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Trump-endorsed Candidate Concedes Primary Following 23-Vote Margin

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger, one of the state’s most powerful Republicans, conceded his GOP primary race Tuesday after a second recount confirmed he trailed by just 23 votes. The razor-thin loss to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page ends Berger’s long tenure representing the Triad-area district and signals a potential leadership shake-up in a critical battleground state ahead of the midterms.

“While this was a close race, the voters have spoken, and I congratulate Sheriff Page on his victory,” Berger said in a statement following the recount results.

“Over the past 15 years, Republicans in the General Assembly have fundamentally redefined our state’s outlook and reputation. It has been an honor to play a role in that transformation.”

Unofficial results showed Page winning 13,135 votes to Berger’s 13,112, capping a dramatic contest that initially saw Page ahead by just two votes on primary night. His margin grew slightly as election officials reviewed provisional and absentee ballots, and subsequent recounts failed to change the outcome.

Berger’s defeat marks a major upset in North Carolina politics. As Senate leader since 2011, he has been a central figure in shaping Republican policy in the state. His loss comes despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump and reported efforts by GOP leaders to persuade Page to step aside, underscoring tensions within the party as it prepares for a high-stakes election cycle.

The outcome is likely to reverberate beyond the district. North Carolina is one of the nation’s top political battlegrounds, and Republicans are working to defend their legislative supermajority while also competing nationally to maintain their narrow U.S. House majority in the midterm elections. Party leaders have been particularly focused on redistricting efforts, including recent changes to congressional maps aimed at flipping a Democratic-held seat.

Page, who had urged Berger to concede as recounts concluded, framed his victory as a call for unity heading into November.

“I thank him for wishing me the best moving forward,” Page said after Berger called to concede. “Now it’s time for our community to come together and focus on winning in November.”

He will face Democrat Steve Luking in the general election in what is considered a GOP-leaning district. Berger defeated Luking in 2024.

Despite the loss, Berger will remain in office through January and continue to preside over the Senate during the short legislative session. He emphasized his intention to support fellow Republicans as they prepare for the general election.

“Looking ahead, I remain committed to working with my colleagues in the short session to ensure North Carolina continues to be the best state in the nation in which to live, work, raise a family, and retire,” Berger said. “In the months ahead, I will also do everything I can to support all Republican Senate candidates and protect our supermajority.”

With control of Congress and key state legislatures at stake, Republicans are increasingly wary of internal divisions and low-turnout primary surprises. Berger’s narrow defeat highlights how even entrenched incumbents can be vulnerable, adding a new layer of uncertainty as the party heads into a pivotal midterm season.

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Taliban Releases Detained American After Pressure From US

By
Madeleine Jackson
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President Donald Trump holds a Cabinet meeting, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cabinet Room. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

An American who was detained by the Taliban for more than a year without charges has been released and is now on his way home, according to U.S. officials.

Dennis Coyle, 64, had spent nearly two decades working in Afghanistan before he was taken from his home in Kabul in January 2025 by Taliban intelligence forces. He was held in near-solitary confinement and never charged with a crime, officials said.

Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler said Coyle’s detention was unjust and that he had been used as leverage by the Taliban.

“The United States welcomes the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle, who was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for more than a year,” Boehler said in a statement to Fox News.

“President Trump made clear: the United States will not tolerate the unjust detention of its citizens — anywhere. His personal determination — executed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a fully aligned interagency team — has driven a shift to accountability, pressure and results.”

Coyle’s family said he had been legally working in Afghanistan as an academic researcher supporting language communities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also welcomed the release, calling it progress but emphasizing that other Americans remain detained.

“The Taliban must end their practice of hostage diplomacy,” Rubio said. “President Trump is committed to ending unjust detentions overseas – Dennis joins over 100 Americans who have been freed in the past 15 months under his second term in office.”

Rubio added: “We thank the United Arab Emirates for its support in securing Dennis’ release. We also appreciate Qatar’s continued support and advocacy for Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan.”

Coyle’s release comes amid broader U.S. pressure on the Taliban. Earlier this month, Rubio designated Afghanistan a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” accusing the group of unlawfully holding Americans and other foreign nationals.

Officials say several Americans are still believed to be detained in Afghanistan, including Mahmood Habibi and Paul Overby.

The Trump administration has made the return of detained Americans a central priority during the president’s second term. According to U.S. officials, 176 individuals — including more than 100 Americans — have been brought home from wrongful detention or captivity abroad.

