{"id":2623260,"date":"2026-07-03T10:58:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T14:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-legislatures-pick-up-national-security-as-washington-dithers\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T11:04:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T15:04:34","slug":"state-legislatures-pick-up-national-security-as-washington-dithers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-legislatures-pick-up-national-security-as-washington-dithers\/","title":{"rendered":"State legislatures pick up national security as Washington dithers"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fstate-legislatures-pick-up-national-security-as-washington-dithers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2623260&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Missouri State Sen. Nick Schroer has been concerned about potential drone threats near Whiteman Air Force Base, home to stealth bombers crucial for national defense. In response, he introduced legislation to restrict drone flights over military sites and other critical infrastructure, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >emphasizing state-level action amid perceived federal inaction<\/a>. Schroer and other state legislators are increasingly engaged in national security issues, advocating for laws that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/haley-rips-biden-failed-to-explain-foreign-threats-emboldened-u-s-enemies\/\" title=\"Haley slams Biden: Fails to address foreign threats, empowers U.S. adversaries\">address foreign threats<\/a>, land ownership, and influence operations, especially from China. Organizations like State Shield and State Armor support legislators by providing policy insights and lobbying efforts focused on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/australia-re-establish-committee-to-investigate-social-media-interventions\/\" title=\"Australia Re-establish Committee to Investigate Social Media Interventions\">countering foreign interference<\/a> and safeguarding U.S. sovereignty at the state level. Many states have passed laws to improve oversight of foreign investments, lobbying, and influence, driven by dissatisfaction with federal slowdowns and dysfunction. However, some issues, like election interference and drone regulation, still require federal action, though states seek to partner with the federal goverment or act independently when urgent threats arise. state legislatures are proactively expanding their role in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-snubs-gop-leaders-on-new-iran-diplomacy\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Snubs GOP Leaders on New Iran Diplomacy\">national security matters<\/a>, often motivated by the limitations of federal oversight and the need to respond swiftly to emerging threats.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Missouri state Sen. Nick Schroer first heard murmurs of possible drone incursions at Whiteman Air Force Base around the state\u2019s 2024 legislative session. Then, last year, news <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/11\/10\/exclusive-us-nuclear-bomber-fleet-shares-fence-trailer-park-linked-chinese-intel-miles-guo\/\">broke<\/a> that a Canadian couple with alleged ties to Chinese intelligence had purchased a trailer park less than a mile from Whiteman\u2019s perimeter fence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Incidents at the base were what Schroer calls \u201ccrap or get off the pot\u201d moments, he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. Whiteman is home to the U.S.\u2019s fleet of B-2 Spirit aircraft, stealth bombers that shaped the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/11\/10\/exclusive-us-nuclear-bomber-fleet-shares-fence-trailer-park-linked-chinese-intel-miles-guo\/\">military campaign<\/a> against Iran and would be pivotal in a future conflict with China. The Republican politician and radio host introduced legislation, a version of which became law last month, to restrict drone flights over critical infrastructure like military bases. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4635403\/man-sets-himself-on-fire-united-nations-new-york\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Man dies after setting himself on fire outside UN headquarters: Report<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4634654\/america-250-first-chapter-jamestown\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Before 1776: Rediscovering America\u2019s first chapter at Jamestown<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4634566\/thunderbirds-horsepower-great-american-state-fair\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Thunderbirds to race cars: Inside Horsepower of America at the Great American State Fair<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among other issues, Schroer has also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.senate.mo.gov\/BillTracking\/Bills\/BillInformation?year=2026&#038;billid=327\">pushed legislation<\/a> prohibiting international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations from exercising jurisdiction in his state.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think if there\u2019s any issue that pops up where the state should take their power back, you can count on me and my Freedom Caucus colleagues to support that,\u201d Schroer said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite lacking the clearances to access classified intelligence, state legislators such as Schroer are showing increased interest in national security issues. Most believe that the federal government is too slow to address pressing issues in their districts. Some argue that states should claw back jurisdiction from an expanding federal government. All share the position that state governments must act as foreign threats reach the American homeland.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-national-security-policy-catches-momentum-in-state-legislatures\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">National security policy catches momentum in state legislatures<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur form of government is set up as the federalist form of government, and then the state\u2019s form of government, and they were separated purposefully by the Founding Fathers,\u201d Joe Gebbia Sr., founder of the advocacy organization State Shield, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cChina knows this, and China has been playing a game where they would subvert at the state level in a long-term program.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Shield and its partner organizations work with lawmakers to prioritize state-level regulation, much of which addresses Chinese threats. Through State Shield, Gebbia leads a team of lobbyists who advocate for legislation across 17 states this spring. The sample bills that State Shield provides legislators focus on five principal policy areas: foreign participation in the political process, ownership of land and other strategic assets, divestment from adversarial regimes, drone incursions over critical infrastructure, and international influence on higher education.