Politics – Headline Smart

Pentagon Locks Down as Mysterious Air Alert Sparks Emergency Response

Hazmat teams and emergency crews responded as officials investigated a possible hazardous materials incident inside the Pentagon. ARLINGTON, Va. — The Pentagon was placed under lockdown Thursday after building safety systems detected an air quality issue that prompted a hazardous materials response, leading emergency crews to secure parts of the sprawling military headquarters while officials worked to determine the cause. Federal and local authorities moved quickly after the alert was detected, triggering precautionary measures inside …

John McCain’s Eldest Son Found Dead at 59

Family members described the loss as sudden and said funeral arrangements are pending. PHOENIX, Ariz. — Andrew McCain, the eldest son of late Arizona Sen. John McCain, died unexpectedly this week at age 59, according to statements released by family members and longtime associates. The McCain family confirmed the death over the weekend but did not immediately release a cause of death. Relatives described the loss as sudden and asked for privacy while funeral arrangements …

Ivanka Trump Targeted in Revenge Assassination Plot

Investigators say an Iraqi national tied to Iran-backed militant groups discussed plans to retaliate for the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. WASHINGTON — Federal authorities and regional security sources are investigating allegations that an Iraqi militant linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps discussed plans to assassinate Ivanka Trump and obtained information related to her Florida residence, according to officials and people familiar with the matter. The allegations surfaced after the recent arrest …

Missing Senate Hopeful Found Dead in Remote Area

Barry Christian’s cause of death remains pending as state investigators review a crashed pickup found south of Erick. ERICK, Okla. — Barry Christian, a 54-year-old Republican candidate for Oklahoma Senate District 38, was found dead Thursday inside his pickup in a rural wildlife area south of Erick, state investigators and his campaign said. Christian’s death moved a missing-person case into a state investigation less than seven weeks before Oklahoma’s June 16 primary. The Oklahoma State …

State Rep. Dies in Fiery Plane Crash

Rep. Liz Conmy and pilot Joseph Cass died after the aircraft went down near Crystal Airport. BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — A North Dakota state legislator and a pilot were killed Saturday when a single-engine plane crashed and caught fire in a Brooklyn Park park shortly after taking off from Crystal Airport north of Minneapolis, authorities said. State Rep. Liz Conmy, 67, of Fargo, and Dr. Joseph Cass were identified by family members and colleagues as …

White House Dinner Shooter Identified as Teacher

Authorities said Cole Tomas Allen was armed with guns and knives outside the Washington Hilton ballroom. WASHINGTON — A 31-year-old California man was identified Sunday as the suspect in a shooting that disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, forced President Donald Trump from the stage and left a Secret Service officer recovering from a gunshot impact. Cole Tomas Allen, of Torrance, California, was taken into custody Saturday night at the Washington Hilton after authorities …

Former Lt. Gov. Kills Wife, Then Himself, Police Say

Their two teenage children were home in Annandale during the overnight shooting, and one called 911. ANNANDALE, Va. — Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, and then killed himself at the couple’s home shortly after midnight Thursday as their two teenage children were inside, Fairfax County police said. The deaths closed a violent chapter in a high-profile divorce and ended the public story of a onetime Democratic rising …

Trump Ousts DHS Chief Kristi Noem and Names a New Pick

President Donald Trump said Thursday he is replacing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to run the department that oversees border security, immigration enforcement, disaster response and transportation screening. The shake-up comes after days of intense hearings on Capitol Hill and a widening dispute over a costly federal advertising campaign that featured Noem. It also lands as the Department of Homeland Security remains partly shut down in a funding …

Armed Suspect Shot Dead at Mar-a-Lago

U.S. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an armed man early Sunday after authorities said he breached the secure perimeter outside Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and residence, during a predawn confrontation near the property’s north gate. The shooting, which investigators said happened around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 22, 2026, triggered a multiagency review led by the FBI and renewed attention on security at a high-profile site …

Text Reignites Affair Claims Tied to Congressman Aide’s Fiery Death

A text message attributed to a former aide to U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales has renewed allegations that the Texas Republican had an affair with the staffer months before she died by suicide in 2025, adding a volatile new dispute to an already competitive primary campaign. The allegations center on Regina Ann “Regi” Santos-Aviles, a district staffer who worked for Gonzales and died after an incident at her home in Uvalde. The San Antonio Express-News reported …