U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) blasted cell phones providers on Thursday for handing over phone records of GOP Senators to the Biden administration.

The FBI revealed earlier this week that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team tracked the private communications and call records of nearly a dozen GOP lawmakers, including Tuberville.

Tuberville, who is also a candidate for Governor of Alabama in 2026, discussed the issue on the “Alex Jones Show.”

“AT&T, what gives you the right to give the Department of Justice a sitting United States Senator’s information without calling or saying, ‘Listen, this is what you’re trying to do’? This is absolutely insane that we have a company that doesn’t push back on this. ‘Wait a minute. These people are United States senators. You sure you want to do this?’ I mean, you have to have some kind of criminality behind this subpoena. And there was zero. So I’ve got a lot of questions to ask about that.”

https://x.com/RealAlexJones/status/1976345188214722808

The FBI document at issue, dated September 2023, states that an agent on Smith’s team “conducted preliminary toll analysis” on numbers associated with Republican U.S. Senators.

“Basically, Jack Smith, he brought a group together, and the FBI, and said, ‘Listen, I’m gonna tap y’all as the ones that’s gonna look into these eight senators. You’re the ones that’s gonna do this.’ So you heard earlier in the week after this came out, that Kash Patel fired these people,” Tuberville explained.

“They needed to be fired. That should have never happened. But again, this is all goes back to a corrupt Department of Justice that has been consumed by the deep state. And if we don’t do something about this, our country won’t survive.”

Tuberville said he believes there will be even more that comes out revealing the deep corruption at the DOJ under Biden.

“This investigation, Alex is the tip of the iceberg,” he argued. “It just started, and I’m anxious to see where it all goes. But if it hadn’t been for the whistleblowers that come out and told Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, ‘listen, this is where you look. This is what they did. This is where it’s at.’ We would have never known what was going on. They were criminals. Jack Smith shouldn’t even be a dog catcher I mean, it is absolutely embarrassing for somebody like that to represent the United States of American Department of Justice.”

That list also included U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska).

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

President Donald Trump’s FBI Director is telling people to visit Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville if they want to see what a top of the line law enforcement center really looks like.

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville), Vice Chairman of Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, spoke with FBI Director, Kash Patel, Wednesday regarding the Bureau’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.

During the hearing, Representative Strong questioned Director Patel on Huntsville’s role in keeping Americans safe.

“I wish everybody would go down to Huntsville, Alabama. It is our premier, experienced law-enforcement capability center and training facility that the interagency only wishes they had.”

–@FBIDirectorKash pic.twitter.com/wtflGuZFDg

— Dale W. Strong (@RepDaleStrong) May 7, 2025

“What I saw while I was there was the best example of what I see when appropriators work with the bureau to defend the nation and I wish everybody would go down to Huntsville, Alabama,” Patel said. “It is our premier, premier experienced law-enforcement capability center and training facility that the interagency only wishes they had.”

RELATED: FBI Director commits to major expansion in Huntsville alongside Tuberville, Britt – Redstone Arsenal ‘one of the gems in the FBI crown jewel’

Patel visited the site alongside U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) in April.

What we have down there in cyber, in long-range missile defense capabilities, nested there with NASA and the Department of Defense and further programs, including our terrorism explosive device center, which the world relies on to stop bombs from going off and so much more is down in Huntsville, Alabama.

“And the reason it’s there is because appropriators were brilliant enough to provide a space outside of Washington, D.C. to take a geographic footprint and save money instead of rebuilding here in Washington,” Patel continued, “to do it for half the cost in Alabama and that’s why we’re moving 500 FBI employees this year to Huntsville because the technical expertise they possess and we do not want to remove from the FBI is nested in Huntsville and not Washington DC and in order to train the future men and women.

“The FBI, the DHS, the DOD and every other intelligence agency we have they’re already asking us ‘When do we get to go to Redstone?’ So, I encourage everyone to go down there.”

RELATED: 500 additional FBI agents headed to Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal as one of Director Kash Patel’s first orders of business

Strong also highlighted the facility during the hearing.

“Let me start by shining a light on my district, Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Huntsville, Alabama, and Redstone Arsenal. The FBI’s presence at Redstone Arsenal dates back over 50 years to 1971,” Strong said. “Currently, FBI Redstone seats over 2,000 personnel and includes personnel from 20 of the FBI’s 30 sections. Time and again North Alabama has answered the call to support the FBI with a second to work for state-of-the-art facility and plenty of room for cost-effective and responsible growth.”

WATCH:

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong believes Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal is more than capable of accommodating the base’s projected high level of growth. On Thursday, the Congressman joined The Dale Jackson Show to discuss the installation’s expected progress and the changes taking place inside the FBI, including the relocation of several thousand agents to Huntsville.

“We have right around 45,000 acres, plenty of room to grow,” said Strong (R-Huntsville). “We’ve got the workforce to take care of the jobs. You look at it, you’ve got about 2200 already in seats right now. You’ve got the cyber side of the house. Buildings complete. They’re filling it. That’ll be another 2000 there, along with the other 500 that Patel had mentioned about three weeks ago.”

RELATED: FBI Director commits to major expansion in Huntsville alongside Tuberville, Britt – Redstone Arsenal ‘one of the gems in the FBI crown jewel’

He spoke about the ongoing de-weaponization of the FBI, following its leadership’s unwarranted crusade for four years against everyday Americans.