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Shield maintains an extensive bill tracker on its website, though state legislators who spoke with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> said the organization is not directly involved with every bill that it supports. Recent policies that State Shield has supported include a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/wapp.capitol.tn.gov\/apps\/BillInfo\/Default?BillNumber=SB1890&#038;ga=114\">Tennessee bill<\/a> requiring the state board of education to adopt age-appropriate instruction related to communism and a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legis.la.gov\/Legis\/BillInfo.aspx?i=251955\">Louisiana resolution<\/a> encouraging economic ties with Taiwan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Armor, a similarly named organization, emerged around the same time as State Shield. State Armor has both a research branch, which develops policy and intelligence briefs, and a legislative action division.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The group\u2019s founder, Michael Lucci, sought to leverage his experience as chief of policy for former Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne of two things had to happen: someone in Washington, D.C. who had this deep national security background had to develop the state ability, or someone with the state ability had to develop the national security knowledge,\u201d Lucci said in an interview.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Armor currently operates in 15 states, of which two-thirds have Republican governors. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA lot of these issues should be red, blue, and purple issues,\u201d Lucci said. \u201cRight now it is more red and purple.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State legislators have various rationales for getting involved in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elliott-abrams-launches-group-to-chart-gop-foreign-policy\/\" title=\"Elliott Abrams Launches Group to Chart GOP Foreign ...\">national security policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some, like Oklahoma Republican state Rep. Chad Caldwell, described the importance of reacting to topics, such as China, that pique the interest of their constituents. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFirst and foremost, we are to be representative of our communities and constituents,\u201d Caldwell said. \u201cWhen something rises to their interest, we try to be responsive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others, like Schroer, rejected the conventional view that national security policy should be handled at the federal level. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to go back to the original intent of the Tenth Amendment,\u201d Schroer said, addressing a hypothetical federal decision-maker. \u201cIf you guys want to join us and help us protect our people, great. We\u2019ll welcome you, but until then, we\u2019re going to cover our own butts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While not all legislators interviewed for this story worked directly with State Armor or State Shield, both have played roles in the background. Schroer said that he did not recall working directly with either organization. Yet the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/11\/10\/exclusive-us-nuclear-bomber-fleet-shares-fence-trailer-park-linked-chinese-intel-miles-guo\/\">report<\/a> he cited about the Chinese-owned trailer park near Whiteman Air Force Base came from a tip State Armor gave to the <em>Daily Caller<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-wp-embed is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Recent State Shield and State Armor Legislative Activity\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/ZrfQb\/2\/#?secret=eYRHkwjgWA\" data-secret=\"eYRHkwjgWA\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"486\"><\/iframe> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-state-legislatures-push-ahead-with-policy-in-face-of-dysfunction-at-national-level\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">State legislatures push ahead with policy in face of \u2018dysfunction\u2019 at national level<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican State Sen. Julie Daniels, the Oklahoma Senate\u2019s Majority Floor Leader, first became aware of unregistered foreign lobbying through a sample bill provided by State Armor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daniels decided to write the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb2180&#038;Session=2600\">Foreign Principal Lobbying Oversight Act<\/a>, which requires agents lobbying on behalf of foreign governments to register with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have always come away thinking that people agree that this isn\u2019t a policy that states can implement if they just copy-paste federal legislation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many so-called \u201cBaby FARA\u201d bills, a reference to the federal Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, target specific foreign adversaries. Yet Daniels intentionally left her proposal open-ended. She stressed her intention to provide legislators with more information, rather than to punish innocent lobbyists or discourage local investment from foreign corporations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMost recently, the first aluminum smelter in the U.S. in 50 years is going to be built in Oklahoma with federal and state incentives as part of the Trump national security strategy,\u201d Daniels said. \u201cIf you are lobbying for that company, which is 60% owned by the UAE, you\u2019ll have to register.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daniels says that registration will give state legislators more context as they meet with lobbyists, particularly when bills offer monetary benefits to foreign nations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was specifically focused on the commercial area \u2014 someone lobbying for a law, a policy, or an incentive,\u201d Daniels said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daniels\u2019s bill passed unanimously, and Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) signed it into law in May. Still, the Republican state senator is a reluctant advocate for her own legislation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLike a number of other issues, I wish Congress would act,\u201d Daniels said. \u201cSo that we have less pressure to act at the state level. We feel our citizens are pressuring us to take action that would be best accomplished at the federal level.