President Trump Designates the 2026 “Major’s List”

President Donald J. Trump formally submitted the 2026 “Major’s List” to Congress, identifying 23 countries as major producers or transit nations for illicit drugs entering the United States.

Key Highlights:

• Countries flagged as failing:
• Overall List (23 nations): Includes the five above and others designated for their role in the manufacturing, trafficking, or transport of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals.
• Reasoning:

Administration’s Position:

• The White House Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) pledged to use “every tool in our arsenal” to hold these governments accountable.
• The designations aim to pressure countries into stepping up their counternarcotics cooperation and enforcement.

Big Picture:
The “Major’s List” is both a policy tool and political signal — spotlighting nations deemed responsible for narcotics inflows, while reinforcing Trump’s law-and-order and anti-drug agenda heading into Fiscal Year 2026.

Memphis Residents Welcome President Trump’s Action to Restore Public Safety

President Donald J. Trump’s deployment of federal resources and National Guard support to Memphis has been widely welcomed by residents, business owners, and lawmakers.

Local Residents’ Voices

• Business Owner (East Memphis): Called it “an opportunity for our city.”
• Longtime Resident: Said Memphis hasn’t felt safe for decades; praised overdue federal response.
• Grieving Mother: After losing her son to gun violence, said the Guard could be a protective “buffer” for communities.
• Restaurant Owners: Described forced early closures due to crime.
• Resident on leadership: “President Trump is finally saying Memphis matters… Local leaders have failed to do so.”

Lawmakers’ Praise

• Gov. Bill Lee: Thanked Trump for federal support after months of planning; said resources were “long overdue.”
• Sen. Marsha Blackburn: Hailed this as a long-term effort to “Make Memphis Safe Again.”
• Sen. Bill Hagerty: Called it an “extraordinary display of bipartisan cooperation” to protect communities.
• State Sen. Brent Taylor: Praised Trump for stepping in where Democrats refused; stressed Memphis “deserves safe and clean streets.”
• State Rep. John Gillespie: Welcomed Guard deployment as a force multiplier for law enforcement.

Big Picture:
The move is being embraced as a long-delayed but hopeful turning point in the fight to reclaim Memphis from crime — restoring public trust, safety, and stability where local leadership is seen as having fallen short.

Executive Order: Establishing an Emergency Board to Investigate Disputes Between the Long Island Rail Road Company and Certain of Its Employees

President Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Order to address unresolved labor disputes between the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and several major rail unions.

Unions Involved:

• Transportation Communications Union
• Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
• Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
• International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Key Provisions of the Executive Order:

• Emergency Board Established
• Report Timeline
• Condition Freeze
• Recordkeeping
• Expiration
• Costs

Big Picture:
This action ensures continuity of negotiations, prevents unilateral changes or strikes during the investigation period, and creates a formal path toward resolution under the Railway Labor Act.

Executive Order: Further Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay

President Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Order further extending the enforcement delay of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act as it applies to TikTok.

Key Points:

• The enforcement delay—first set in Jan 2025 (EO 14166) and extended twice (April, June 2025)—is now pushed to December 16, 2025.
• During this period:
• The Attorney General must:
• Reinforces that only the federal government (AG specifically) has enforcement authority — not states or private parties.

Context & Implications:

• Reflects ongoing legal, security, and policy deliberations over TikTok’s future in the U.S.
• Maintains the status quo while avoiding disruptions for businesses and app providers.
• Signals that a long-term resolution on TikTok and related apps is still under consideration.

Presidential Memorandum: Restoring Law and Order in Memphis

President Donald J. Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum establishing the Memphis Safe Task Force to tackle the city’s violent crime crisis, described as the worst in the nation.

Background

• Memphis recorded the highest violent crime rate in 2024, including top per-capita rates of murder, robbery, assault, burglary, and auto theft.
• Local leaders requested federal assistance due to overwhelmed law enforcement capacity.
• The White House emphasized Memphis’ cultural importance (home of Graceland, Beale Street, and blues/rock history) and the need to protect both residents and visitors.