“There are some tentacles there that we can work well with. You look at cyber, you look at training, and you talk about cleaning out the beltway,” Strong continued. “I think that’s the first thing we’ve got to do to be sure that the FBI is not weaponized against the American people. The issue mainly is with the J Edgar Hoover Building. You start looking, you’re looking at what, 6000 plus employees there.”

“The problem is with the fifth floor in Washington, D.C. You know, using the FBI, think about it. They forgot about the wiretap of Trump Tower. Does anybody believe there’s a problem with that? You start looking at what else they’ve done. Those FISA warrants. Used it against the American people. It’s only supposed to be used against foreigners.”

RELATED: Mike Rogers announces ‘Space Command will officially be assigned to build its headquarters in Huntsville’

Despite the years-long corruption, Strong has faith that one man can right the ship.

“It’s definitely become a cesspool there,” he stated. “Donald Trump said he was going to address it during the campaign, and I trust that that’s going to be taken care of.”

Redstone Arsenal currently has over 1,300 FBI personnel on base. According to Reuters, the bureau had over 9,000 employees in Washington as of June 2024.

Austen Shipley is News Director for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

7. Carlee Russell, who faked her own kidnapping and was convicted for it, has paid only $500 of the $18,000 restitution she owes in $50 monthly installments and is getting crushed by the Attorney General’s office.

6. A proposed police immunity bill in the Alabama State House has sparked controversy, with critics warning it could lead to more black people being killed by giving a “green light for black folks to get killed” to excessive force.

5. The Alabama State Senate’s proposed pornography filter bill nears passage to mandate device-level content restrictions with one lawmaker saying, “this is far worse than library books.”

4. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) remains noncommittal about a potential 2026 gubernatorial run, causing the speculation he undoubtedly loves.

3. State Sen. Robert Stewart (D-Selma) passed legislation in the Senate to potentially legalize gambling in Lowndes County. Aiming to boost local revenue, it’s a backdoor way to legalize gambling in one county.

2. The Trump administration is exploring reductions in tariffs on Chinese goods to ease trade tensions and is being touted as a backtrack by the president.

1. FBI Director Kash Patel, alongside U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), announced a major expansion of the agency’s presence on Redstone Arsenal to support the relocation of 500 agents.

In one of his first official field visits as FBI Director, Kash Patel toured the bureau’s growing “HQ 2” campus at Redstone Arsenal alongside U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville on Wednesday with a clear message: Huntsville is not just the future of the FBI — it’s already central to its mission.

The visit comes at a turning point for Alabama’s opportunity to expand its home to the federal government workforce, including a forthcoming announcement about the headquarters of U.S. Space Command.

RELATED: 500 additional FBI agents headed to Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal as one of Director Kash Patel’s first orders of business

After touring FBI Redstone’s state-of-the-art intelligence and cyber facilities, Patel celebrated that more than 500 FBI personnel will move to Huntsville by the end of the year, with plans already underway for another major wave of permanent staff as two additional buildings come online by 2027 — enough space for 1,500–1,600 more.

“The Redstone Arsenal is one of the gems in the FBI crown jewel. It truly is.”

“One of the things that we’ve been working on together is to tackle violent crime across the country. But in order to do that, you need a place for people and experts to train — that’s right here in Redstone,” Patel said.

“You need a place for people to live in a community that’s safe — that’s right here in the State of Alabama, right here in Huntsville. These Senators have been working tirelessly to shine the light on what Redstone Arsenal has been doing, and so I’m so appreciative that they let me come down and visit it with them.”

For both Britt and Tuberville, the visit was the culmination of intense advocacy. From confirmation hearings to private letters and public attention, Alabama’s Senate delegation worked hard for Patel to make today’s visit a priority. 

“During the confirmation process, I talked to Director Patel about the incredible work being done here in Huntsville,” said Britt (R-Montgomery) who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I asked him directly in his hearing to come see it for himself — and today, he’s here. This is one of his very first trips as Director, and that speaks volumes.”

“It is imperative that the FBI get back to doing its job keeping Americans safe and secure,” Britt added. “That is exactly what FBI Director Kash Patel has made his number one priority. Let good cops be cops, getting back to law enforcement, making sure we are tackling the opioid epidemic and that we are giving people faith again in this department that serves them.”

RELATED: ‘I’ll come to Alabama and let’s fill those seats’ – Patel gives Katie Britt commitment to Redstone Arsenal’s FBI footprint

Tuberville (R-Auburn) praised the work that began under former U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, crediting him with the vision to bring the FBI to Redstone in the first place.

“This all started back several years ago, when Senator Shelby saw the foresight of coming, bringing FBI to Redstone Arsenal,” Tuberville said. “He had the ability to see how cyber was going to affect our country and worldwide. And so he started the process of appropriating enough money to do something behind the wall here, and get the FBI started in the right direction. And it has really blossomed.”

“I don’t know if you have seen it — it’s a great secret, if you hadn’t seen it. It is beautiful buildings. They’re about maybe 60–70% finished, and it’s going to go about three more years of building. So a lot of things happening for the FBI here.”

Tuberville also made light of the broader growth the project is bringing to North Alabama.

