President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict:

1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.



2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.



3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.



4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.



5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.



6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.



7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.



8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.



9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.



10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.



11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.



12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.



13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.



14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.



15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.



16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.



17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.



18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.



19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.



20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759172560666.png" alt="President Trump and the Prime Minister of Israel during a White House&nbsp; press conference on Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>President Trump and the Prime Minister of Israel during a White House&nbsp; press conference on Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;To ensure the success of this effort, my plan calls for a new international oversight body — the Board of Peace... which will be headed, not at my request... by a gentleman known as President Donald J. Trump of the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/h0nFKR3JJA">pic.twitter.com/h0nFKR3JJA</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972734222315184529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict:

1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759172020282.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>
2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.

3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.

4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.

5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.

6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.

7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.

8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.

9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.

10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.

11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.

12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.

13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.

14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.

15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.

16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.

17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.

18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.

19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.

20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

Read President Trump’s 'Eternal Peace Plan' to end the Gaza conflict

Young Republicans vow to continue engaging with ideas as campus conservatives and liberals try to turn down the temperature

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Conservative and liberal students at Nebraska colleges say they want to turn down the temperature on the heated political dialogue dominating national conversations in the weeks since the killing of Charlie Kirk.

The call for a return to civil discourse among young Nebraskans comes against&nbsp;the backdrop of President Donald Trump pledging to use the federal government to investigate political foes on the “radical left.”&nbsp;

Ethnie Barnhouse, the president of University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter of Kirk’s political organization Turning Point USA, which was designed to engage college students, said she hopes more young conservatives will “be bold and be courageous” and speak openly with others about their views.&nbsp;

“They’re going to think you’re some evil person … I want people not to be afraid to have those conversations,” Barnhouse said at a UNL campus vigil honoring Kirk days after he was killed. “Because a lot of the time, when people think that about you, it’s just because they haven’t talked to you, and they don’t actually know what you believe.”&nbsp;

After the vigil — whose speakers included&nbsp;Nebraska volleyball middle blocker&nbsp;Rebekah Allick&nbsp;and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican –&nbsp;Barnhouse took questions from fellow students and&nbsp;community members&nbsp;who wanted to get more involved with Turning Point. Barnhouse said she was surprised by the turnout and level of interest.

Campus&nbsp;conservatives at some of the state’s largest schools in Lincoln and Omaha&nbsp;credited Kirk for encouraging them to be more open about their political views in what many described as environments&nbsp;hostile &nbsp;to conservatism. Several said they plan to make sharper efforts to organize young people while also calling for more civil dialogue with people across the political spectrum.&nbsp;

Young liberals also hope for more civil disagreement, rather than the rhetoric often seen on social media and among politicians.&nbsp;Troy Kallhoff, president of the UNL chapter of the Young Democrats, said he was deeply disturbed that people would try to “resolve political divide and political grievance” with violence.&nbsp;

“Regardless of how much I disagree with him or any other political activist or politician, I would never wish for them to be murdered or killed,” Kallhoff said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kirk was shot during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in&nbsp;Orem, Utah, in&nbsp;early September. The 22-year-old man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, had sent text messages to his romantic partner that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated out,” according to&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/16/charges-filed-tyler-robinson-death-penalty-accused-of-killing-charlie-kirk/" target="_blank">Utah prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty</a>.

The Kirk shooting was the latest instance of political violence in the U.S. An arsonist burned the&nbsp;Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in April.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/22/israeli-embassy-staffers-shooting-capital-jewish-museum-00364688" target="_blank">Two Israeli Embassy</a>&nbsp;staffers were killed in Washington, D.C. in May. A Democratic Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/06/14/minnesota-house-democratic-leader-dead-after-targeted-shooting-democratic-senator-also-shot/" target="_blank">state lawmaker</a>&nbsp;and her husband were shot and killed in June. A Georgia man&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/06/16/georgia-man-indicted-for-threatening-nebraska-u-s-sen-deb-fischer-doj-says/">was indicted in June for allegedly making threats across state lines</a>&nbsp;against Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Nebraska U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.&nbsp;

Dona-Gene Barton, a UNL political science professor who studies political behavior, said political violence isn’t new in American history. But she said this political moment is different because of high levels of “affective polarization.”&nbsp;

“It’s a context where the rhetoric and the effect of polarization among political elites [and] average citizens is [already] at a dangerous [level] to begin with,” Barton said.&nbsp;

Kirk and Turning Point, which he founded in 2012, were credited with mobilizing younger voters to support Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Trump made gains with young people, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/g-s1-33331/unpacking-the-2024-youth-vote-heres-what-we-know-so-far" target="_blank">demographic Democrats previously dominated</a>,&nbsp;which helped him win the popular vote.&nbsp;

But Kirk also appealed to some in the Republican base with his statements&nbsp;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2025/09/charlie-kirk-shot-utah/" target="_blank">directed at minorities</a>. He criticized LGBTQ rights, suggested more women should stay home and not work and criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with some of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work.&nbsp;

Among Turning Point’s best-known projects was the “<a href="https://www.professorwatchlist.org/searchbyschool" target="_blank">Professor Watchlist</a>,” which published the names of college professors in a searchable format by categories including “anti-Christian views,” “feminism,” “climate alarmist” and “racial ideology.”&nbsp;

Despite the controversies,&nbsp;many young conservatives, including UNL student Zoey Salem, credited Kirk for engaging students and encouraging them to speak freely.&nbsp;

“Even as a conservative, I didn’t agree with everything he said, but that wasn’t really the point of Charlie Kirk to me,” said Salem. “The point was that he was giving a platform to all people.”

