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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new policy on Thursday to allow active servicemembers to put in a request to carry their own personal firearms with them on military installations — proclaiming it to be a "God-given right."

"Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones — leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed. That ends today," Hegseth wrote in a post to X accompanying a video detailing the announcement.

Political analysts and observers were taken aback on Thursday after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended President Donald Trump's rant during an Easter event at the White House.

Trump hosted a gathering of several religious organizations at the White House on Wednesday to commemorate the Easter holiday. During the event, Trump said the federal government can't afford to continue funding programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Instead, Trump suggested that state governments raise their taxes to cover the cost of the programs.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche startled some political analysts and observers on Thursday when he flubbed a softball question about the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Blanche was asked whether the public would learn the identities of the men who abused young women that are mentioned in the Epstein files during a press conference. Blanche's answer left some observers unsettled.

President Donald Trump delivered a 19-minute prime time address on the Iran war Wednesday, claiming military objectives would be accomplished "shortly, very shortly" and predicting gas prices would "rapidly come back down" within two to three weeks.

But Trump administration officials sharply criticized the speech.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is facing an uprising from Republican lawmakers after his abrupt reversal on the Department of Homeland Security bill passed by the Senate, reported Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman on Thursday afternoon.

"The furor in the House GOP at their leadership right now is astounding. Hardline conservatives. Moderates. Leadership allies. Etc," wrote Sherman. After House leadership said in unison that the Senate bill was garbage, Sherman wrote, "now they are being asked to vote for it and told it is the only option."

President Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense was panned by political analysts and observers on Thursday after his latest shakeup within the Army's leadership.

Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to either resign or accept immediate retirement, according to a new report by CBS News. The move happened at a time when the Trump administration is facing significant criticism for its participation in the war in Iran.

President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday night before his Iran speech, reportedly believing she leaked information to Democratic congressman and California gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell.

According to Daily Mail political reporter Phillip Nieto, Trump suspected Bondi tipped off Swalwell about FBI efforts to release investigative documents related to Swalwell's relationship with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.

A viral clip posted to X on Thursday showed Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback blowing up at a Black voter and telling him he should be "lynched" for asking about the allegations of inappropriate behavior with teenagers.

The clip was posted by the account @JustinUSA, who describes himself as a "normal Republican."

President Donald Trump delivered his first national address on the Iran war five weeks after it began, claiming the U.S. has "nearly completed" all objectives while offering little substantive new information.

Trump called on NATO allies to purchase American oil or "take it" from the Strait of Hormuz, and described Iran as one of the world's great powers.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Thursday defended his strange trip to Disney World amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.

Over the weekend, photos of Graham visiting Disney appeared on social media. Graham, who is unmarried and has no children, told TMZ on Tuesday that the trip was planned as part of his efforts to work with special envoy Steve Witkoff to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. But questions still swirled about why he chose to blow off steam at Disney World.