“If you’re a home builder, you’re in the right business,” he said, pointing to Huntsville’s population growth. “There’s a lot more families moving here from the FBI.”

Redstone Arsenal is already home to U.S. Army commands and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, but the ongoing FBI expansion in concert with the all-but-guaranteed development of U.S. Space Command’s headquarters, Huntsville is being cemented as a total powerhouse of the federal government workforce.

RELATED: Could FBI’s Redstone ‘HQ2’ replace D.C. office?

Patel said that the move to Huntsville isn’t just about space — it’s about unmatched capabilities.

“Everyone knows about Quantico and its storied history, where new agents go, where new Intel analysts go,” Patel said. “But agents and Intel analysts don’t stop training there. They get expertise in places like Redstone Arsenal, because these facilities can’t be replicated and built elsewhere. And so we’re sending people with experience not only here to train on a temporary basis — we’re sending them here permanently to do the work that requires that expertise and then take that expertise out to the field.”

RELATED: FBI Redstone HQ was fully funded in 2023, despite reports it was cut from 2024 budget

Patel said that Redstone will host not only domestic FBI units, but will become a training hub for interagency and international partners.

“So we have one of the things that we were talking about during the confirmation process — in what we call the National Capital Region, there’s about 11,000 full-time FBI employees, give or take, and there’s 38,000 in the entire force. But violent crime isn’t just in the National Capital Region. And so we’re not just talking about what we say 1811 brick agents – we’re also talking intel analysts, support staff and specialists, and those are all going to move here based on what the mission is.”

“And they’re going to do the thing that Coach and Senator Britt said — we’re going to get after violent crime, we’re going to crush down the narcotics trade, we’re going to seal up our borders, but we’re also going to train our interagency partners, and we’re going to train our international partners,” Director Patel said.

Patel concluded by sharing a reciprocal promise that Britt and Tuberville made to him.

“I’m humbled to be with you, Katie and you, Coach. And I made them promise me one thing: I got to go to an Alabama-Auburn game with them,” Patel said. “But I’m not going to pick a side on who’s winning.”

DOGE cuts are needed, do them smarter.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast on WVNN at 10 p.m.

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel is relocating 500 agents from Washington D.C. to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. FBI managers received notification last Friday at a meeting, shortly after Patel was sworn in as the next Director.

https://x.com/KenDilanianNBC/status/1893065613599482108

The move follows a targeted effort from Alabama’s federal lawmakers, in particular, U.S. Senators, Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville. The pair urged Director Patel to immediately fill 1,000 of the open slots at the FBI’s Redstone campus in a letter just days beforehand.

RELATED: ‘I’ll come to Alabama and let’s fill those seats’ – Patel gives Katie Britt commitment to Redstone Arsenal’s FBI footprint

“Given the strategic investments at Redstone Arsenal and how its synergies align with your mission of restoring the FBI’s focus to the safety and security of the American people, we urge you to assign an additional 1,000 employees to FBI-Redstone as a first step to ultimately filling the approximately 4,000 open slots the campus can accommodate,” the Senators wrote. “This will send a message to our adversaries that the FBI’s leadership is back to prioritizing the pressing threats to our homeland. We look forward to working closely with you to Make America Safe Again.”

In his confirmation hearing, Patel confirmed to Senator Britt that he will be working to bring a significant portion of the FBI’s workforce to Huntsville.

“Senator, you have that commitment,” Patel told Britt. “This is a great example real quick of the FBI’s capabilities and infrastructure systems around the country that already exist to the tune of billions. And not only is it, I believe, a 38,000-acre sprawling campus, this Congress billeted 2,500 seats, but 4,000 seats still remain open. So let’s go to work. I’ll come to Alabama and let’s fill those seats.”

Redstone Arsenal currently has over 1,300 FBI personnel on base. According to Reuters, the bureau had over 9,000 employees in Washington as of June 2024.

Austen Shipley is the News Director for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

7. President Donald Trump named Dan Bongino deputy director of the FBI in a Truth Social post, celebrating the former Secret Service agent and ex-Fox News host as a patriot with “incredible love and passion” who will support FBI Director Kash Patel in revitalizing American justice. Trump highlighted Bongino’s educational achievements — a master’s in psychology from CUNY and an MBA from Penn State — and his law enforcement tenure with the NYPD and Secret Service, emphasizing that he’s ready to leave his thriving podcast to serve, a move Bongino acknowledged with thanks to Trump, Pam Bondi, and Patel on X. This move is yet another move to show to Trump voters that his administration is targeting the Deep State that has spent years targeting him.

5. State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) took to social media to correct the Blaze’s Daniel Horowitz, who wrongly claimed SB156, the “Second Chance Act,” would release murderers, clarifying that the bill — approved by the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee the previous day — limits resentencing petitions to non-violent offenders sentenced to life without parole before May 26, 2000. During the committee hearing, Givhan championed the bill, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road), as a remedy for an inequity where recent offenders serve shorter terms than earlier counterparts for identical non-violent acts, calling the perpetual imprisonment of the latter “fundamentally unfair.” The legislation, which could affect a select group who’ve served at least 25 years, has garnered support from conservative advocates like Americans for Prosperity-Alabama, who praise its focus on fairness, redemption, and rehabilitation for those demonstrating change.

