contained in the motion. Robinson was not in the courtroom Friday, but he previously pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors are arguing that the defense applied the wrong standard in the motion. Most of the documents or most of the evidence that's going to be discussed at that hearing is already public. The prosecution also saying that whether a document is public or private is a media issue and not a primary concern for them. Judge Graff is allowing the defense to refile a redacted version of their motion by March 30th. If filed on time, Graff says he will classify redacted information as private. A separate hearing on April 17th will provide witness testimony on the nature and extent of media coverage and how it impacts public opinion. Judge Graff said he expects Robinson to be in the courtroom for that hearing. Arlene Richards, NTD News. Austin Airport is the latest travel hub to see long security lines after the Senate failed to pass a Department of Homeland Security funding agreement. The partial DHS shutdown will enter its fourth week. NTD correspondent Jason Blair has more. A line was seen heading out of the terminal and down the sidewalk at Austin Airport on Friday morning. Scenes like these have also been seen in airports like Houston, Atlanta and New Orleans. Since February 14th, the Department of Homeland Security has been partially shut down and TSA employees have been working without pay. And as predicted, unscheduled absences are contributing to the disruptions at airport security checkpoints. What we have to do in those instances is to start kind of consolidating and collapsing some of our operations. Since the DHS shutdown began, 300 TSA agents have reportedly left the agency, adding more strain to the staffing issues. The last time TSA agents had to work without pay was only a few months ago, from October 1st to November 12th. A TSA agent in Phoenix telling Fox the impact is life-altering. We've had people that are still recovering from the last one. On Wednesday in Las Vegas, a casino donated meal boxes to TSA workers. It's a token, a small token of our appreciation for these TSA workers that continue to show up for work. On Thursday, the Senate failed to advance an agreement to fund the DHS, which would get the department in full operation, including the TSA. Every day the Democrats refuse to fund DHS. They choose politics over the safety and security of our nation. We can fully fund DHS right now. Right now, if Washington Republicans just agree to common sense reforms for ICE. Democrat House Rep Adam Smith also weighed in, saying Democrats want to fund the TSA and other agencies but won't vote to fund ICE. And House Speaker Mike Johnson says threats are mounting and American families are suffering due to Democrats' political games. As people begin traveling for spring break and as the war in Iran continues, pressure remains high for Congress to reach a funding agreement. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, NTD News. And that's all for today's news. For around the clock coverage, visit us at ntd.com slash live or download our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Good night.