Kallhoff, of the UNL Young Democrats, said he hopes that after Kirk’s assassination people can “come together and have civilized conversations” and understand that “we’re all trying to make the country better.”&nbsp;

Creighton University students Emma Smith and Hannah Sobczyk said people need to stop hiding behind social media and start having face-to-face conversations again. At the end of the day, Sobczyk said, people need to respect that people have different political beliefs.

“We’re all people,” Smith said.&nbsp;

Barton, the political scientist, said she hopes politicians will tone down the rhetoric used in response to Kirk’s death, because it “doesn’t do any good for trying to calm the tensions.”

“In the past, political elites, when you had incidents of political violence in this country, they would try to be more unifying,” Barton said. “Some … have responded by trying to weaponize this event.”

At UNL, Barnhouse said she is focused on honoring Kirk’s legacy.

“My life would look very different if it weren’t for Charlie Kirk,” Barnhouse said.&nbsp;

Kallhoff said the next generation is tired of the political divide and government stagnation

“The only option is for it to get better,” Kallhoff said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759156460808.png" alt="An attendee of a Charlie Kirk vigil at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat on Sept 17. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>An attendee of a Charlie Kirk vigil at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat on Sept 17. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Young Republicans vow to continue engaging with ideas as campus conservatives and liberals try to turn down the temperature</h2>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Conservative and liberal students at Nebraska colleges say they want to turn down the temperature on the heated political dialogue dominating national conversations in the weeks since the killing of Charlie Kirk.But they’ve got their work cut out.The call for a return to civil discourse among young Nebraskans comes against&nbsp;the backdrop of President Donald Trump pledging to use the federal government to investigate political foes on the “radical left.”&nbsp;Ethnie Barnhouse, the president of University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter of Kirk’s political organization Turning Point USA, which was designed to engage college students, said she hopes more young conservatives will “be bold and be courageous” and speak openly with others about their views.&nbsp;“They’re going to think you’re some evil person … I want people not to be afraid to have those conversations,” Barnhouse said at a UNL campus vigil honoring Kirk days after he was killed. “Because a lot of the time, when people think that about you, it’s just because they haven’t talked to you, and they don’t actually know what you believe.”&nbsp;After the vigil — whose speakers included&nbsp;Nebraska volleyball middle blocker&nbsp;Rebekah Allick&nbsp;and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican –&nbsp;Barnhouse took questions from fellow students and&nbsp;community members&nbsp;who wanted to get more involved with Turning Point. Barnhouse said she was surprised by the turnout and level of interest.Campus&nbsp;conservatives at some of the state’s largest schools in Lincoln and Omaha&nbsp;credited Kirk for encouraging them to be more open about their political views in what many described as environments&nbsp;hostile &nbsp;to conservatism. Several said they plan to make sharper efforts to organize young people while also calling for more civil dialogue with people across the political spectrum.&nbsp;Young liberals also hope for more civil disagreement, rather than the rhetoric often seen on social media and among politicians.&nbsp;Troy Kallhoff, president of the UNL chapter of the Young Democrats, said he was deeply disturbed that people would try to “resolve political divide and political grievance” with violence.&nbsp;“Regardless of how much I disagree with him or any other political activist or politician, I would never wish for them to be murdered or killed,” Kallhoff said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kirk was shot during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in&nbsp;Orem, Utah, in&nbsp;early September. The 22-year-old man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, had sent text messages to his romantic partner that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated out,” according to&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/16/charges-filed-tyler-robinson-death-penalty-accused-of-killing-charlie-kirk/" target="_blank">Utah prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty</a>.The Kirk shooting was the latest instance of political violence in the U.S. An arsonist burned the&nbsp;Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in April.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/22/israeli-embassy-staffers-shooting-capital-jewish-museum-00364688" target="_blank">Two Israeli Embassy</a>&nbsp;staffers were killed in Washington, D.C. in May. A Democratic Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/06/14/minnesota-house-democratic-leader-dead-after-targeted-shooting-democratic-senator-also-shot/" target="_blank">state lawmaker</a>&nbsp;and her husband were shot and killed in June. A Georgia man&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/06/16/georgia-man-indicted-for-threatening-nebraska-u-s-sen-deb-fischer-doj-says/">was indicted in June for allegedly making threats across state lines</a>&nbsp;against Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Nebraska U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.&nbsp;Dona-Gene Barton, a UNL political science professor who studies political behavior, said political violence isn’t new in American history. But she said this political moment is different because of high levels of “affective polarization.”&nbsp;“It’s a context where the rhetoric and the effect of polarization among political elites [and] average citizens is [already] at a dangerous [level] to begin with,” Barton said.&nbsp;Kirk and Turning Point, which he founded in 2012, were credited with mobilizing younger voters to support Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Trump made gains with young people, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/g-s1-33331/unpacking-the-2024-youth-vote-heres-what-we-know-so-far" target="_blank">demographic Democrats previously dominated</a>,&nbsp;which helped him win the popular vote.&nbsp;But Kirk also appealed to some in the Republican base with his statements&nbsp;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2025/09/charlie-kirk-shot-utah/" target="_blank">directed at minorities</a>. He criticized LGBTQ rights, suggested more women should stay home and not work and criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with some of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work.&nbsp;Among Turning Point’s best-known projects was the “<a href="https://www.professorwatchlist.org/searchbyschool" target="_blank">Professor Watchlist</a>,” which published the names of college professors in a searchable format by categories including “anti-Christian views,” “feminism,” “climate alarmist” and “racial ideology.”&nbsp;Despite the controversies,&nbsp;many young conservatives, including UNL student Zoey Salem, credited Kirk for engaging students and encouraging them to speak freely.&nbsp;“Even as a conservative, I didn’t agree with everything he said, but that wasn’t really the point of Charlie Kirk to me,” said Salem. “The point was that he was giving a platform to all people.”Kallhoff, of the UNL Young Democrats, said he hopes that after Kirk’s assassination people can “come together and have civilized conversations” and understand that “we’re all trying to make the country better.”&nbsp;Creighton University students Emma Smith and Hannah Sobczyk said people need to stop hiding behind social media and start having face-to-face conversations again. At the end of the day, Sobczyk said, people need to respect that people have different political beliefs.“We’re all people,” Smith said.&nbsp;Barton, the political scientist, said she hopes politicians will tone down the rhetoric used in response to Kirk’s death, because it “doesn’t do any good for trying to calm the tensions.”“In the past, political elites, when you had incidents of political violence in this country, they would try to be more unifying,” Barton said. “Some … have responded by trying to weaponize this event.”At UNL, Barnhouse said she is focused on honoring Kirk’s legacy.“My life would look very different if it weren’t for Charlie Kirk,” Barnhouse said.&nbsp;Kallhoff said the next generation is tired of the political divide and government stagnation“The only option is for it to get better,” Kallhoff said.