4. Alabama’s U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) has teamed up with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) to push the DEFUND Act, a bold move to dismantle America’s relationship with the United Nations by cutting all financial support and participation, which they decry as a voluntary $18 billion annual drain funding anti-Israel bias and coercive policies through agencies like UNRWA and UNFPA. The legislation, echoing Rogers’ 2022 effort with the American Sovereignty Restoration Act, seeks to repeal cornerstone U.N. laws like the 1945 Participation Act, close the U.N.’s New York headquarters, and block future engagement without Senate approval, framing the U.N. as a “supranational” relic that no longer serves U.S. interests. Amid the Trump administration’s broader efficiency drive led by Elon Musk’s DOGE, the DEFUND Act would also exit the WHO and strip diplomatic protections, reflecting a growing conservative push to reclaim sovereignty from what Rogers calls an outdated and biased global body.

3. Republican town halls across the country have been bombarded by malcontents screaming at them about Elon Musk, Donald Trump, DOGE, Social Security, and various other issues, the media has gleefully used these moments to suggest that people that voted for President Donald Trump wanted more of President Joe Biden’s policies. In an effort to get in on some of this action, there are a series of demands for town halls from members of Congress, there is even a petition for U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia). This same strategy was used during Trump’s first presidency, requiring the media to shelve their talk about the unacceptable “tone” taking over American politics and leading them to embrace a new “scream in their faces and be angry” technique.

2. Days after Alabama U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) asked new FBI Director Kash Patel to fill out the positions at the new FBI facility in Huntsville, Patel announced they will do just that. On his first day as FBI Director, Kash Patel revealed to senior officials his intent to relocate 1,000 employees from Washington to various field offices and 500 to Huntsville, Alabama, fulfilling his vision to shrink the D.C. presence and boost local crime efforts. The move, praised by President Trump who predicted Patel would be the “best ever” director, comes amid Democratic fears of his loyalty to Trump and past threats to target adversaries, stirring concerns as he takes over an agency already shaken by recent Justice Department purges.

1. Federal employees received an Office of Personnel Management email, spurred by Elon Musk, requesting “approx. 5 bullets” of last week’s achievements by Monday night, with Musk warning on X that failing to reply would mean resignation, despite the email lacking such a threat and OPM’s Feb. 5 guidance labeling mass email responses as “explicitly voluntary.” Agencies like the FBI, Defense, and Homeland Security quickly directed staff to delay responding, highlighting legal and procedural confusion, while the American Federation of Government Employees’ Everett Kelley slammed the request as baseless and intimidating to civil servants with job protections. The clash revealed a rift between Musk’s aggressive efficiency push and federal norms, fueling worker anger and uncertainty as unions vowed to challenge any fallout, with some fearing the responses might be misused rather than fostering accountability.

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7. Leland Dudek, a Social Security Administration dedicated bureaucrat was placed on leave and nearly fired after admitting on LinkedIn to aiding DOGE by sharing documents, reallocating funds, and bypassing leadership to tackle agency waste. Acting Commissioner Michelle King left after resisting DOGE’s access to SSA data, and Dudek was spared from punishment and took her place as interim leader. It was hailed as a win for frustrated civil servants eager to fix systemic mismanagement by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). Now at the helm until Trump’s nominee Frank Bisignano is confirmed, Dudek embodies a rare alliance between DOGE’s efficiency crusade and insiders who know where fraud festers, targeting issues like illegal immigrants exploiting Social Security numbers and fake disability claims.

6. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and 19 state attorneys general filed an amicus brief backing Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), asserting that lawsuits from opposing states unconstitutionally obstruct the president’s mandate to tackle federal fraud, waste, and abuse. Marshall charged that the “radical left” is exploiting the judiciary to safeguard a corrupt system, undermining the clear will of Americans who elected Trump to safeguard their tax dollars. The Trump administration also got another win in the legal arena and can proceed with mass firings of federal employees, rejecting labor unions’ attempts to halt the Elon Musk-led overhaul, which has already slashed billions in spending, thousands of jobs, and secured 75,000 buyouts as the media declares a bloodbath.

5. After a Cullman County grand jury indicted Hanceville Police Chief Jason Marlin and four officers on 26 charges — ranging from drug injections on duty to misusing databases and tampering with evidence via a broomstick-accessed room; the remaining department employees were placed on administrative leave. At 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office assumed patrol duties for Hanceville’s 3,300 residents, following a meeting between Mayor Jimmy Sawyer and Sheriff Matt Gentry to address the crisis. With the city council set to convene Feb. 27 to debate the department’s fate, both officials pledged to prioritize public safety as the fallout from the “criminal enterprise” allegations continues to unfold..

4. A potential constitutional amendment from State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs), mandates that Alabama public schools broadcast or perform the first stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner” weekly, using either a Library of Congress recording or school-sanctioned musical group, to ensure students connect with its 100-year legacy of patriotic inspiration. The bill stipulates that local boards must choose an archived version from the Library of Congress website or arrange a live performance, positioning it as a cultural imperative. Non-compliance risks defunding, which is comical but probably 100% effective way to get kids to hear the anthem every week. Unrelated: Canada beat USA Hockey 3-2 … USA USA USA.

