Noem Out And Mullin In at DHS, Iran War Timeline Shift, CA Gov Primary Has GOP on Top: AM Update 3/6

0:01Welcome to the pod they don't want you to hear. Today's episode, Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken. It sounds innocent, right? But where did this delicious hot chicken come from? Do we even have the technology for such mind-altering flavor? Is it aliens? Are they beaming cravings directly into our brains with 5G? Hey, I'm just asking questions. Be warned. Once you try Hangry Joe's, there's no turning back. Henry Joe's hot chicken and wings. If you know, you Joe. Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Friday, March 6th, 2026. And this is your AM Update. Pretty humbling when you start thinking about it.

0:40There's a little kid from Westville, Oklahoma, gets to serve in the president's cabinet. President Trump taps Senator Mark Wayne Mullen as Homeland Security Secretary, reassigning Kristi Noem amid a series of controversies. Our timeline is ours and ours alone to control as long as it takes. The Trump administration suggesting Operation Epic Fury in Iran is not ending anytime soon. Virginia Democrats moving to limit cooperation with ICE as critics warn the state may be crossing a legal line. And in California, a potential political backfire as party leaders urge struggling Democrats to drop out of the governor's race.

1:20All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update.

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2:10Find out more at guardyourcard.com and consider telling Congress to guard your card. President Trump announcing the first cabinet shakeup of his second term yesterday, removing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid mounting controversy and nominating Senator Mark Wayne Mullen of Oklahoma to replace her. Rumors swirling about Noem's imminent dismissal yesterday morning after reports surfaced the president was unhappy with statements she made during a Tuesday Senate hearing, or at least that was the last straw. Ms. Noem coming under fire for a glitzy multi-million dollar DHS ad campaign, prominently featuring her.

2:51If you're an illegal alien, this runway is your future because you're headed home. I'm Kristi Noem, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, pressing Noem about the ads during Tuesday's hearing. No, ma 'am, I'm asking you, sorry to interrupt, but the president approved ahead of time you spending$220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently. Yes, sir. We went through the legal processes. Did it correct? Did the president know you were going to do this? Yes. He did? Yes. Okay. President Trump himself pushing back on that claim yesterday morning, telling Reuters, quote, I never knew anything about it.

3:36Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Trump making the call, posting to Truth Social, quote, Secretary Kristi Noem, who has served us well and has had numerous and spectacular results, especially on the border, will be moving to be special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, our new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at Homeland. Noam issuing a statement on social media, quote, thank you, President Trump, for appointing me as the special envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Secretary Rubio and Secretary Hegseth are incredible leaders, and I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren.

4:18The newly announced Shield of the Americas, described by the White House as a regional coalition of Latin American countries aimed at strengthening security across the Western Hemisphere. Underneath the public-facing niceties, a source inside the administration telling Fox News, quote, it was time. Replacing Christie was based on the culmination of her many unfortunate leadership mishaps, including the fallout in Minnesota, the 200 million ad campaign, the allegations of infidelity, the mismanagement of her staff, and her constant feuding with the heads of other agencies. Noam also facing questions about her alleged affair with special government employee and former Trump advisor, Corey Lewandowski, whom she reportedly also tried to make her chief of staff, an appointment the president blocked.

5:05She was asked multiple times about it on Wednesday in a House hearing without directly denying the allegation, which is an open secret in D.C. Lewandowski had been serving as one of Noam's top advisors at DHS. While some reports indicate he intends to leave his post on March 31st along with the secretary, Lewandowski telling NewsNation, quote, no decisions have been made. Senator Mullen speaking to reporters on the Hill after his nomination. What was your first reaction to just the news that you were nominated for this position, just to miss everything that's happening? Because I had to call my dad and I mean, because it happened quick, right?

5:44I had to call my wife, call my dad, both. And it's just, you know, pretty humbling when you start thinking about it. A little kid from Westville, Oklahoma gets to serve in the president's cabinet. it. That's pretty neat. The position requires Senate confirmation and even Democrats saying they expect him to receive the required 50 votes, with Vice President J.D. Vance available to cast the deciding vote if necessary. At least one Democrat already signaling support, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman posting on X, he intends to vote in favor of Mullen. A hearing date for Mullen has not yet been set in the Senate.

6:18Secretary of War Pete Hegseth yesterday providing an update on the ongoing operations in Iran. Earlier in the day, political reporting U.S. Central Command, which is overseeing the operation, requesting additional intel officers to support the op, quote, for at least 100 days, but likely through September. That is well beyond President Trump's initial projection that Operation Epic Fury would last about four weeks. Secretary Hegseth telling reporters on Wednesday it could take up to eight weeks, then later removing the time constraint altogether. Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation for the IRGC in Iran.