Nebraska’s college students learning to talk again after Kirk’s death

WASHINGTON, September 27, 2025 –&nbsp;The Hillshire Brands Company, a Haltom City, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 58,000,000 pounds of corn dog and sausage on a stick products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of wood embedded in the batter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on their web site.

The corn dog and sausage on a stick products were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf">view product list</a>]. The labels for the impacted products can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-09/recall-030-2025-labels.pdf">view labels</a>].

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. These items were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide. They were also sold to school districts and Department of Defense facilities nationwide. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from commercial sales and not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.

The problem was discovered after the establishment received multiple consumer complaints, five of which involved injuries. The Hillshire Brands Company conducted an investigation and determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with school and institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers, schools, and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Christina Self, The Hillshire Brands Company Associate Director of Customer Care, at 888-747-7611. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact MaKenzie Taylor, The Hillshire Brands Company Communications Manager, at 810-391-6680.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov%2FeCCF%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMelissa.Cordell%40usda.gov%7C2ffd2d584176447889ea08dbb48bd749%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638302284933732023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jx%2BVgXbvTA0YVfEYBwKrSu9MQne%2BUQZ3bT04yRxlrAI%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759092364076.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, September 27, 2025 –&nbsp;The Hillshire Brands Company, a Haltom City, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 58,000,000 pounds of corn dog and sausage on a stick products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of wood embedded in the batter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on their web site.The corn dog and sausage on a stick products were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf">view product list</a>]. The labels for the impacted products can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-09/recall-030-2025-labels.pdf">view labels</a>].The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. These items were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide. They were also sold to school districts and Department of Defense facilities nationwide. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from commercial sales and not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.The problem was discovered after the establishment received multiple consumer complaints, five of which involved injuries. The Hillshire Brands Company conducted an investigation and determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with school and institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers, schools, and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Christina Self, The Hillshire Brands Company Associate Director of Customer Care, at 888-747-7611. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact MaKenzie Taylor, The Hillshire Brands Company Communications Manager, at 810-391-6680.Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov%2FeCCF%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMelissa.Cordell%40usda.gov%7C2ffd2d584176447889ea08dbb48bd749%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638302284933732023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jx%2BVgXbvTA0YVfEYBwKrSu9MQne%2BUQZ3bT04yRxlrAI%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

58M pounds of corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick products recalled

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI — A devastating attack occurred this morning at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, during a Sunday service attended by hundreds of congregants.

At approximately 10:25 a.m. EDT, 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford from nearby Burton drove a pickup truck through the church's front doors and opened fire with an assault rifle. The gunfire resulted in at least two fatalities and eight injuries. Sanford was subsequently engaged and fatally shot by responding police officers. Authorities believe he also deliberately set the church on fire before the officers arrived reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/multiple-people-injured-after-shooting-fire-michigan-church-police-say-2025-09-28/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">Reuters</a>.

The fire, which broke out shortly after the shooting, caused significant damage to the building. Firefighters worked diligently to extinguish the blaze, and by early afternoon, the fire had been contained. Authorities are continuing to search the premises for any additional victims who may have been trapped or injured during the incident according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/09/28/shooting-church-michigan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>.

The motive behind Sanford's actions remains unclear. Investigators are examining his residence and electronic communications as part of their inquiry. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have deployed over 100 agents to assist in the investigation.

In the wake of the tragedy, local and national leaders have expressed their condolences. Governor Gretchen Whitmer described her heart as "breaking for the Grand Blanc community," while President Donald Trump condemned the violence, calling it "horrendous" and suggesting it may have been a targeted attack against Christians.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement expressing sorrow over the incident and urging prayers and community support during this challenging time.