That effort has included multiple high-profile cases. In Afghanistan, Americans such as George Glezmann, Ryan Corbett, and William McKenty were freed following negotiations involving U.S. envoys and regional intermediaries like Qatar.

Elsewhere, the administration secured the release of Americans held in Venezuela, Russia, and by Hamas in Gaza, including teacher Marc Fogel and American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel.

U.S. officials say many of these releases have relied on sustained diplomatic pressure and coordination with allies, particularly in the Middle East.

“In Israel, the president and his team’s dogged persistence resulted in the release of all hostages held by Hamas,” Boehler said.

“Behind these outcomes are professionals whose names will never be known—individuals who take real risks to bring Americans home. We will not accept hostage diplomacy. We will impose consequences. Americans remain detained abroad. We will not stop until every single American is home.”

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DeSantis Hints At Another White House Run

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1
Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is leaving the door open to another presidential bid after his unsuccessful 2024 campaign, signaling he could reemerge as a contender in the increasingly competitive 2028 Republican primary.

“We’ll see,” DeSantis told Fox News host Sean Hannity on his podcast, “Hang Out with Sean Hannity.” The full interview is set to be released Tuesday.

DeSantis, who is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, faces a relatively short window to decide his political future. With the 2028 primary season expected to ramp up shortly thereafter, he will have roughly a year out of office to assess whether to launch another White House run.

Once viewed as a rising star in the GOP, DeSantis entered the 2024 presidential race with significant momentum. His national profile surged his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns and a dominant nearly 20-point reelection victory in Florida in 2022. Early on, he was widely considered one of the strongest alternatives to former President Trump.

However, his campaign struggled to gain traction amid a prolonged and often contentious rivalry with Trump, who retained deep loyalty among Republican voters. After finishing a distant second in the Iowa caucuses — with just over 21 percent of the vote and nine delegates — DeSantis suspended his campaign ahead of the New Hampshire primary and endorsed Trump. He ultimately placed third overall in the Republican primary, behind Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Reflecting on that race, DeSantis suggested his support was constrained by Trump’s presence in the field.

“They were conservative voters, right? They didn’t want the non-conservative, they wanted me,” he said. “But the timing didn’t work out, obviously, for that.”

“So you just got to see what happens,” he added.

Looking ahead, the 2028 Republican primary is already beginning to take shape, with several high-profile figures jockeying for early position. Vice President JD Vance currently holds a significant polling advantage, benefiting from his national platform and close alignment with Trump-era politics.

Recent surveys illustrate the early dynamics of the race. A poll conducted by Echelon Insights found that 40 percent of Republican-leaning respondents favored Vance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio followed at 16 percent, while Donald Trump Jr., DeSantis and Haley trailed with 9 percent, 5 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Thirteen percent of respondents remained undecided.

A separate poll by The Public Sentiment Institute showed a somewhat tighter field, with DeSantis polling at 13.5 percent — good for third place — behind Vance (29.3 percent) and Rubio (15.5 percent). Nearly 10 percent of respondents were undecided.

The early polling underscores both the opportunity and the challenge for DeSantis. While he remains a recognizable figure with a record that appeals to conservative voters, he would likely enter a crowded field that includes establishment figures like Rubio, Trump-aligned candidates such as Vance and Trump Jr., and other potential contenders still weighing bids.

With Trump’s future political role uncertain and no clear consensus successor, the 2028 race is shaping up to be a wide-open contest. Whether DeSantis can reestablish himself as a top-tier candidate may depend on how effectively he rebuilds momentum after his 2024 defeat — and whether the political environment proves more favorable the second time around.

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Senate Confirms Markwayne Mullin As DHS Chief

By
Madeleine Jackson
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Indian Affairs Committee Hearings to examine Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act successes and opportunities at the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service, in Washington, DC on September 17, 2025. (Official U.S. Senate photo by Ryan Donnell)

On Monday evening, the Senate voted to confirm Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R) to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

Mullin, who was picked by President Donald Trump earlier this month to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was confirmed on a largely party-line vote. Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined nearly every Republican to clinch his nomination.

Before voting to support the nomination, Heinrich said he crossed party lines because he has seen that Mullin — who co-chairs the Senate Legislative Branch spending committee with him — “is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views.”

“And I look forward to having a secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” Heinrich said.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against Mullin, citing their chilly relationship and Mullin’s past comments that his 2017 assault was “justified.”

