Transcript of Evening Wire: Bernie Teams Up With China & Costco Changes Hot Dog Deal | 4.30.26

Iran attempts to sneak oil ships through the blockade. Bernie Sanders teams up with China to take on AI. And newly discovered lithium deposits in the Appalachians could power America for centuries. I'm Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Thursday, April 30th. This is Evening Wire.

War Secretary Pete Haagseth defended a $1.5 trillion budget request before the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Daily Wire contributor Tim Pearce has more.

The hearing began just hours before the war in Iran passed the 60-day mark, a key date because under the War Powers Resolution Act of 1973, the president has 60 days from the beginning of any military conflict to seek congressional approval or end military operations. But in the hearing, Hegseth told Democrat Senator Tim Kaine that Congress may have to wait a bit longer to hear from the administration on Iran.

Uh, ultimately, I would, I would defer to the White House and White House counsel on that. However, we are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means, uh, the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire. So they're not in— that's— it's our understanding, just so you know. Okay, well, I, I do not believe the statute would support that. I think the 60 days runs maybe tomorrow.

Hegseth also faced heat for recent cuts he has made at the top levels of the military. The war secretary said his department has been run poorly for social experiments rather than on basic principles.

Underwriting the change that we've seen in our department was a laser focus on getting back to basics, and the key word to that is merit. We had a department that was obsessed with gender ideology and race, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In fact, the mantra you would hear dripping from the lips of generals and with a serious look on their face was, our diversity is our strength, which is the single dumbest phrase in military history.

Maine Governor Janet Mills has pulled out of the state's race for Senate. That leaves the controversial Democratic candidate Graham Plattner squarely in command of the Democratic nomination. And it would pit him against Republican Susan Collins. Morning Wire spoke with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He expressed confidence that Collins would pull off another win in the blue state.

I was 100% sure that Susan Collins was going to win yesterday, and so it can't get better than 100%. I will say, however, that Graham Plattner makes it easier for us to show the contrast between what common-sense Mainers want and what the Democrat Party is offering. Consistently and completely out of step with me.

According to maritime intelligence, Iran has disguised sanctioned tankers as Iraqi vessels to sneak oil sales around the U.S. blockade. Windward AI, which analyzes shipping traffic, reports that, quote, deceptive shipping practices are escalating in the Middle East. At least 10 Iranian tankers have faked their locations and ID information to appear as if they're sitting in Iraqi ports while in reality they're loading up with Iranian crude. The oil on those ships could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars worth in sales.

Elon Musk concluded his testimony after 3 days on the stand in his lawsuit against Sam Altman. Musk, a co-founder and early investor in OpenAI, has brought the case against co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, arguing they misled him and broke their founding agreement by shifting the company away from its nonprofit mission into a mainly for-profit venture. Musk was contentious in his final day on the stand, asserting that the defense attorney was asking leading questions. This earned him a rebuke from Judge Gonzales Rogers. Defense attorneys questioned Musk on why he did not bring his case earlier, arguing that changes to the company took place years ago and that Musk is only now intervening due to OpenAI's recent success and their position as a competitor to Musk's own AI ventures. The trial is expected to last a few more weeks, with other key figures taking the stand soon. That's a clip from Spencer Pratt's viral new ad targeting LA Mayor Karen Bass. Now it appears he's starting to get real traction with influential Angelenos. Billionaire businesswoman Jeanne Buss recently gave him the maximum legal donation for his campaign, and she isn't alone. So far this year, Pratt has outraised incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in donations, and he's nipping at her heels in polling.

Bass leads the field with 25% of the vote share, and Pratt is polling in the high teens, neck and neck with far-left City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. But with more than 40% of the electorate still undecided, the race remains competitive. The race is officially nonpartisan, but Pratt has staked out the conservative lane, squaring off in the upcoming primary against progressives Bass and Raman.

The failed assassination attempt against President Trump on Saturday resulted in a very close call for one Secret Service agent. Daily Wire assistant editor Andy Valdez has the story.

According to NBC News, investigators suspect that the almost assassin, Cole Thomas Allen, is responsible for a shot that hit an agent in his bulletproof vest, contrasting the initial reports that claimed he was hit by friendly fire. The agent was hospitalized and released over the weekend. Allen now faces 3 charges related to the incident, including one for attempted assassination of the President of the United States. The charge carries a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted.