This tragic event marks the 324th mass shooting in the United States in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759095938751.png" alt="A fire burning at a Grand Blanc Township church on Sept. 28, 2025, following a mass shooting. (Credit: Julie J)(Julie J)" />
 <figcaption>A fire burning at a Grand Blanc Township church on Sept. 28, 2025, following a mass shooting. (Credit: Julie J)(Julie J)</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI — A devastating attack occurred this morning at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, during a Sunday service attended by hundreds of congregants.At approximately 10:25 a.m. EDT, 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford from nearby Burton drove a pickup truck through the church's front doors and opened fire with an assault rifle. The gunfire resulted in at least two fatalities and eight injuries. Sanford was subsequently engaged and fatally shot by responding police officers. Authorities believe he also deliberately set the church on fire before the officers arrived reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/multiple-people-injured-after-shooting-fire-michigan-church-police-say-2025-09-28/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">Reuters</a>.The fire, which broke out shortly after the shooting, caused significant damage to the building. Firefighters worked diligently to extinguish the blaze, and by early afternoon, the fire had been contained. Authorities are continuing to search the premises for any additional victims who may have been trapped or injured during the incident according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/09/28/shooting-church-michigan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>.The motive behind Sanford's actions remains unclear. Investigators are examining his residence and electronic communications as part of their inquiry. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have deployed over 100 agents to assist in the investigation.In the wake of the tragedy, local and national leaders have expressed their condolences. Governor Gretchen Whitmer described her heart as "breaking for the Grand Blanc community," while President Donald Trump condemned the violence, calling it "horrendous" and suggesting it may have been a targeted attack against Christians.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759096128103.png" alt="Fire and EMS vehicles are parked The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where a shooting took place on Sept. 28, 2025, in Grand Blanc, Michigan." />
 <figcaption>Fire and EMS vehicles are parked The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where a shooting took place on Sept. 28, 2025, in Grand Blanc, Michigan.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement expressing sorrow over the incident and urging prayers and community support during this challenging time.This tragic event marks the 324th mass shooting in the United States in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive.Authorities continue to investigate the incident, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Tragedy Strikes Michigan Church as Gunman Opens Fire During Sunday Service

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshua-haiar/">Joshua Haiar</a> <a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre will not be rescinded.

The massacre occurred on Dec. 29, 1890. Lakota people were camped near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they were surrounded by hundreds of Army soldiers. A shot rang out while the soldiers tried to disarm the camp, and chaotic shooting ensued.

Fewer than 40 soldiers were killed (some by friendly fire, according to historians), while estimates of Lakota deaths ran from 200 to 300 or more, depending on the source. After some of the bodies froze on the ground for several days, a military-led burial party placed them in a mass grave.

Hegseth used the word “battle” to describe the massacre.

“Under my direction, we’re making it clear, without hesitation, that the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890 will keep their medals,” Hegseth said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">video posted to social media</a>. “And we’re making it clear that they deserve those medals. This decision is now final, and their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”

Hegseth’s predecessor during the Biden administration, Lloyd Austin, created&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/07/24/defense-secretary-orders-review-of-wounded-knee-massacre-medals/" target="_blank">a panel</a>&nbsp;last year to review the medals. At the time, the Defense Department said “approximately 20” soldiers had received a Medal of Honor for participating in the massacre. Historians have noted that the records associated with some of the medals are incomplete or unclear.

There was no public report from the panel and no public action on the matter by the Biden administration before Biden left office. Hegseth held up a report in his social media video that he said was generated by that panel in October, but the Defense Department has not published it. A request from South Dakota Searchlight for the report is pending with the department.

“Upon deliberation, that panel concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions in 1890,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth alleged the prior administration was too concerned with being “politically correct” to share a final decision.&nbsp;

Oliver “OJ” Semans, a Rosebud Sioux tribal member who advocates for the revocation of the medals, said he wasn’t surprised by Hegseth’s statements. Semans said he felt the review panel’s makeup was skewed toward protecting the military’s image.

“I think it’s a shame that Secretary Hegseth was misled by his predecessor’s report,” Semans said.

Past efforts to rescind the medals through congressional action have failed. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, introduced another bill to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1915" target="_blank">this year</a>.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, was at a public event Friday in Rapid City, about 90 miles from Wounded Knee. Thune said the decision was Hegseth’s to make and that the decision was supported by an “independent review.”

South Dakota Searchlight asked Thune if he agreed with Hegseth’s use of the word “battle” and Hegseth’s statement that the soldiers “deserve those medals.”

“Whenever you’re talking about those types of events in our nation’s history, you need to do it in a respectful way,” Thune said. “I didn’t watch what he said, but like I said, I think the decision that he issued is the one that everybody will end up having to adhere to.”

South Dakota Searchlight’s Seth Tupper contributed to this report.

