Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Smith remains No. 1, but U.S. sees big shift in Hispanic names
The Census Bureau has captured the Hispanification of America in new data showing that five of the top 15 surnames are now of Spanish origin. Published April 14, 2026
White House invokes Trump assassination attempts as it fights to keep building new ballroom
The administration begged a federal judge on Tuesday to let construction continue on President Trump's grand ballroom project at the White House, reminding the court that he has faced "multiple assassination attempts" in recent years. Published April 14, 2026
Judge scolds media for ‘better-first-than-accurate’ approach to news
A federal judge blasted the press on Tuesday for sacrificing accuracy at the hands of speed, saying journalists are delivering "predictably inaccurate" coverage of court action. Published April 14, 2026
DHS beats Boasberg with appeals court ending his contempt proceedings against Trump administration
A federal appeals court delivered an embarrassing reproach to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Tuesday, ordering him to shut down his "intrusive" criminal contempt of court investigation against the Trump administration. Published April 14, 2026
Intel chief Tulsi Gabbard says Democrats’ 2019 impeachment of Trump based on ‘concocted’ evidence
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired a broadside at congressional Democrats on Monday, saying their 2019 impeachment of President Trump over his dealings with Ukraine was based on biased evidence and slipshod work from within the intelligence community. Published April 13, 2026
Judge tosses Trump’s defamation lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein claims
A federal judge dismissed President Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal on Monday, saying he failed to prove the newspaper acted with malice when it published claims linking him to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Published April 13, 2026
Justice Department repeatedly making unforced errors under Trump
One of the Trump Justice Department's most fervent missions has been to try to pry voting lists from states, including by suing, in an attempt to force them to clean up their rolls. Published April 12, 2026
U.S. sends Navy destroyers through Strait of Hormuz with aim to demine it
The Navy sent two guided missile destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz as the first step in its plan to reopen the critical waterway to commercial ship traffic. Published April 11, 2026
IBM reaches settlement with Justice Dept. over DEI hiring, pay
IBM has agreed to pay $17 million to resolve a Justice Department investigation that charged the tech firm with boosting minorities and women by illegally using race and sex in hiring and pay decisions. Published April 10, 2026
Deficit dips as economy continues to fill Uncle Sam’s wallet
The federal government has seen a surge in money through the first six months of the fiscal year, helping to offset a small rise in spending and cutting the size of the budget deficit by 11%. Published April 10, 2026
ICE book-ins wane after pullout from Minnesota; criminal arrests rise
ICE is now booking in fewer than 1,000 migrants a day as the agency has seen its workload plummet after pulling out of Minnesota. Published April 10, 2026
Judge orders Pentagon to let New York Times reporters back in
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Pentagon cheated when it tried to block access to all reporters in order to keep The New York Times out of the building. Published April 9, 2026
Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil loses deportation case
Mahmoud Khalil, the most prominent of the pro-Palestinian students the Trump administration targeted for deportation last year, has lost his deportation case after the Board of Immigration Appeals rejected his request for leniency Thursday. Published April 9, 2026
Child exploitation rampant online while Big Tech blows chances to help nab predators
Social media has made a mess of child exploitation, spawning a massive increase in reports but leaving the major technology companies struggling to turn over the kinds of details investigators need to track down culprits and rescue victims, said a report Thursday by the Senate's senior lawmaker. Published April 9, 2026
DHS says border calm is ‘the new normal’
The Border Patrol in March posted its 11th straight month without a single catch-and-release of an illegal immigrant at the southwestern boundary, leading officials to declare the record levels of calm "the new normal." Published April 9, 2026
Judge tosses another Trump lawsuit seeking voter information from states
A federal judge on Thursday rejected the Justice Department's attempt to get a look at Massachusetts' voter lists, complete with identifying information, saying the government didn't give a valid reason to see the data. Published April 9, 2026
He urged leftists to ‘infiltrate’ GOP primaries — the Supreme Court just said no
The Supreme Court on Thursday shut down an attempt by Samuel Ronan, a longtime liberal Democrat, to force his way onto the Republican primary ballot for a congressional seat from Ohio. Published April 9, 2026
Judge blocks DHS from canceling deportation amnesty for Ethiopians
A federal judge put a halt Wednesday to Homeland Security's plan to shut down a deportation amnesty for nearly 5,000 Ethiopian migrants, chastising the government for being too harsh toward them. Published April 8, 2026
Feds seek prison time for scammer who helped illegal immigrants get driver licenses
Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to slap a 16-month prison sentence on a man who was part of a massive document fraud ring that helped illegal immigrants obtain driver's permits -- and took the tests for them to qualify. Published April 8, 2026
DOJ probes Jan. 6 witness Cassidy Hutchinson for perjury
The Justice Department is reportedly investigating Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide who became a star witness in congressional Democrats' probe into President Trump and the mob intrusion into the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Published April 8, 2026
