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Mar 29, 2026

Sunday, March 29, 2026 · 8:00 a.m. ET

Federal Level

Millions Rally Across the Country in Third Round of No Kings Protests

Millions of Americans took to the streets on Saturday in what organizers called the largest single day of political demonstration in the country’s history. More than 3,100 No Kings rallies were held in all 50 states and in over a dozen countries, with organizers claiming approximately nine million participants. The flagship event in St. Paul, Minnesota drew an estimated 150,000 people and was headlined by Bruce Springsteen. Protesters focused their opposition on the Iran conflict, rising gas prices, the ongoing DHS shutdown, and what they described as executive overreach by President Trump. Solidarity rallies also took place in Rome, London, and Paris. The White House dismissed the demonstrations as the product of “leftist funding networks” lacking genuine public support.^1,2,3

Trump Signs Order to Pay TSA Workers as DHS Shutdown Nears Day 44

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration employees, who have gone without paychecks since the partial DHS shutdown began on February 14. Secretary Mullin said TSA officers could begin receiving back pay as early as Monday. The order came hours after the House passed a 60-day continuing resolution to fund DHS on a 213-to-203 vote, but the Senate, which approved its own separate bill and left for a two-week recess, has called the House measure “dead on arrival.” The shutdown, now in its 44th day, remains unresolved with no negotiations scheduled.^4,5,6

Pentagon Prepares for Ground Operations in Iran as 3,500 Troops Arrive

The Washington Post reported Saturday that the Pentagon has been preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, though officials said the plans would fall short of a full-scale invasion and could involve special forces and conventional infantry. The report came as U.S. Central Command announced the arrival of 3,500 additional troops aboard the USS Tripoli. Iran’s parliamentary speaker accused the United States of secretly planning a ground assault while talking of negotiations. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pentagon’s planning “does not imply that the President has made any decisions.” Recent polling shows 62 percent of Americans strongly oppose sending ground forces into Iran.^7,8,9

FBI Director Patel Pushes to Release Old Investigative Files on Rep. Swalwell

FBI Director Kash Patel is pushing for the release of documents from a decade-old counterintelligence investigation into Rep. Eric Swalwell’s interactions with a suspected Chinese spy, according to the New York Times and Washington Post. Swalwell ended his association with the individual in 2015 after being briefed by intelligence officials, and a two-year House Ethics investigation closed in 2023 without further action. Swalwell has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. He linked the move to his candidacy for California governor, accusing the administration of political retaliation. The public release of files from an investigation that resulted in no charges would be a highly unusual step.^10,11,12

Vance Wins CPAC Straw Poll for 2028, but Rubio Gains Significant Ground

Vice President JD Vance won the 2028 Republican presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday with 53 percent of the vote, down from 61 percent last year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio surged to 35 percent, up from just 3 percent in 2025, reflecting his rising profile on foreign policy and the Iran conflict. No other candidate received more than 2 percent. The results suggest an increasingly competitive early contest between Vance’s populist base and Rubio’s growing national security appeal within the Republican Party.^13,14,15

DHS Shutdown Splits Republican Leadership in Congress

The collapse of the Senate’s bipartisan DHS funding deal exposed a rare public rupture between Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Johnson called Thune’s compromise, which would have funded most of DHS while excluding ICE, “a joke” and refused to bring it to the House floor. Thune had spent weeks negotiating the agreement with Democrats. With the Senate now on a two-week recess and no negotiations scheduled, the divide complicates Republican efforts to advance a war funding package for Iran expected to exceed $200 billion, as well as the president’s push for voter ID legislation.^16,17

State Level

Minnesota Governor Walz Signs First Bills of 2026 Session

Governor Tim Walz signed four bipartisan bills into law on Friday, marking the first bill signings of the 2026 legislative session. The new laws enhance school bus safety by requiring drivers to stop at least 20 feet from buses displaying red lights, provide $9 million in supportive housing funding, support cannabis product testing for small businesses, and repeal the state’s Cesar Chavez Day holiday. Walz declared March 31 as Farmworkers Day to continue recognizing agricultural workers and said the bills demonstrate what is “possible when we set party aside.”¹⁸

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