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759066705724.png" alt="Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)" />
 <figcaption>Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshua-haiar/">Joshua Haiar</a> <a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre will not be rescinded.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Under my direction, the soldiers who fought at the Battle of Wounded Knee will keep their medals. This decision is final. Their place in history is settled. <a href="https://t.co/klQlB6MZ6l">pic.twitter.com/klQlB6MZ6l</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The massacre occurred on Dec. 29, 1890. Lakota people were camped near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they were surrounded by hundreds of Army soldiers. A shot rang out while the soldiers tried to disarm the camp, and chaotic shooting ensued.Fewer than 40 soldiers were killed (some by friendly fire, according to historians), while estimates of Lakota deaths ran from 200 to 300 or more, depending on the source. After some of the bodies froze on the ground for several days, a military-led burial party placed them in a mass grave.Hegseth used the word “battle” to describe the massacre.“Under my direction, we’re making it clear, without hesitation, that the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890 will keep their medals,” Hegseth said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">video posted to social media</a>. “And we’re making it clear that they deserve those medals. This decision is now final, and their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”Hegseth’s predecessor during the Biden administration, Lloyd Austin, created&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/07/24/defense-secretary-orders-review-of-wounded-knee-massacre-medals/" target="_blank">a panel</a>&nbsp;last year to review the medals. At the time, the Defense Department said “approximately 20” soldiers had received a Medal of Honor for participating in the massacre. Historians have noted that the records associated with some of the medals are incomplete or unclear.There was no public report from the panel and no public action on the matter by the Biden administration before Biden left office. Hegseth held up a report in his social media video that he said was generated by that panel in October, but the Defense Department has not published it. A request from South Dakota Searchlight for the report is pending with the department.“Upon deliberation, that panel concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions in 1890,” Hegseth said.Hegseth alleged the prior administration was too concerned with being “politically correct” to share a final decision.&nbsp;Oliver “OJ” Semans, a Rosebud Sioux tribal member who advocates for the revocation of the medals, said he wasn’t surprised by Hegseth’s statements. Semans said he felt the review panel’s makeup was skewed toward protecting the military’s image.“I think it’s a shame that Secretary Hegseth was misled by his predecessor’s report,” Semans said.Past efforts to rescind the medals through congressional action have failed. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, introduced another bill to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1915" target="_blank">this year</a>.U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, was at a public event Friday in Rapid City, about 90 miles from Wounded Knee. Thune said the decision was Hegseth’s to make and that the decision was supported by an “independent review.”South Dakota Searchlight asked Thune if he agreed with Hegseth’s use of the word “battle” and Hegseth’s statement that the soldiers “deserve those medals.”“Whenever you’re talking about those types of events in our nation’s history, you need to do it in a respectful way,” Thune said. “I didn’t watch what he said, but like I said, I think the decision that he issued is the one that everybody will end up having to adhere to.”South Dakota Searchlight’s Seth Tupper contributed to this report.This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

🎥Medals awarded for Wounded Knee Massacre won’t be rescinded

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — Congress’ failure to pass a short-term government funding bill before midnight Tuesday will lead to the first shutdown in nearly seven years and give President Donald Trump broad authority to determine what federal operations keep running — which will have a huge impact on the government, its employees, states and Americans.&nbsp;

A funding lapse this year would have a considerably wider effect than the 35-day one that took place during Trump’s first term and could last longer, given heightened political tensions.&nbsp;

The last shutdown didn’t affect the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs, since Congress had approved those agencies’ full-year funding bills.

Lawmakers had also enacted the Legislative Branch appropriations bill, exempting Capitol Hill from any repercussions.&nbsp;

That isn’t the case this time around since none of the dozen government spending bills have become law. That means nearly every corner of the federal government will feel the pain in some way&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">if a compromise isn’t reached</a>&nbsp;by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.&nbsp;

States Newsroom’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/category/dc-bureau" target="_blank">Washington, D.C. Bureau</a>&nbsp;offers you a quick guide to what could happen if Republicans and Democrats don’t broker an agreement in time.

How does the White House budget office determine what government operations are essential during a shutdown?

Generally, federal programs that include the preservation of life or property as well as those addressing national security continue during a shutdown, while all other activities are supposed to cease until a funding bill becomes law.&nbsp;

But the president holds expansive power to determine what activities within the executive branch are essential and which aren’t, making the effects of a shutdown hard to pinpoint unless the Trump administration shares that information publicly.&nbsp;

Presidential administrations have&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">traditionally posted</a>&nbsp;contingency plans on the White House budget office’s website, detailing how each agency would shut down — explaining which employees are exempt and need to keep working, and which are furloughed.&nbsp;

That appears to have changed this year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-resources/guidance/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">web page</a>&nbsp;that would normally host dozens of contingency plans remained blank until late September, when the White House budget office posted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/a11.pdf" target="_blank">940-page document</a>&nbsp;released in August calls for the plans to be “hosted solely on each agency’s website.”

Only a few departments had plans from this year posted on their websites as of Friday afternoon.

The White House budget office expects agencies to develop Reduction in Force plans as part of their shutdown preparation, signaling a prolonged funding lapse will include mass firings and layoffs.

While the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-threatens-mass-firings-federal-employees-government-shutdown" target="_blank">two-page memo</a>&nbsp;doesn’t detail which agencies would be most affected, it says layoffs will apply to programs, projects, or activities that are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

Trump will be paid during a shutdown since&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/" target="_blank">Article II, Section 1, Clause 7</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution prevents the president’s salary from being increased or decreased during the current term.

No one else in the executive branch — including Cabinet secretaries, more than 2 million civilian employees and over 1 million active duty military personnel — will receive their paycheck until after the shutdown ends.&nbsp;

Are federal courts exempt from a shutdown since they’re a separate branch of government?

The Supreme Court will continue to conduct normal operations in the event of a shutdown, according to its Public Information Office.&nbsp;

The office said the court “will rely on permanent funds not subject to annual approval, as it has in the past, to maintain operations through the duration of short-term lapses of annual appropriations,” in a statement shared with States Newsroom.&nbsp;

As for any impact on lower federal courts, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said the federal judiciary was still assessing the fiscal 2026 outlook and had no comment.&nbsp;

The office serves as the central support arm of the federal judiciary.&nbsp;

During the last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2018/12/22/judiciary-operating-during-shutdown" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;from late 2018 into early 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2019/01/07/judiciary-operating-limited-funds-during-shutdown" target="_blank">federal courts</a>&nbsp;remained open using court fee balances and “no-year” funds, which are available for an indefinite period.&nbsp;

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has said that if those funds run out, they would operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which “allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers.”&nbsp;

Supreme Court justices and appointed federal judges continue to get paid during a government shutdown, as&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/" target="_blank">Article III</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution says the judges’ compensation “shall not be diminished” during their term.