7:01You see, there's no shortage of American will here. We've got no shortage of munitions. Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons allow us to sustain this campaign as long as we need to. The dumb, politically correct wars of the past were the opposite of what we're doing here. They had vague objectives with restrictive minimalist rules of engagement. No more. Our authorities, his authorities, CENTCOM's authorities through the president and myself are maxed out. Our timeline is ours and ours alone to control as long as it takes to ensure the United States of America achieves these objectives.

7:41Meanwhile, President Trump speaking to Reuters yesterday about who will replace the now deceased supreme leader of Iran. Mr. Trump's saying, quote, we are going to have to choose that person along with Iran. We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future so we don't have to go back every five years and do this again and again. The president adding that he thinks the next leader is not likely to be the late Ayatollah's son who has emerged as a frontrunner. Secretary Hegseth yesterday asked if these comments represent and expansion of the mission now to regime change.

8:15Well, there's no expansion. Ultimately, I think the president's having a heck of a say in who runs Iran, given the ongoing operation we have. So there's no expansion in our objectives. We know exactly what we're trying to achieve. Since the beginning of the operation, Iran conducting retaliatory strikes against 12 countries. Mr. Hegseth addressing questions about concerns over a widening Middle East conflict. This idea that the war might be expanding or there's chaos and nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, what Iran is doing by targeting allied countries that would otherwise want to stay out of this, they've actually pulled them into the American orbit.

8:52So now you've got UAE and Qatar and Bahrain and Saudi and Kuwait and others saying, hey, we're with you. We'll shoot with you. We'll fly with you. We'll defend with you. We'll allow you more basing and other opportunities, a lot of which we can't talk about and won't talk about. But it's actually firming up the unity of the resistance in order to focus exactly where we need to. So this idea that it's expanding or going, no, it's actually simplifying in a number of ways exactly what we need to achieve and how we'll achieve it. Coming up, Virginia Democrats advancing legislation imposing sweeping new limitations on ICE as critics warn the Commonwealth may be crossing the line.

9:33A political misfire in California, Democrat candidates push back after party leadership urges those trailing in the polls to drop out of the race.

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11:09Use the promo code Megan to get 20 bucks off your first order. The Virginia House passing a series of anti-ice measures designed to sharply restrict federal immigration enforcement in the state. In a 63 to 34 party line vote, Democrats advancing legislation banning state and local law enforcement from assisting, cooperating with, or using, quote, any law enforcement resources to facilitate any operation to identify, arrest, or otherwise impose a penalty upon any individual for purposes of federal immigration enforcement. The legislation also barring ICE agents from making arrests at courthouses, schools, and faith-based organizations.

11:49The bill does include an exception for immigration officers who obtain a judicial warrant. But ICE needs only an administrative warrant issued by DHS to arrest a detainee and to request custody transfers from local jails. That's because immigration enforcement happens primarily under Article 2 of the Constitution within the executive branch. You don't have to go to an Article 3 court. The legislation also banning ICE agents from coming within 40 feet of a polling location and would criminalize agents wearing face coverings while conducting enforcement operations, a restriction almost certain to be ignored by ICE, which has already obtained a legal ruling in federal court blocking a similar mask law in California as barred under the Supremacy Clause, these being federal officers controlled by federal law.

12:40The debate comes as DHS reports an 8 ,000 % increase in threats against ICE officers and their families, along with a 1 ,300 % spike in assaults on agents. DHS authorizing agents to wear facial coverings in the field in response to those growing threats. With the Virginia Senate already passing the bills, the legislation now heads to the desk of new Democrat Governor Abigail Spanberger. If signed, the measure would mark Governor Spanberger's latest step in strengthening Virginia's sanctuary state status. Shortly after taking office, Governor Spanberger terminating a cooperation agreement with ICE that had allowed Virginia State Police and Department of Corrections officers to assist federal immigration authorities.

13:22The push to pass this newest slate of bills coming just days after the killing of 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a Fairfax County bus stop. Police arresting Abdul Jalloh, an illegal immigrant from West Africa's Sierra Leone, who investigators say had been arrested more than 30 times since entering the U.S. in 2012. Republican Delegate Dolores Riley Oates directly connecting the state's policies to the killing during debate Wednesday on the House floor. Just weeks after Governor Spanberger chose to end the Commonwealth's cooperation with federal immigration authorities, a woman is dead. killed by someone who should never have been free to walk our streets.

14:03That's not a coincidence. Governor Spanberger now has until April 13th to sign, amend, or veto the legislation. We spoke to attorney and founder of the Article 3 project, Mike Davis, who says these bills, if signed into law, go far beyond simply declining to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. These states are not required to cooperate with federal law enforcement, but these states certainly cannot obstruct federal law enforcement. And when you have these Virginia Democrats in the House and the Senate conspiring with the new Virginia governor, Abigail Spanberger, and her administration to obstruct federal immigration enforcements, that is a federal crime.