Mullin’s confirmation also saw the close of a whirlwind month in which Noem was reassigned after an explosive pair of hearings on Capitol Hill, as well as the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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Democrat Donors Boost Trump-Backed Challenger To Oust Rep. Thomas Massie

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
Political representation of parties making money

A growing share of high-dollar political donors with histories of supporting Democratic candidates are now backing Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and primary challenger to Republican Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.

Gallrein, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, is positioning himself as a MAGA-aligned alternative to Massie—one of the most independent-minded Republicans in Congress and a frequent critic of party leadership, including Trump at times.

Trump has made unseating Massie a priority, previously signaling he would support a primary challenger after clashes with the Kentucky congressman over key votes and strategy. Gallrein has emerged as that candidate.

However, campaign finance records reviewed by the Daily Caller raise questions about the ideological makeup of Gallrein’s donor base.

According to Federal Election Commission filings, 85% of donors who contributed the maximum allowable amount to Gallrein’s campaign have previously donated to Democratic candidates. Of the 141 donors identified in the fourth quarter who gave at least $3,500, 120 had prior histories of donating to Democrats.

Additionally, 112 of those donors—roughly 79%—are considered high-dollar contributors to Democratic campaigns, suggesting a significant overlap between Gallrein’s financial support and traditional Democratic donor networks.

The findings stand in contrast to Gallrein’s public claims about his fundraising.

“Let me give you an example: my money is coming from conservatives — not from the same people who got Mamdani elected,” Gallrein said during a Feb. 25 appearance on Hugh Hewitt’s show.

“I’ve challenged journalists to look into where his funding is coming from — there’s a Pulitzer Prize waiting for whoever does that research,” Gallrein said. “The sentiment right now is like a pressure valve being released. There’s finally a viable candidate, and it’s a one-on-one race — not a split field he’s benefited from in the past. And his money isn’t coming from Kentucky.”

When asked about the apparent discrepancy, the Gallrein campaign dismissed the criticism.

“Honestly, we find that question is ridiculous. Thomas Massie is bankrolled by Obama donors, Kamala donors, Hillary donors, and even Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar donors. You should be asking him about that,” a campaign spokesperson told the Caller.

“President Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein because he’s the MAGA conservative in this race. There is a reason the ladies of View [sic] love Massie. Maybe ask Massie’s best friend, socialist Ro Khanna, about who is the conservative in this race,” the spokesperson added.

Among Gallrein’s contributors is Adam Offenhartz, who made an in-kind donation to the campaign and has previously supported both former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign and President Joe Biden’s 2020 bid.

The race is shaping up as a high-profile proxy battle within the Republican Party, while drawing in an unexpected mix of donors from across the political spectrum.

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New Top Prosecutor Named To Replace Alina Habba

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,

A veteran federal prosecutor has been selected to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, bringing a measure of stability after months of legal turmoil surrounding former acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.

Robert Frazer, who has spent more than 20 years in the office, was appointed to the role by federal district judges, according to a brief order posted on the U.S. District Court for New Jersey’s website. The Justice Department confirmed the move in court filings, noting it came after discussions between the judiciary and senior department officials.

Frazer steps into the position after a period of uncertainty triggered by Habba’s removal. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann ruled that Habba had been unlawfully serving as U.S. attorney after her 120-day interim term expired. The court rejected a series of efforts by the Trump administration to keep her in the role beyond that limit.

Following Habba’s departure in December, leadership of the office was handed to a group of three prosecutors. That arrangement was also later deemed unlawful by the court.

Despite the ruling, Habba praised Frazer’s appointment, saying New Jersey “deserves a great chief federal law enforcement official” aligned with former President Donald Trump’s public safety priorities. She also suggested coordination between federal judges and top Justice Department officials helped move the process forward.

Habba has indicated she may attempt to reclaim the position if a higher court ultimately rules in her favor.

The dispute in New Jersey reflects a broader national clash over the appointment of U.S. attorneys. Several Trump-backed candidates across the country have faced similar challenges as Senate confirmations have stalled. In multiple districts—including Nevada, California, New York, and Virginia—judges have stepped in to remove or decline to extend interim appointees whose terms expired.

At the center of the conflict is federal vacancy law, which allows district courts to appoint U.S. attorneys when interim terms lapse. Trump allies argue that the president retains sole authority to select prosecutors, even beyond those time limits, while courts have increasingly asserted their statutory role.