What happens to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid?

The three programs exist largely outside of the annual appropriations process, since lawmakers categorized them as “mandatory spending.”&nbsp;

This means Social Security checks as well as reimbursements to health care providers for Medicare and Medicaid services should continue as normal.

One possible hitch is the salaries for people who run those programs are covered by annual appropriations bills, so there could be some staffing problems for the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, depending on their contingency plans.&nbsp;

The first Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201026053427/https://www.ssa.gov/agency/shutdown/materials/contingency-plan-09-23-20.pdf" target="_blank">shutdown guidance</a>&nbsp;for the Social Security Administration showed 54,000 of 63,000 employees at that agency would have kept working. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy-2021-cms-contingency-staffing-plan/index.html" target="_blank">CMS plan</a>&nbsp;from 2020 shows that it intended to keep about 50% of its employees working in the event of a shutdown. Neither had a current plan as of Friday.

Will the Department of Veterans Affairs be able to keep providing health care and benefits?

Veterans can expect health care to continue uninterrupted at VA medical centers and outpatient clinics in the event of a shutdown. Vets would also continue to receive benefits, including compensation, pension, education and housing, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs&nbsp;<a href="https://department.va.gov/contingency-planning/" target="_blank">contingency planning</a>&nbsp;for a funding lapse that is currently published on the department’s website. It’s unclear if the plan will be the one the Trump administration puts into action.

But a shutdown would affect other VA services. For example, the GI Bill hotline would close, and all in-person and virtual career counseling and transition assistance services would be unavailable.

Additionally, all regional VA benefits offices would shutter until Congress agreed to fund the government. The closures would include the Manila Regional Office in the Philippines that serves veterans in the Pacific region.

All department public outreach to veterans would also cease.

Will Hubbard, spokesperson for Veterans Education Success, said his advocacy organization is bracing for increased phone calls and emails from veterans who would normally call the GI Bill hotline.

“Questions are going to come up, veterans are going to be looking for answers, and they’re not going to be able to call like they would be able to normally, that’s going to be a big problem,” Hubbard said.

“Most of the benefits that people are going to be most concerned about will not be affected, but the ones that do get affected, for the people that that hits, I mean, it’s going to matter a lot to them. It’s going to change the direction of their planning, and potentially the direction of their life,” Hubbard said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Management and Budget did not respond to a request for current VA shutdown guidance.

What happens to immigration enforcement and immigration courts?&nbsp;

As the Trump administration continues with its aggressive immigration tactics in cities with high immigrant populations, that enforcement is likely to continue during a government shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/2025_0303_dhs_procedures_related_to_a_lapse_in_appropriations.pdf" target="_blank">March guidance</a>&nbsp;for operating in a government shutdown.

Immigration-related fees will continue, such as for processing visas and applications from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;

And DHS expects nearly all of its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees to be exempt — 17,500 out of 20,500 — and continue working without pay amid a government shutdown.&nbsp;

That means that ICE officers will continue to arrest, detain and remove from the country immigrants without legal status. DHS is currently concentrating immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago, known as “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Other employees within DHS, such as those in Transportation Security Administration, will also be retained during a government shutdown. There are about 58,000 TSA employees that would be exempt and continue to work without pay in airports across the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DHS did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for a contingency plan if there is a government shutdown.

Separately, a shutdown would also burden the overwhelmed immigration court system that is housed within the Department of Justice. It would lead to canceling or rescheduling court cases, when there is already a backlog of 3.4 million cases.

The only exceptions are immigration courts that are located within Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention centers, but most cases would need to be rescheduled. The partial government shutdown that began in December 2018 caused nearly 43,000 court cases to be canceled,&nbsp;<a href="https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/543/" target="_blank">according to a report</a>&nbsp;by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC.

And 28 states have an immigration court, requiring some immigrants to travel hundreds, or thousands, of miles for their appointment.&nbsp;

States that do not have an immigration court include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Will people be able to visit national parks or use public lands during a shutdown?&nbsp;

Probably, but that may be bad for parks’ long-term health.

During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the first Trump administration kept parks open, with skeleton staffs across the country struggling to maintain National Park Service facilities.

Theresa Pierno, the president and CEO of the advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association, said in a Sept. 23 statement the last shutdown devastated areas of some parks.

“Americans watched helplessly as Joshua Trees were cut down, park buildings were vandalized, prehistoric petroglyphs were defaced, trash overflowed leading to wildlife impacts, and human waste piled up,” she wrote. “Visitor safety and irreplaceable natural and cultural resources were put at serious risk. We cannot allow this to happen again.”

The National Park Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-03/doi-nps-contingency-plan-2024.pdf" target="_blank">latest contingency plan</a>&nbsp;was published in March 2024, during President Joe Biden’s administration. It calls for at least some closures during a shutdown, though the document says the response will differ from park to park.&nbsp;

Restricting access to parks is difficult due to their physical characteristics, the document said, adding that staffing would generally be maintained at a minimum to allow visitors. However, some areas that are regularly closed could be locked up for the duration of a shutdown.

But that contingency plan is likely to change before Tuesday, spokespeople for the Park Service and the Interior Department, which oversees NPS, said Sept. 25.

“The lapse in funding plans on our website are from 2024,” an email from the NPS office of public affairs said. “They are currently being reviewed and updated.”