3. One of the more “controversial” nominees of President Donald Trump, Kash Patel, secured Senate confirmation as FBI Director on with a tight 51-49 vote, facing opposition from Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), with both Alabama senators voting in the affirmative. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) celebrated the rapid pace of Trump nominee confirmations, expressing confidence that Patel would redirect the FBI’s focus to combating terrorists and criminals, ending its targeting of Americans for their politics. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) echoed this, asserting Patel would overhaul the agency to serve the people again, taking charge of its $2.2 billion budget and 38,000-strong workforce to bolster national security..

2. The Alabama Farmers Federation wants to create a self-funded health plans for its members, projecting coverage for 10,000 people within five years, inspired by Tennessee’s successful model, amid a farm economy losing over $1 billion annually, the bill is sponsored by State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur). Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama is not psyched about this as they are already controlling over 90% of the state’s insurance market. BCBS counters that ALFA’s plan dodges critical regulations, risks leaving out farmers with pre-existing condition – who make up most of its aging base – and could spike premiums for others by cherry-picking healthy enrollees. Critic Rep. Frances Holk-Jones (R-Foley) and 30 advocacy groups, including the American Cancer Society, blast the plan as “junk” coverage lacking transparency and essential benefits, such as mammograms. ALFA insists it’s a tailored benefit, not insurance, designed to ease the burden of soaring health costs rivaling mortgage payments.

1. NASA has announced that it worked out a deal with the Office of Personnel Management to avoid the Trump administration’s expected mass layoffs, choosing instead to base cuts for its 1,300 probationary employees on performance or voluntary terms, thus preserving much of its 18,000-person workforce critical to the Artemis moon program. While this averted a feared “indiscriminate dismissal” of over 1,000 workers — the largest since Apollo’s end — about 900 employees (5%) took a deferred resignation deal, staying on payroll through September. The Planetary Society’s Casey Dreier welcomed the strategic shift but cautioned that blunt, non-targeted cuts elsewhere could still jeopardize NASA’s lunar ambitions, unlike the Apollo era when layoffs followed a completed mission rather than one ramping up. Additionally, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed Pentagon and military leaders to identify 8% in annual budget cuts over the next five years, not to shrink the department’s total funding, but to reallocate those savings toward Trump administration priorities, adding, “it is not a cut.”

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FBI Director Kash Patel told Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville he will fill open positions at the FBI’s campus on Redstone Arsenal.

Patel’s comments came ahead of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. He was confirmed today by the full Senate.

Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tuberville (R-Auburn) sent a letter to Patel today following his confirmation urging him to immediately fill 1,000 of the open slots at the agency’s campus in Huntsville.

“We are proud to represent the great state of Alabama, home to Redstone Arsenal which is the epicenter of the FBI’s technological capabilities and advanced training,” they wrote. “As threats to our nation become more sophisticated, FBI-Redstone Arsenal’s operations will need to continue growing.

“… we urge you to assign an additional 1,000 employees to FBI-Redstone as a first step to ultimately filling the approximately 4,000 open slots the campus can accommodate. This will send a message to our adversaries that the FBI’s leadership is back to prioritizing the pressing threats to our homeland.”

At Patel’s committee hearing last week, Britt extended him an invitation to visit Huntsville’s state-of-the-art FBI facilities and secured a commitment from Patel to fill the open jobs.

“Senator, you have that commitment,” he said. “And this is a great example, real quick, of the FBI’s capabilities and infrastructure systems around the country that already exist to the tune of billions. And not only is it, I believe, a 38,000-acre sprawling campus . . . but 4,000 seats remain open.

“So, let’s go to work. I’ll come to Alabama. Let’s fill those seats.”

Courtesy of 256 Today.

After weeks of controversy and delays, the U.S. Senate officially confirmed Kash Patel as the next Director of the FBI on Thursday afternoon by a vote of 51-49.

Patel, a long-time ally of President Trump, faced a more difficult confirmation process than the majority of nominees with two Republicans Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voting against his nomination in unison with Democrats.

Alabama’s two U.S. Senators cast their vote for Patel and congratulated him on becoming the leader of the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency shortly thereafter.

RELATED: ‘I’ll come to Alabama and let’s fill those seats’ – Patel gives Katie Britt commitment to Redstone Arsenal’s FBI footprint

U.S. Senator Katie Britt commended Patel and expressed her readiness to begin working with him to strengthen national security.

“As Republicans continue to confirm President Trump’s nominees at the fastest pace in decades, there is no priority more urgent than getting his national security team in place,” Britt (R-Montgomery) said.

“Today, I was proud to vote to confirm Kash Patel to lead the FBI.” “At the helm of the FBI, Director Patel will return the agency’s focus to protecting the American people from terrorists, hostile foreign actors, and violent criminals. Under his leadership, the days of weaponizing the agency to target Americans for their political beliefs are over.”

https://x.com/KatieBrittforAL/status/1892661093102735471

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) said that Patel is “going to clean up the FBI and ensure our government works for the PEOPLE again.”

https://x.com/SenTuberville/status/1892656926317592805

As Director, Patel will now be in charge of a $2.2 billion annual budget and approximately 38,000 FBI employees.