The Senate’s “blue slip” tradition—giving home-state senators the power to block nominees—has further complicated confirmations, contributing to the growing number of vacancies. As a result, only a fraction of U.S. attorney offices nationwide are currently led by Senate-confirmed appointees.

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Top Iranian Official Responds To Report He’s Trump’s Secret Negotiating Partner

By
Madeleine Jackson
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2

A senior Iranian official identified in media reports as a potential backchannel to President Donald Trump has publicly denied any involvement in negotiations with the United States.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, rejected the reports after The Jerusalem Post described him as the “top person” Trump had suggested his administration was engaging with behind the scenes.

In a post on X, Ghalibaf dismissed the claim and accused the U.S. of spreading misinformation.

“Iranian people demand complete and remorseful punishment of the aggressors. All Iranian officials stand firmly behind their supreme leader and people until this goal is achieved. No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.”

The denial comes amid conflicting signals from Washington about the state of diplomacy. Just hours earlier, Trump said his administration had engaged in “very good and productive conversations” with Iran and announced a five-day pause on planned military strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure.

Read Trump’s Truth Social message:

“I AM PLEASE TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST,” Trump wrote. “BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WITCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.”

The pause marked a sharp shift in tone after Trump had warned over the weekend that Iran could face “total decimation” if it failed to comply with U.S. demands regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Trump hinted at the existence of a high-level Iranian contact but declined to identify the individual.

“A top person,” Trump said, offering no further details.

When asked whether Iran’s newly named supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was involved, Trump said the U.S. had not heard from him. Khamenei has not appeared publicly since his appointment and is widely believed to be gravely injured.

“Don’t forget: We’ve wiped out the leadership phase one, phase two and largely phase three. But we’re dealing with a man who I believe is the most respected and the leader, you know it’s a little tough, they’ve wiped out — we’ve wiped out everybody,” Trump added.

Trump’s claims of active discussions followed his announcement that strikes would be temporarily halted to allow negotiations to continue. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has also denied that any talks are taking place, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the diplomatic track even as tensions remain high following U.S. threats tied to the Strait of Hormuz.

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Trump Re-endorses ‘RINO’ Congressman He Unendorsed Less Than A Month Ago

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

President Donald Trump has re-endorsed Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd of Colorado, less than a month after withdrawing his support over Hurd’s vote against the president’s tariffs.

In a Friday post on Truth Social, Trump said Hurd’s primary opponent, former Colorado GOP vice chair and Navy veteran Hope Scheppelman, agreed to exit the race and instead join his administration “in a capacity to be determined.” Trump had originally endorsed Hurd for reelection in October 2025, but rescinded that endorsement in February after Hurd joined six other Republicans and Democrats in supporting a House resolution to repeal tariffs on Canada.

“I met with Hope Scheppelman and her husband Steven, of the Radical Left State of Colorado, to discuss various opportunities to serve our Country in a different capacity than her current run for the United States Congress,” Trump wrote in his Friday post. “Together with them, we decided that Congressman Jeff Hurd, of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, should in no way, shape, or form, be impeded from winning the District in that the Democrat alternative is a DISASTER for our Country.”

“Therefore, I will be fully supporting Jeff’s Re-Election to the House of Representatives, giving him my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the president added. “Every true MAGA supporter and Republican, if they truly care about saving our Country, will do everything in their power to unify together, and defeat the Crazed Radical Left Democrats this November.”

Trump had sharply criticized Hurd in his February 21 post announcing the withdrawal of his endorsement.

“Congressman Hurd is one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down. He is more interested in protecting Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for decades than he is the United States of America,” Trump wrote at the time, defending his “unbelievably successful” tariffs, which he said made “America Richer, Stronger, Bigger, and Better than ever before.”

“Taking back an Endorsement is a difficult decision for me. I have only done it once before, with a former Congressman named Mo Brooks, from Alabama, who was leading by 54 points after my Endorsement for U.S. Senate, and then, he unexpectedly, for strictly political reasons, changed his views on the Rigged Election of 2020, and lost his Race in a Landslide to Katie Britt, who I Endorsed,” Trump continued, referencing the 2022 Alabama Senate race.

“These are the decisions that must be made, however, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he added at the time.

Following Trump’s renewed endorsement, Hurd expressed appreciation and emphasized party unity.

“I’m grateful for President Trump’s support and appreciate his efforts to unify Republicans in Colorado’s Third District,” Hurd wrote in a Friday post on X. “The President and I share the same goals: securing the border, American energy dominance, and helping working families. I will continue to focus on representing Colorado’s Third District, delivering results for rural Colorado, and running a serious campaign to earn the support of voters across the district.”