Hunters and others seeking to use public lands maintained by Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will likely be able to continue to do so, though they may have to make alternative plans if they’d planned to use facilities such as campgrounds.&nbsp;

Land Tawney, the co-chair of the advocacy group American Hunters and Anglers, said campgrounds, toilets and facilities that require staffing would be inaccessible, but most public lands would remain available.

“Those lands are kind of open and they’re just unmanned, I would say, and that’s not really gonna change much,” he said. “If you’re staying in a campground, you’ve got to figure something else out.”

As with national parks, access to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges and other hunting and fishing sites will differ from site to site, Tawney said. The Fish and Wildlife Service doesn’t require permits for hunting on its lands, but access to some refuges is determined by a staff-run lottery drawing. If those drawings can’t be held, access to those sites will be limited, Tawney said.

What happens to the Internal Revenue Service?

How the Internal Revenue Service would operate during a government shutdown remains unclear.&nbsp;

When Congress teetered on letting funding run out in March, the nation’s revenue collection agency released a contingency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26126431-irs-fy25lapseplan/" target="_blank">plan</a>&nbsp;to continue full operations during the height of tax filing season.&nbsp;

The IRS planned to use funds allocated in the 2022 budget reconciliation law to keep its roughly 95,000 employees processing returns and refunds, answering the phones, and pursuing audits.&nbsp;

Ultimately Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-stopgap-spending-bill-law-following-us-senate-passage" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;on a stopgap funding bill to avoid a March shutdown, but much has changed since then.

The new tax and spending&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fourth-july-trump-signs-his-big-beautiful-bill-law" target="_blank">law</a>, signed by Trump on July 4 and often referred to as the “one big beautiful bill,” made major changes to the U.S. tax code.&nbsp;

Additionally, the agency, which processes roughly 180 million income tax returns per year, has lost about a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JRC26_FullReport.pdf" target="_blank">quarter</a>&nbsp;of its workforce since January. Top leadership has also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/billy-long-ousted-trump-irs-chief-after-less-2-months-office" target="_blank">turned over</a>&nbsp;six times in 2025.

Rachel Snyderman, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, said workforce reductions combined with a string of leadership changes could factor into how the agency would operate during a funding lapse.

“It’s really difficult to understand both what the status of the agency would be if the government were to shut down in less than a week, and also the impacts that a prolonged shutdown could have on taxpayer services and taxpayers at large,” said Snyderman, the think tank’s managing director of economic policy.

Do federal employees get back pay after a shutdown ends?

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs.pdf" target="_blank">Office of Personnel Management</a>&nbsp;— the executive branch’s chief human resources agency — “after the lapse in appropriations has ended, employees who were furloughed as the result of the lapse will receive retroactive pay for those furlough periods.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/24/text/statute?statuteId=45971" target="_blank">Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019</a>&nbsp;requires furloughed government employees to receive back pay as a result of a government shutdown.&nbsp;

That law does not apply to federal contractors, who face uncertainty in getting paid during a shutdown.&nbsp;

What role does Congress have during a shutdown?

The House and Senate must approve a stopgap spending bill or all dozen full-year appropriations bills to end a shutdown, a feat that requires the support of at least some Democrats to get past the upper chamber’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.&nbsp;

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., control their respective chambers’ calendars as well as the floor schedule, so they could keep holding votes on the stopgap bill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">Democrats have already rejected</a>&nbsp;or try to pass individual bills to alleviate the impacts on certain agencies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Neither Johnson nor Thune has yet to suggest bipartisan negotiations with Democratic leaders about funding the government. And while they are open to discussions about extending the enhanced tax credits for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, they don’t want that decision connected to the funding debate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Democratic leaders have said repeatedly that Republicans shouldn’t expect them to vote for legislation they had no say in drafting, especially with a health care cliff for millions of Americans coming at the end of the year.&nbsp;

Members of Congress will receive their paychecks regardless of how long a shutdown lasts, but the people who work for them would only receive their salaries after it ends.&nbsp;

Lawmakers must be paid under language in&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-6/" target="_blank">Article I, Section 6, Clause 1</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-27/" target="_blank">27th Amendment</a>, which bars members of Congress from changing their salaries during the current session.&nbsp;

Lawmakers have discretion to decide which of their staff members continue working during a shutdown and which are furloughed.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police, which is tasked with protecting members amid a sharp rise in political violence, said a shutdown “would not affect the security of the Capitol Complex.”&nbsp;

“Our officers, and the professional staff who perform or support emergency functions, would still report to work,” the spokesperson said. “Employees who are not required for emergency functions would be furloughed until funding is available.”

Federal government shutdown is nearing: A guide for what to expect

By:<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

PORTLAND, Ore. — President Donald Trump said Saturday morning he will send troops to Portland, attempting an unprecedented use of U.S. military forces within the country.

In a brief post to his social media platform, Trump said he would have Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth order troops deployed to Oregon’s largest city.

Trump did not specify what legal justification he had to do so, what military branch would be used or other key details. The troops would be used to defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities from “domestic terrorists,” he said.&nbsp;

“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists,” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary.”

A 19th-century law, the Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids military members from conducting domestic law enforcement. Constitutional experts say the ideas was one of the nation’s founding principles.&nbsp;

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Guard said the branch had no information to share and deferred questions to the White House. White House spokespeople did not return messages.

Messages for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s office were not immediately returned Saturday morning.

U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, a Democrat whose district includes much of Portland, blasted the announcement as “an egregious abuse of power and a betrayal of our most basic American values.”