Austen Shipley is the News Director for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) praised President Trump’s pick to be FBI Director, Kash Patel, during his confirmation hearing Thursday.

Britt also highlighted Patel’s commitment to the FBI’s presence at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.

“I don’t have enough time in my three minutes to dive into all of the incredible work that’s doing there. But just want to reiterate that the workforce occupying these facilities, they were moved from DC to Huntsville,” Britt said to Patel in the hearing.

“They are working diligently each and every day to make sure that men and women in uniform are the best trained, equipped and ready that there is. And I would love a commitment from you just to come with me to visit those facilities, see what those men and women are doing, what they’re learning and all of the training that’s right there at their fingertips.”

Grateful for @KashPatel‘s commitment to visit Redstone Arsenal’s FBI footprint and fill the 4,000 jobs these facilities can accommodate. Huntsville stands ready to make Americans safer and secure our homeland. Looking forward to showcasing and utilizing Alabama’s capabilities! pic.twitter.com/IcEhQFzoWK

— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) January 31, 2025

Patel, former Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Defense, responded that he committed to the work being done in Huntsville.

“Senator you have that commitment, Patel said. “And this is a great example, real quick, of the FBI capabilities and infrastructure systems around the country that already exist to the tune of billions. And not only is it, I believe, a 38,000 acre, sprawling campus, but this Congress billeted 202,500 seats – but 4,000 seats still remain open. So let’s go to work. I’ll come to Alabama and let’s fill those seats.”

RELATED: Trump FBI Director Kash Patel: Alabama ‘lucky to have Sen. Britt representing them’

After the hearing, Britt told Fox Business that Patel might be one of Trump’s best choice to serve in his administration.

“Look, he nailed every one of their questions,” Britt said. “They absolutely came to play political theater. You have people that are already trying to run for President. They didn’t actually take the time to get down to the nuts and bolts of what he would actually be doing at the FBI…He was fantastic. He was masterful both with information and with his ability to take those question and put them right back on them.”

Kash Patel showed true leadership in today’s hearing, focusing on what matters: restoring faith in the FBI, prioritizing Americans’ safety, and upholding our Constitution.

While others played politics, he demonstrated the serious leadership we need to reform the Bureau. pic.twitter.com/sGw0EWljwf

— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) January 31, 2025

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

It’s the start of a new era in Washington. 77 million Americans sent a clear message on November 5th—they want President Trump back in the White House, and they want his America First agenda implemented.

This agenda includes a secure border, booming economy, strong military, parent-centered education, veteran-focused care, domestic energy production, and a holistic approach to health and wellness. To accomplish these goals, it is imperative that President Trump gets to pick the team around him.

As United States Senators, it is our Constitutional responsibility to vet President Trump’s nominees. My colleagues and I have been working diligently to review and meet with each nominee President Trump has put forward. During these meetings, we have the opportunity to learn more about their backgrounds and visions for the roles they are nominated for. We also have the chance to raise questions or concerns.

I’m not a politician, I’m a football coach—so it should come as no surprise to you that my approach to vetting President Trump’s nominees is not traditional. While I believe the Senate’s role in vetting Presidential nominees is certainly important, I think we should largely defer to President Trump’s judgement on who he wants around him. After all, Democrats gave President Biden this same courtesy when zero Democrat Senators voted against his nominees in 2021.

After meeting with many of President Trump’s nominees, I can tell you that President Trump has masterfully chosen his team. I spent 40 years organizing winning teams—tirelessly working to ensure we had the right staff in place to achieve our goals. President Trump has assembled a team of all-star coaches who will help deliver wins for Americans.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am particularly focused on getting the right leadership in place at the Pentagon. I couldn’t be more thrilled about President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. He has a clear vision of how to shake up the military industrial complex and get the military refocused on being a lethal killing machine. As Pete said, he stands for the warfighters, not the warmongers. I predict that recruiting numbers will skyrocket as a result. After meeting with Pete, I am 100% confident that he is the perfect person for the job.

I was also very encouraged by my meeting with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. For far too long, we have been lied to by the food and beverage industry. Without the public’s knowledge, harmful chemicals have been found in our food, drinks, cleaning products, cookware, clothing, self-care products, etc. That is the past; RFK Jr. is the future. No one has been a stronger advocate for the movement to Make America Healthy Again than RFK Jr. He will restore transparency in nutrition, healthcare, and vaccines and will put the health and wellness of We The People first.

When I got to Washington four years ago, I quickly became wary of three-letter agencies. Unfortunately, under the Biden administration, many of these intelligence agencies have been weaponized against Republicans and President Trump. That’s why I was thrilled when I saw President Trump nominate my friend, Kash Patel, to lead the FBI. Kash has become a trusted advisor ever since I got to D.C. With experience working in the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice, Kash is the perfect person for the job. Plus, the Washington elites are in a frenzy about his nomination, which is a seal of approval as far as I’m concerned.

President Trump is assembling the dream team of modern American politics. They aren’t necessarily the typical swamp picks, but President Trump isn’t interested in the status quo. President Trump’s nominees all have one thing in common: they are all proven warriors for this country. I have been overwhelmingly impressed with each person I have met with. They are smart, talented, and service-oriented patriots who are willing to make sacrifices to serve our great country.