The state of Colorado is at it again, trying to silence free speech. A law in Colorado forces businesses to use customers' preferred pronouns, even if they're biologically inaccurate, and even if using those incorrect pronouns would violate a person's religious beliefs or conscience. That's a violation of free speech. But as Colorado has proven time and again, it has little concern for the First Amendment. Alliance Defending Freedom is challenging the law on behalf of a Christian bookstore and a Colorado-based sports apparel company, but a court recently ruled against them. With ADF's help, they appealed the ruling, and they'll continue fighting to ensure Colorado doesn't get away with this next attempt to skirt the First Amendment. Your gift helps protect free speech in cases like this all over the country. And for a limited time, your first gift to ADF is doubled by a special matching grant while funds last. Text WIRE, W-I-R-E, to 83848. Or go to joinadf.com/wire to have your gift doubled.

Bernie Sanders is partnering with China on an anti-AI crusade. Daily Wire political reporter Cameron Arcand has the details.

Senator Bernie Sanders is under fire after teaming up with two Chinese nationals with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party at an event warning about the dangers of AI. His co-panelists included a professor at the CCP-funded Tsinghua University, which has been linked to Beijing's cyber espionage campaigns against the United States, along with the dean of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance. The Vermont senator called for international cooperation on an AI moratorium, warning that AI could potentially, quote, "turn against the human race with cataclysmic consequences." Sanders' collaboration with the two Chinese leaders is facing pushback from American tech leaders, with tech investor Marc Andreessen calling Chinese involvement, quote, "concerning." while Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale accused Beijing of leveraging the American left to kneecap U.S. AI dominance. This comes as President Trump pushes in the opposite direction, having launched the American AI Action Plan last July to accelerate AI development and remove regulatory hurdles.

On Wednesday, federal agents swarmed at least 4 locations in Orange County, California, including 2 ritzy mansions It's not yet clear whose homes they were or what they may have uncovered at each. Agents targeted all 4 locations in connection with a sweeping investigation into illegal narcotics. At least 1 person was detained, and DEA agents took away lab equipment from at least 1 of the raided sites.

The Appalachian Mountains may have a trove of lithium so big it could last the US for centuries. Daily Wire homepage managing editor Jordan Schroeder has more.

The U.S. Geological Survey announced this week that the mountain range sits on top of an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of lithium, enough to fill current U.S. demand for 328 years. Lithium is a critical mineral in batteries and green energy technology, both of which are dominated by China. The new deposits discovery could be significant in U.S. efforts to cut its reliance on the Chinese and strengthen U.S. national security. USGS Director Nan Mumula said that the discovery highlights the abundant potential to reclaim our mineral independence.

A judge has awarded a Christian school in Vermont over a half a million dollars in its court fight over allowing males and female sports competitions. Daily Wire investigative reporter Meg Brock has the details.

In 2023, the Mid Vermont Christian School girls basketball team was forced to end its playoff run early. Because it refused to compete against a transgender-identifying athlete. School officials said that forcing girls to play against a biological male violated expectations of fairness and safety. The Vermont Principals Association barred all Mid Vermont teams from competition in response. This week, the VPA agreed to pay Mid Vermont $566,000 in damages and promised to never make a similar ban in the future.

A crowd of more than 1,000 teenagers descended on Orlando's Icon Park on Saturday, marking the latest social media-driven teen takeover. Daily Wire reporter Lyndon Blake has the story.

The takeover triggered multiple fights, injuring two Orange County deputies, and led to 9 arrests on charges that included battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. Authorities said the gathering began around 7:00 at night, and officers on site attempted to control the situation as chaos spread through the entertainment complex and surrounding streets. Video footage showed police ordering teens to disperse while groups ran through the area, with bystanders linking the event to posts on TikTok and YouTube. Both injured deputies received hospital treatment and were later released. In response, Icon Park implemented a new chaperone policy requiring minors to be accompanied by an adult. Officials also pointed to a broader trend of similar organized gatherings nationwide and said they are taking a proactive approach to maintain safety.

And Costco is changing its beloved $1.50 hot dog deal for the first time in decades. Daily Wire producer and Costco correspondent Nick Sheehan has the story.

An historic American institution is making its first big change in more than 40 years. The Costco $1.50 hot dog and fountain drink combo has stood unchanged since the Reagan administration. Despite rampant inflation, foreign wars, and two Hangover sequels, the hot dog combo has remained an immutable beacon of American exceptionalism. Now the deal is changing, but not the price. Customers will now have the option to swap the 20-ounce fountain drink for a bottle of Kirkland Signature water. While some are wary of any change, Maha advocates are over the moon. So while the deal may have some new options, it's good to know that 6 quarters can still get you a quarter pound of beef dog and a drink.

All right. Those are your drive home updates. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And in case you missed it earlier today, we covered some major stories, including the Supreme Court handing down two major rulings, Elon Musk and Sam Altman facing off in court, and the UAE pulling out of OPEC. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.

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