“Authoritarians rely on fear to divide us. Portland will not give them that,” she wrote. “We will not be intimidated. We have prepared for this moment since Trump first took office, and we will meet it with every tool available to us: litigation, legislation, and the power of peaceful public pressure.”

A group of about a dozen local leaders&nbsp; — including Dexter, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat — assembled on short notice for a press conference Friday evening to discuss the potential deployment.

Merkley described it as a “don’t-take-the-bait press conference.”

“There’s a lot we don’t know,” he said. They’ve been given no details about how many troops are being sent, from what agency or branch of the government, and there’s been no coordination with the city of Portland, he said.

“Here is what I do know — the president has sent agents here to create chaos and riots in Portland, to induce a reaction, to induce protests, to induce conflicts. His goal is to make Portland look like what he’s been describing it as,” Merkley said. “Their point is to lead to an engagement. An engagement that could lead to violence.”

Wilson described the agents as already in Portland.

“They are here without clear precedent or purpose,” he said. “This is happening against the national backdrop of a federal government that may not even be open in a week’s time.”

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said that as a sanctuary county in a sanctuary state, the county would not help enforce federal immigration laws without an order signed by a judge.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-floats-portland-oregon-next-national-guard-deployment" target="_blank">Deploying troops to Portland</a>&nbsp;would mark a dramatic escalation, even for Trump, who has tested the legal limits of domestic military use.&nbsp;

He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-sen-padilla-blasts-trump-path-toward-fascism-la-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">sent National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles&nbsp;</a>in response to protests against aggressive immigration enforcement there, despite the Democratic governor’s objections. And he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/six-gop-states-send-more-1000-national-guard-dc-trump-crackdown" target="_blank">ordered National Guard troops to assist police in Washington, D.C.</a>

But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/vance-dispatched-la-after-trump-administration-court-victory-national-guard-case" target="_blank">the Los Angeles deployment&nbsp;</a>responded to a specific circumstance, and the president holds power to deploy the National Guard in the District of Columbia because it is a federal territory.&nbsp;

Neither is true for Portland, where there has not been any evidence of violence at protests against the administration. The state government is dominated by Democrats.&nbsp;

The city did see extended protests in the summer of 2020 after the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump deployed federal agents then in what he said was an effort to protect the federal courthouse in downtown Portland.

By:<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>PORTLAND, Ore. — President Donald Trump said Saturday morning he will send troops to Portland, attempting an unprecedented use of U.S. military forces within the country.In a brief post to his social media platform, Trump said he would have Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth order troops deployed to Oregon’s largest city.Trump did not specify what legal justification he had to do so, what military branch would be used or other key details. The troops would be used to defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities from “domestic terrorists,” he said.&nbsp;“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists,” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary.”A 19th-century law, the Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids military members from conducting domestic law enforcement. Constitutional experts say the ideas was one of the nation’s founding principles.&nbsp;A spokesperson for the U.S. National Guard said the branch had no information to share and deferred questions to the White House. White House spokespeople did not return messages.Messages for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s office were not immediately returned Saturday morning.U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, a Democrat whose district includes much of Portland, blasted the announcement as “an egregious abuse of power and a betrayal of our most basic American values.”“Authoritarians rely on fear to divide us. Portland will not give them that,” she wrote. “We will not be intimidated. We have prepared for this moment since Trump first took office, and we will meet it with every tool available to us: litigation, legislation, and the power of peaceful public pressure.”<h2>‘Don’t take the bait’</h2>A group of about a dozen local leaders&nbsp; — including Dexter, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat — assembled on short notice for a press conference Friday evening to discuss the potential deployment.Merkley described it as a “don’t-take-the-bait press conference.”“There’s a lot we don’t know,” he said. They’ve been given no details about how many troops are being sent, from what agency or branch of the government, and there’s been no coordination with the city of Portland, he said.“Here is what I do know — the president has sent agents here to create chaos and riots in Portland, to induce a reaction, to induce protests, to induce conflicts. His goal is to make Portland look like what he’s been describing it as,” Merkley said. “Their point is to lead to an engagement. An engagement that could lead to violence.”Wilson described the agents as already in Portland.“They are here without clear precedent or purpose,” he said. “This is happening against the national backdrop of a federal government that may not even be open in a week’s time.”Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said that as a sanctuary county in a sanctuary state, the county would not help enforce federal immigration laws without an order signed by a judge.<h2>Escalation of military use</h2><a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-floats-portland-oregon-next-national-guard-deployment" target="_blank">Deploying troops to Portland</a>&nbsp;would mark a dramatic escalation, even for Trump, who has tested the legal limits of domestic military use.&nbsp;He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-sen-padilla-blasts-trump-path-toward-fascism-la-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">sent National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles&nbsp;</a>in response to protests against aggressive immigration enforcement there, despite the Democratic governor’s objections. And he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/six-gop-states-send-more-1000-national-guard-dc-trump-crackdown" target="_blank">ordered National Guard troops to assist police in Washington, D.C.</a>But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/vance-dispatched-la-after-trump-administration-court-victory-national-guard-case" target="_blank">the Los Angeles deployment&nbsp;</a>responded to a specific circumstance, and the president holds power to deploy the National Guard in the District of Columbia because it is a federal territory.&nbsp;Neither is true for Portland, where there has not been any evidence of violence at protests against the administration. The state government is dominated by Democrats.&nbsp;The city did see extended protests in the summer of 2020 after the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump deployed federal agents then in what he said was an effort to protect the federal courthouse in downtown Portland.Alex Baumhardt of the Oregon Capital Chronicle contributed to this report.