

I've been having a lot of conversations about the war in Iran.
The unit I served with, the 82nd Airborne Division, has been deployed to the Middle East right now. I once wore the patch, and I know those men and women represent the very best of our nation.
When we ask our troops to deploy, they deserve to know that risking their lives was the last option. They deserve clarity and a mission worthy of their sacrifice.
The problem is that we've heard maybe a dozen different things from the President, and as a country, we don't have a single explanation as to what's going on and what the sacrifice is that these men and women are being asked to make.
So I've been talking to the people I served with in Afghanistan these past few weeks. I've been talking to my team about Marylanders overseas, those serving our country, and the major impacts we might face here at home.
I also spoke with NPR's Newsmakers at length: About the war in Iran, about what success might look like or what diplomacy could accomplish, about the pardon power and more.
You can listen to that conversation with NPR in full on Spotify here, or on the Apple Podcast app here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Or if you'd like to help spread the word on Instagram Reels, you can check out this clip.
Thanks for keeping up with our work. More soon.
Elevate,
Wes