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caldwell, another Oklahoma Republican, described how the \u201coverall dysfunction you see coming out of D.C.\u201d prompted him to introduce the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb893&#038;Session=2600\">Military Installation and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2026<\/a> with state Sen. Brent Howard. The bill restricts adversarial foreign nations from maintaining significant investments in agricultural land and property near military bases, among other provisions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal law provides only limited oversight. One statute requires foreign buyers to disclose purchases of U.S. farmland, while another allows the government to review and sometimes block land deals near sensitive military sites.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Congress has repeatedly considered bills with stronger requirements, many of which have garnered bipartisan support. Some proposals have stalled amid broader legislative priorities, while others have raised questions about property rights and due process. None have become federal law.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caldwell\u2019s bill passed unanimously in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and by a 42-6 vote in the state\u2019s Senate before Stitt signed it into law in May. All of the bill\u2019s \u201cnay\u201d voters were Democrats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have our own type of dysfunction,\u201d Caldwell said. \u201cIt is all a matter of perspective. We have a supermajority in the [Oklahoma] House and Senate. Overall, we are a Republican dominated state, which allows us to do more.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-where-federal-action-is-still-needed\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where federal action is still needed<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State legislatures are eager to partner with the federal government on national security matters, even in areas with preexisting federal jurisdiction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican state Sen. Kevin Avard introduced <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/NH\/drafts\/SB534\/2026\">a bill<\/a>, which is currently pending in the New Hampshire legislature, to close what he saw as a \u201cloophole\u201d in federal election law that enables foreign governments to exert influence over local referenda.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal Election Commission regulations <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/help-candidates-and-committees\/foreign-nationals\/\">prohibit foreign contributions<\/a> in state and local races. Yet the commission <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2021\/11\/02\/foreign-money-ballot-initiatives\/\">affirmed in 2021<\/a> that foreign nationals could monetarily back ballot initiatives, which it considers separate from candidate elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avard grew concerned that the Chinese bottled water company Nongfu Spring, which purchased a more than<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.doj.nh.gov\/news-and-media\/new-hampshire-department-justice-releases-report-purchase-nashua-property-nongfu\"> 375,000 square-foot industrial property<\/a> in Nashua in 2025, would begin to exert influence over the local political process. He grew even more concerned when he realized that the property is less than a mile from the Nashua airport.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis bill basically is preemptive, so that whether it\u2019s a local zoning school board or other areas, like our constitutional amendments, big money can\u2019t come in and sway through funding opposition to what local individuals may be concerned with,\u201d Avard said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avard emphasized the continued importance of federal enforcement, even as he builds out New Hampshire election law with his bill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt basically gives a state law to somewhat mirror the federal, so that we can enforce it ourselves as well,\u201d Avard added. \u201cWe want to partner with the federal government on this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schroer, the Missouri legislator, is also promoting legislation in an area already addressed by federal regulations. The Federal Aviation Agency <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/air_traffic\/publications\/atpubs\/aim_html\/chap11_section_4.html\">prohibits<\/a> drone flights over certain national security installations, including Whiteman Air Force Base. Yet Schroer believes the agency needs to act more quickly if it wants to keep pace with the emerging drone threat. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4609452\/missouri-lawsuit-lorex-ties-chinese-military\/\"><strong>MISSOURI SUES BABY MONITOR MAKER FOR HIDING TIES TO CHINESE MILITARY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Absent swift enforcement, Schroer believes that local authorities are best equipped to investigate and even shoot down drone flights. Rather than waiting on the FAA, he wants police officers and sheriff\u2019s deputies to take action immediately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe people of Missouri don\u2019t want to wait on the federal government to come in and react to something when you have boots on the ground right now in the state, whether it\u2019s highway patrol or state or local law enforcement,\u201d he said. \u201cThey need the tools to take this thing down if they believe it\u2019s an imminent threat to the people they represent.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Missouri Sen. Schroer raises concerns over drone threats near Whiteman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4301,"featured_media":2623261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-fmyqxwsri-1783050150005-e1783087903292.jpg?1783073498&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50611,32399,47813],"class_list":["post-2623260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-national-security-2","tag-state-legislatures","tag-washington-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-fmyqxwsri-1783050150005-e1783087903292.jpg?1783073498&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2623260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2623260"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2623260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2623269,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2623260\/revisions\/2623269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2623261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2623260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2623260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2623260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}