Alabama voted overwhelmingly for President Trump. When they voted on November 5th, they also voted for his team. As Alabama’s Senator, you have my word that I will do everything in my power to get every one of President Trump’s nominees confirmed so we can get to work.

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville is the senior senator from Alabama and a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committees.

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) continues to be a vocal advocate for quickly confirming President Trump’s nominees.

In a recent Birmingham radio interview on Talk 99.5’s “Dixon and Vining” show, Britt told guest hosts Jeff Poor and Scott Buttram, “January 20, a new day begins, and I’m excited for what it means for America.”

She outlined that Trump’s nominees are intended to deliver that new day.

“Look, on November 5, the American people said, ‘We want something different.’ They don’t want business as usual,” Britt remarked. “They don’t want someone to come in and continue to do things the way that they have been done. They are ready for people to come in, take a hard look at these agencies, at these departments, make tough decisions, and make them work for the American people again. And that’s what you see and what President Trump has done as he’s approached this transition, as he has approached these cabinet nominees.”

She continued, “He has picked people that are capable of that, that understand his America First vision, that understand that hardworking Americans deserve a shot at the American Dream, that are going to get bureaucracy out of the way, that understand that red tape ultimately hurts small businesses…”

RELATED: Sen. Katie Britt: What we can accomplish in the new Trump administration

Britt also commented on her new assignment to the influential Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I’m really excited about that committee assignment,” Britt advised. “I had the opportunity to keep Appropriations, keep Banking, keep Rules, and then add the Senate Judiciary Committee. And one of my top focuses on the Judiciary Committee will be these nominees.”

Britt noted she has met with and is supportive of Kash Patel and Pam Bondi, the respective nominees to serve as FBI Director and Attorney General.

“[W]e’re going to work to get these people confirmed, work to get them in front of other colleagues, work to make sure that we’re putting them forth to the American people and to the United States Senate in a way where they understand that this is what we need to chart a new path for our country and to truly get it back on track.”

Today is the first day of business for the 119th Congress, with Republicans now in control of the House and the Senate.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees to his cabinet, currently before the U.S. Senate for confirmation, are making the rounds with Alabama Sen. Katie Britt — including his nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel.

With a sizable legacy project at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, the Bureau views the state as a key resource in both in the strength of domestic law enforcement as well as the ability to defend the homeland from foreign threats. Britt met with Patel in Washington on Thursday.

“It was amazing meeting with Senator Katie Britt this morning. As a former Congressional staffer, it’s inspiring seeing a former Congressional staffer serving as a senator. Alabamans are lucky to have Sen. Britt representing them in the Senate,” Patel said after their meeting.

In his statement, Patel reciprocated the duty that Britt (R-Montgomery) brought to their conversation today about the future of the Bureau and its ability to keep Americans safer through an increasing presence in Alabama.

RELATED: FBI Redstone HQ was fully funded in 2023, despite reports it was cut from 2024 budget

“The FBI’s focus should be protecting Americans from terrorists, hostile foreign actors, and violent criminals. Kash and I discussed how FBI Redstone in Huntsville is in prime position to be an invaluable partner in achieving this shared goal,” Sen. Britt said after their meeting. “Looking forward to hosting Kash in Huntsville soon and to Redstone being instrumental in fulfilling the FBI’s core mission for decades to come,” Sen. Britt said after their meeting.”

https://x.com/Kash_Patel/status/1867379340301750770

Trump announced Patel’s nomination in November, lauding him as a “brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter” dedicated to exposing corruption and upholding justice.” His nomination follows the resignation of FBI Director Christopher Wray, who stepped down this week amid a loss of faith by lawmakers and a failure to handle politically-sensitive investigations.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is calling on his colleagues in the upper chamber to confirm all of President Donald Trump’s nominees for his administration. The senator has been a vocal supporter of all of Trump’s picks, including those who have seen some pushback from Democrats and media pundits.

Tuesday on FM Talk 106.5’s “The Jeff Poor Show,” Tuberville (R-Auburn) said his party needs to ignore the criticism and back the President-elect’s appointments.

“We’ve got to just stand up to them,” Tuberville said. “It’s my first go around with watching Republicans kind of buckle down to the media….And I’ve said this to a lot of my colleagues, ‘Wait, wait, this is a media that’s just been ripping our throat out for the last four years, not listening to anything we’re saying about all the all these things are going on now you’re going to cow down to the media that are going to come after some of President Trump’s nominees?'”

Among Trump’s choices that have garnered the most criticism include Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services Secretary. Tuberville believes the Republicans in the Senate should support all of Trump’s picks.

“Now, one thing I will say President Trump has been he has been thinking about these people for over two years,” he explained. “He’s vetted them. He knows what they can do, their strengths and weaknesses. And so it’s like putting together a football staff. He sends them over here, and it’s our job to make sure they’re confirmed, not fight against them.”

RELATED: Britt and Tuberville officially back Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

The senator said there are too many in Congress that care more about being in the media spotlight than they do about doing the right thing for the American people.

“They want get on TV, they want tot talk on the radio…it’s a joke to be honest with you, you know, and so they need to grow up and understand President Trump got a mandate from the American people. Hey, change this mess. Get it back going in the right direction. He can’t do it by itself. He’s got to have people that are loyal to him.”