14:59You have the issue of obstruction of law enforcement, conspiracy, harboring illegal aliens, assaults. If they touch federal law enforcement in the line of duty, even kidnapping, if they follow through on these arrests of federal ICE agents. Governor Spanberger and these Democrats, they are engaging in a seditious conspiracy. Davis warning if state and local officials attempt to interfere with federal immigration authorities, the consequences could be deadly. This is a very dangerous path that Governor Abigail Spanberger is going down. This is Confederates white behavior. It's like these Democrats in the South are returning to their Confederates roots.

15:53And if anyone gets killed during this Confederate standoff by these Virginia Democrats against federal immigration enforcements, if anyone gets killed, those Democrat officials in Virginia could face federal felony murder charges. They are on a very, very dangerous path with what they're doing by creating this illegal, unconstitutional, very dangerous criminal conflict between the state of Virginia and the federal government. We asked Davis about the so-called exception in these bills, allowing cooperation with ICE, but only when federal agents obtain a judicial warrant from an Article III court.

16:40He tells us that flies in the face of the Constitution. Federal immigration law is written by Congress. There is not any requirements for an Article III court judicial warrant to enforce our federal immigration laws. Our immigration laws are set up where we have federal immigration officials who go to U.S. immigration judges. Immigration enforcement is civil, not criminal. And so there is no need to get a judicial warrant to enforce our federal immigration laws. Any states that tries to impose these burdens on the federal government are violating federal law. It is a direct violation of the U.S.

17:27Constitution, which makes clear that Congress writes our immigration laws and those immigration laws are the supreme law of the land. If this legislation were to become law, Davis tells us the Trump administration has legal options. The Trump administration can and should bring a civil action against Virginia. If Virginia tries to disrupt, obstruct federal law enforcement executing federal law, these courts are going to strike this down immediately. the Justice Department should explore bringing criminal charges against these Democrats, including Governor Spanberger, who are engaged in a seditious conspiracy right now by plotting to use force and arrest to stop, to obstruct federal agents carrying out federal law.

18:22That is textbook seditious conspiracy, and they could be charged right now for that. So if they actually are dumb enough to try to move forward with these arrests of federal agents doing their jobs, then the Justice Department can and should bring charges against all the Virginia Democrats involved, including the governor, for insurrection. In California, a push by Democratic Party leadership to thin the crowded field in the race for governor now appearing to backfire. State Democrat Party Chair Rusty Hicks earlier this week urging candidates who, quote, do not have a viable path to drop out of the race by April 15th, warning a fractured Democratic field could allow two Republicans to advance to the general election, and only two will advance.

19:16California operates under a top-two primary system with candidates from all parties appearing on the same ballot, and the two highest vote-getters move on to November regardless of party. A new poll from Tulchin Research finding the two candidates leading now are both Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton, each polling at 15%. Meantime, Democrat support remains fractured across a crowded field, including Congressman Eric Swalwell, who has 14%, former Congresswoman and angry, angry lady Katie Porter at 13%, billionaire Tom Steyer at 10%, and several others trailing behind.

19:56But instead of agreeing to thin the field, as requested, several Democrats doubling down on their candidacies. Among them, former Biden HHS Secretary Javier Becerra, state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond, and former state controller Betty Yee. Becerra asking at a candidate forum earlier this week, isn't it interesting that the candidates they're asking to get out of the race are the candidates of color? Shots fired. Thurmond echoing that criticism, saying in a statement the party was telling, every candidate of color in the race for governor to drop out. Yee, who filed her paperwork on Wednesday telling Politico, voters choose the next governor, not political gatekeepers.

20:38State Party Chair Hicks pushing back on the criticism Wednesday. My letter is simply calling upon candidates to be thoughtful, to be responsible and honest with themselves and with all of us in assessing their campaign and their decision to move forward. The reality is that there has been poll after poll after poll that place some candidates in one place and place other candidates in other places as it regards to the rankings that we see. And if you're at the bottom of that time and time again, my hope is that you believe and can showcase a clear path to being able to get to the top of that list.

21:22And so, you know, only time will tell. Governor Newsom asked on Tuesday by CBS about the crowded field. Right now, you have just two Republican candidates and you've got so many Democratic candidates and it's just a percentage game. And as a consequence of that, the more there are with a fixed number of likely voters within that poll to choose, this could be a problem. That said, I'm not putting my thumb on anything at the moment. The primary set for June 2nd. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the AMK show, live on SiriusXM's The Megan Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east, on YouTube.com slash Megan Kelly, and on all podcast platforms.

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