Key Actions

1. Memphis Safe Task Force
2. National Guard Mobilization
3. Reporting & Oversight

Big Picture
The memorandum represents a federal takeover-style intervention in Memphis, modeled on Trump’s Washington, D.C. crime crackdown earlier in 2025.
It emphasizes massive multi-agency coordination, expanded policing powers, and military support (National Guard) to restore law and order.

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Law and Order in Memphis

President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum launching the Memphis Safe Task Force to combat rampant violent crime and restore public order in Memphis, Tennessee.

Key Actions:

• Creation of Memphis Safe Task Force
• National Guard Deployment

Crime Context in Memphis:

• Highest violent crime rate in the U.S. (FBI 2024).
• Among the highest murder, robbery, and assault rates in the nation.
• Murder rate: 4x Mexico City, 27x Havana.
• 150 murders already recorded in 2025.
• Tennessee’s governor formally requested federal assistance due to overwhelmed local response capacity.

Comparisons & Broader Agenda:

• Trump cited Washington, D.C.’s crime turnaround under his “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” task force, claiming dramatic results.
• Positioned Memphis as the next major law-and-order success story.
• Reinforced his broader commitment to deploy federal resources and make every American city safe again.

Big Picture:
The measure reflects the Administration’s law-and-order approach, emphasizing federal intervention in cities struggling with violent crime, while drawing contrasts with perceived failures in Democrat-led urban policy.

VP Vance, Administration Leaders Honor Charlie Kirk’s Enduring Legacy

Vice President JD Vance and senior Trump Administration officials paid tribute to Charlie Kirk in a special live broadcast of The Charlie Kirk Show from the White House, celebrating his life, faith, and national influence.

Vice President Vance’s Reflections

• Spoke emotionally about his friendship with Kirk and his family.
• Credited Kirk with shaping his journey: “If it weren’t for Charlie Kirk, I would not be the Vice President of the United States.”
• Quoted Psalm 133, urging Americans to embrace unity founded on truth and faith.
• Acknowledged political division but stressed the need for honest dialogue to achieve real unity.

Other Administration Tributes

• Susie Wiles (Chief of Staff): Praised Kirk’s leadership of Turning Point and its role in mobilizing millions of young conservatives.
• Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (HHS Secretary): Called Kirk a “spiritual soulmate” who unified him with President Trump.
• Karoline Leavitt (Press Secretary): Said Kirk inspired her faith-driven approach to public service.
• Stephen Miller (Deputy Chief of Staff): Remembered Kirk as a “cheerleader” for others’ potential, vowing to fight Radical Left networks “in Charlie’s name.”
• Taylor Budowich (Deputy Chief of Staff): Framed Kirk as a timeless figure of inspiration for future generations.
• Kaelan Dorr (Deputy Communications Director): Called on young conservatives and Christians to continue Kirk’s mission.

Big Picture:
The White House positioned Kirk as a unifying, faith-based force whose mission will live on. Leaders pledged to draw strength from his legacy to guide their work on patriotism, truth, and national renewal.

Memphis Has a Crime Problem — and Residents Agree

President Donald J. Trump’s plan to send the National Guard and federal resources to Memphis is being met with broad support from residents and community leaders, as the city struggles with the highest violent crime rate in the nation.

Key Resident Testimonies:

• A tax service owner: “We’re grateful for the National Guard coming.”
• A mother robbed and carjacked at gunpoint: “I was scared and just hoped he didn’t shoot me.”
• A 60-year-old carjacking victim: “I honestly thought he was going to kill me.”
• A man woken by gunfire into his home: “Everybody turns the cheek when it’s not in their ZIP code, but it’s becoming a problem for everybody.”
• A crime prevention leader: “There’s a need for more boots on the ground.”

Crime Snapshot:

• Headlines show near-daily shootings, carjackings, and drive-bys across multiple neighborhoods.
• Victims range from elderly residents to young moms, underscoring the widespread nature of the crisis.
• Crime rates in Memphis are hundreds of percent above national averages.

Federal Framing:

• The White House blames failed bail reform policies for releasing violent offenders back onto the streets.
• Intervention is aimed at stopping violent crime, protecting citizens, and supporting local law enforcement overwhelmed by escalating violence.

Big Picture:
Memphis residents vividly describe a city under siege, and many welcome federal action as a last-resort solution to bring order and restore public safety.