Tuberville also met with Trump’s nominee for FBI Director Kash Patel Tuesday and said he’s the right man for the job.

https://x.com/SenTuberville/status/1866574538907041967

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

As President-elect Donald Trump begins to finalize nominations for his second administration, a handful of picks have come under fire from various elected officials and high-ranking bureaucrats within government agencies.

Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for the position of FBI Director, has reportedly encountered stiff pushback from the federal agency’s top level.

On a call with reporters Wednesday, Senator Tommy Tuberville explained one significant reason why FBI leadership is fearful of Patel taking over.

“Kash Patel is the right man to clean house at the FBI,” said Tuberville. “He’s more qualified than anybody that you can pick. He was the guy who actually came out and found that ‘Russia collusion’ was a hoax. That’s one of the reasons why a lot of people behind that know that they are in real trouble with the law when he takes office as Director of the FBI.”

The Senator then emphasized the necessity of changing the FBI’s culture of corruption to demonstrate the need for Patel to take over the agency.

“The last four years give us a glimpse of how deep the corruption is at the fake Bureau of Investigation. I mean, it is so deep. You know, Joe Biden weaponized the FBI, went against all these different types of groups.”

RELATED: Tuberville: Pete Hegseth will ‘be a great Secretary of Defense’

“It’s time to clean house at the FBI,” said Tuberville. “A lot of people don’t like that. It’s also time to put justice back in the Department of Justice.”

Patel has revealed big plans for the agency should he be confirmed as its new leader, adding to the concern of current FBI leadership.

“I’d shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state,’” Patel said in an interview on the Shawn Ryan Show. “Then, I’d take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals. Go be cops. You’re cops — go be cops.”

Christopher Wray, the current FBI Director has three years left on his term. He must resign or be fired after Trump takes office for Patel to take over the organization.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

7. The Athens City Council has stopped video recordings of public comments during meetings and disabled comments on its Facebook page, raising concerns about transparency and citizen engagement. Mayor Ronnie Marks defended the decision, stating that council meetings are primarily for legislative business, but residents expressed frustration over the lack of avenues to voice their concerns. Critics argue that these changes undermine the spirit of Alabama’s Open Meetings Act, which emphasizes public access to government proceedings and allows citizens to record meetings for transparency.

6. President-elect Donald Trump’s has a tariff threat on BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and others), aiming to counter their efforts to create a rival global currency, has raised concerns about escalating trade tensions. In response to growing economic uncertainty from previous threats, Canada has increased border security, preparing for potential disruptions in cross-border trade. Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected the idea of a tariff war, emphasizing diplomacy to maintain stable trade relations with the U.S. after recent discussions with Trump, making it clear this discussion is ongoing.

5. A group of Birmingham activists, including faith leaders and community members, is calling for a Black Friday boycott of Walmart in response to the company’s decision to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives nationwide. Walmart announced it will no longer use race and gender to promote supplier diversity, limit racial equity training, and reduce participation in LGBTQ advocacy rankings, sparking criticism from civil rights groups like the National Urban League. The Roebuck activists urged Alabamians to support minority-owned and local businesses instead, emphasizing the power of consumer spending to demand corporate accountability.

4. Alabama football remains on the outside of the College Football Playoff discussion despite a 28-14 Iron Bowl win against Auburn and finishing the season 9-3 without an SEC title berth. The Crimson Tide ranks No. 13 in the latest CFP standings, the highest among three-loss teams, but faces tough odds with a 30.1% chance to make the playoff according to ESPN. Alabama’s hopes hinge on chaos in conference championship games, particularly losses by teams like Clemson or Arizona State, to open a path for selection.

3. President Joe Biden, a notorious liar, has granted a blanket pardon to his crackhead son, that covers all federal offenses committed from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024 whether charged or not. The unprecedented move came after Hunter Biden faced convictions in two federal cases earlier this year, including charges of making false statements during a firearm purchase and failing to pay over $1.4 million in taxes. Biden defended the decision as a response to what he described as selective and unfair prosecution, pointing to his son’s recovery from addiction and the political motivations behind the legal actions (which he lied about). The pardon marks a significant lie after Biden’s earlier assertions that he would not intervene in the Justice Department’s decisions, with the president emphasizing the emotional toll these events have taken on his family.

2. Alabama politicians swiftly condemned President Biden’s pardon of his crackhead son on Sunday night, pointing to the president’s prior promises, which were obvious lies, not to intervene in his son’s legal matters. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) expressed skepticism, stating that Biden’s actions were predictable, while Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) and Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth criticized the move as yet another broken promise and a sign of the Bidens playing by different rules. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) also resurfaced corruption allegations related to Hunter Biden, suggesting that the pardon was a cover-up for the family’s misdeeds.

1. The media and their Democrats praised Joe Biden for pardoning his crackhead son, they also claim Republicans are pouncing on this decision while spending the last few days bemoaning the ending of norms by appointing Kash Patel to be the FBI Director by President-elect Donald Trump. Trump also reacted to President Biden’s “unexpected” pardon of Hunter Biden, criticizing the decision and suggesting that Biden should have pardoned those involved in the January 6 protests. Trump’s transition team, led by Steven Cheung, accused the Democrat-controlled DOJ of weaponizing the justice system, promising reforms under Trump’s future administration. 

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Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.