With Scheppelman exiting the race and the candidate filing deadline now passed, Hurd appears set to run unopposed in the Republican primary for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. He is widely expected to secure the nomination on June 30.

The general election also favors Republicans. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district as “Likely Republican,” and it backed Trump by 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. The seat is not among those targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is instead focusing on the neighboring 5th District.

The 3rd District was previously represented by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who moved to the more conservative 4th District in 2024 after a close reelection race two years earlier.

FROM THE DESK OF DONALD TRUMP JR. Democrats tried to rig the census by counting millions of illegal immigrants — giving blue states more power in Congress. Now we’re making sure only American citizens are counted. But first, we need to verify our own records. CONFIRM YOUR VOTER INFORMATION NOW.

Former Treasury Secretary’s Portrait Covered Up After His Name Appeared In Epstein Files

By
Donny Ferguson
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0
By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695

A federal watchdog group is going to court to learn more about why a former U.S. Treasury Secretary’s portrait was covered up after the release of a trove of disturbing email correspondence between him and deceased convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The non-profit public interest law firm Judicial Watch announced it “filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Treasury for records regarding the covering of former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers’ official portrait in the Main Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., reportedly after his name surfaced in records connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Treasury (No.1:26-cv-00446)).”

“Covering Larry Summers’ portrait won’t make the Epstein scandal disappear,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Covering the portrait raises obvious questions. Transparency—not cover-ups—is the proper response.”

“An exchange of emails between Summers and Epstein contained in a trove of Epstein records released by the House Oversight Committee, Epstein called himself Summers’ ‘wing man,’” Judicial Watch notes.

Judicial Watch reports it “filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after the Treasury Department failed to respond to a January 8, 2026, FOIA request for:”

All records, including communications, about the covering up of former Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers’ portrait in the U.S. Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. Mr. Summers served as Treasury Secretary from July 2, 1999, to January 20, 2001.

“Judicial Watch submitted the FOIA request after a source inside Treasury informed a Judicial Watch lawyer about the portrait-covering incident,” the group notes.

Summers’ portrait was covered up after he announced his resignation from public life.

“In November 2025, soon after his name arose in connection with Epstein, Summers said, ‘I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused.… I will be stepping back from public commitments as one part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me.”

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk.

FROM THE DESK OF DONALD TRUMP JR. Democrats tried to rig the census by counting millions of illegal immigrants — giving blue states more power in Congress. Now we’re making sure only American citizens are counted. But first, we need to verify our own records. CONFIRM YOUR VOTER INFORMATION NOW.

Trump Reverses Iran Strike Orders Hours After Threatening ‘Total Decimation’

By
Madeleine Jackson
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2
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump on Monday announced a temporary pause in planned military strikes against Iran, just hours after escalating rhetoric in which he warned the country would face “total decimation.”

The shift came after what Trump described as “very good and productive conversations” between U.S. and Iranian officials over the past two days, raising the possibility of a broader de-escalation in the ongoing conflict.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had ordered a five-day halt to attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure while negotiations continue.

“I AM PLEASE TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST,” Trump wrote. “BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WITCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.”

The announcement marked a notable reversal from Trump’s earlier statements. On Sunday, during a phone interview with Channel 13 reporter Neria Kraus of Israel, the president warned that Iran would soon face overwhelming military action if it failed to comply with U.S. demands.

“You’re gonna find out soon. It’s gonna be very good. Total decimation of Iran,” Trump said. “It’s gonna work out very good.”

Trump also criticized Iran’s leadership, saying the country had been “very bad for 47 years” in reference to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, adding, “Now they’re getting their comeuppance.”

A day earlier, Trump had issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Iran to “FULLY OPEN” the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. He warned that failure to do so would trigger immediate U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure.

“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” he wrote.

The ultimatum followed weeks of escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, including joint U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and intensified regional tensions.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has declined sharply since the conflict began on February 28. According to the BBC, maritime traffic dropped as much as 95% in March, with daily vessel counts falling from a typical 138 ships to around 100. The disruption has contributed to a surge in global oil prices, which rose to $98.09 per barrel on Friday—an increase of 47% since before the war began.

Despite earlier predictions that the conflict was progressing quickly and nearing resolution, Trump’s latest comments suggest a potential shift toward diplomacy, at least in the short term, as negotiations continue.

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